Matchbox 20 formed in the Southeastern United States in the early '90s. Rob Thomas, the group's lead singer and lyricist, was an Army brat born in Germany before his family settled in the Southeast. During high school, Thomas played in several bands and became a fixture in the local circuit. Eventually, he met bassist Brian Yale and drummer Paul Doucette, and the three spent several years drifting through local bands before deciding to form Matchbox 20. They recruited Adam Gaynor (rhythm guitar, vocals), who had previously worked at the Criteria Recording Studios in Miami, and Kyle Cook (lead guitar), a former employee of the Atlanta Institue of Music.

The band hooked up with Collective Soul producer Matt Serletic and recorded a batch of demos, which helped the band secure gigs throughout the U.S. Soon, the band signed to Lava, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, and recorded their debut, Yourself or Someone Like You, with Serletic as producer. The album was released in October of 1996 to little attention, but Matchbox 20 continued to tour America, cultivating a fan base. They eventually landed their single "Long Day" on several influential radio stations, which paved the way for their breakthrough hit, "Push." In the spring of 1997, "Push" began climbing its way to the top of the modern rock charts, as it received heavy airplay from radio and MTV. By the summer, the single was in the modern rock Top Ten, and Yourself or Someone Like You had reached the album Top 40 and gone gold.