Yield was released 20 years ago today

[Sgt. Crackpot]

I fucking love this album, and remember the very day it came out. I was in a long distance relationship at the time. She was also a fan but lived in a fairly isolated town. I posted her a copy and a love letter. She was stoked.

I cranked this album so many times in my bedroom. Is was different, but still amazing.

Fuck we're old.

Discuss.



Yield was released on February 3, 1998, on CD, vinyl, cassette and MiniDisc. Epic promoted the album more than No Code, with marketing vice-president Steve Barnett claiming it was the first time since debut album Ten that the label "had the lead time to do the job right."

The album leaked on the internet in December 1997 as Syracuse, New York radio station WKRL-FM played an advance copy of the record, leading fans who taped the broadcast to release the tracks online.

Two singles were released from Yield. The lead single "Given to Fly" entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 21, reached number three on the Modern Rock charts, and spent a total of six weeks at number one on the Mainstream Rock charts. The album's other commercially released single, "Wishlist", charted on the Hot 100 at number 47. Album tracks "In Hiding" and "Do the Evolution" also charted on the rock charts.

The band hired comic book artist Todd McFarlane to create an animated video for "Do the Evolution". It was the band's first music video since 1992. At the 1999 Grammy Awards, "Do the Evolution" received a nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance and its music video received a nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form.

Yield sold 358,000 copies during its first week of release, and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 album chart. It was held off the top spot by the Titanic soundtrack.

Yield became Pearl Jam's first album not to peak at number one on the Billboard charts since Ten in 1991. However, Yield has been certified platinum by the RIAA, and eventually outsold its predecessor No Code with 1.9 million copies in the United States as of 2013 according to Nielsen SoundScan.

[joostone]

first album I bought on release day....


https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/02/ ... ll-lifers/

[Anders]

I had just joined the military. I did listen to a lot of music that year, but Yield didn't really take centre stage until the autumn. Remember meeting my brother for the first time in months, and he played Yield in his car.

[liebzz]

I remember I was in college, and had to drive a few towns over to get to the midnight release (I had also found a midnight release party for No Code). Went straight to the dorm and at 1:00am I am blasting this thing with fervor. I got noise complaints, and had to turn it down. This album has been blasted to the point of complaint many times. As an aside, there’s a weird moment during Given to Fly where if I listen on headphones this sound comes out akin to someone in a female voice yelling my name and I still panic every time thinking someone is interrupting me.

[dimejinky99]

[StonyGold]

My biggest memory of this album was using MTV as background noise while doing something or other. I remember with clarity passing by the television and suddenly stopping when I heard the intro to Do the Evolution. I stalked the TV with a blank VHS tape so I could record it.

Man, I listened to this album so many times that I ended up scratching it to the point of having to buy a new one. Which is better than running down the stairs with a stack of albums in hand, only for Vitalogy to slip out and split in half on the floor. Till this day I have two copies of Vitalogy, but only one with a disc. I couldn't stand to throw it away.

Why is time so cruel?

[VinylGuy]

I remember being exited about it....at the time i was really into SP and Adore was my main thing, but my friend bought yield and i liked instantly. It was way more accessible than No Code, Ed´s voice was prominent in the mix and there were lots of uptempo songs...and there was also some weird garagy type of things too.

Around this time i became obsessed with PJ too.

[Norah]

Let's get DTE on TRL!

[VinylGuy]

I had to tape SVT from a broadcast in Films & Arts. I was blown away.
Everything around that time was perfect even if PJ wasnt really popular here in Argentina.

[StonyGold]

Let's get DTE on TRL!

TRL was the beginning of the end for MTV.

[PHATJ]

I remember leaving my high school after my first hour class and driving to my local record store to be there when they opened. There ended up being a line at the door of approximately 25 people (of which I was second). After buying the album I drove around in my truck and listened to the whole thing before returning to school around lunch time. A buddy of mine had asked me to pick up a copy for him too. We spent the afternoon chilling in the student lounge, skipping all of our classes, and listening to Yield. Somehow I never got in trouble for bailing on six of my seven classes that day, but if I had it would have been totally worth it.

[dimejinky99]

My national anthem my favourite pearl jam song. The one that gives me wings

[epilogue]

I bought this record the day it came out. It was my second PJ record to purchase on a day-of release (No Code was the first). I was super underwhelmed by it upon first listen. I listened to the album front to back once and thought, 'this is amazing... what next?'

Now Yield is my #4 PJ record. I goddamn adore this album. But it did take a while to make it's mark.

[LetMeSleep]

I was not very impressed with GtF and the bsides so I didn’t shell out for this. I listened at the store. BoJ was nice but nothing else did anything. Wish list was the nadir and by Red Dot I gave up. I think I finally bought it a few months later as my completist nature took hold. It’s never been a favourite and probably never higher than fifth for me.

[evenslow]

Probably their best album.

[evenslow]

Was in college and went to a special "listening party" like the week before it came out. Basically a bunch of superfans sitting around a bar and we got to listen to it once all the way through. On first listen I remember Faithfull really standing out to me. I was smart.

For the album purchase went to a midnight sale where we knew the record store owners so we got to drink beers behind the counter. Then went home and listened to it for a few hours. Remember In Hiding really standing out at that point. I was smart.

[dimejinky99]

The Last truly great no question album that pearl jam made.

[Birds in Hell]

The Last truly great no question album that pearl jam made.

I agree with this.

[Got Some]

Brought this one the day it came out. Listened to
It on my discman in a crowded food mall in the city.

Amazing album

[Monkey_Driven]

Brought this one the day it came out. Listened to
It on my discman in a crowded food mall in the city.

Amazing album

This story will seem so antiquated in another decade or two.