Phish has always been known more for putting on unforgettable live shows than crafting chart-topping albums, but with the band’s summer tour about to begin, its ninth studio album, Farmhouse (which was just re-released on vinyl) has re-entered the Billboard charts after more than 20 years, surpassing Taylor Swift‘s Midnights as the week’s top-selling vinyl album.
Originally released via Elektra Records on May 16th, 2000, immediately before the band’s two-year hiatus between October 2000 and December 2002, Farmhouse debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200. For context, Britney Spears‘ Oops!…I Did It Again held the number one slot, and the top ten included Pearl Jam‘s Binaural, ‘N Sync‘s No Strings Attached, Creed‘s Human Clay, and Sisqo‘s Unleash The Dragon, which gave us “Thong Song”.
The album was recorded and mixed in fall 1999 and winter 2000 at The Barn in Vermont by John Siket and was produced by Bryce Goggin and Trey Anastasio, who arranged the horns for “Gotta Jibboo” (Dave Grippo sax, Jen Hartswick trumpet, Andy Moroz trombone) and strings for “Dirt” (John Dunlop cello, Roy Feldman viola, David Gusakov, and Laura Markowitz violin). The acoustic instrumental “The Inlaw Josie Wales” included Béla Fleck (banjo) and Jerry Douglas (dobro).
The single “Heavy Things” charted after being previewed live at Big Cypress on ABC’s New Year’s Eve 2000 coverage, and “First Tube” was nominated for a Best Rock Instrumental Performance Grammy. The album went on to be certified Gold.
Recently re-released as a 2LP “Northern Lights” (blue + nebulous green) 180g, foil numbered vinyl set in deluxe gatefold packaging, Farmhouse has risen to new heights ahead of Phish’s summer tour, reaching the number five position on the list of the week’s top-selling albums behind Taylor Swift’s Midnights and Lil Uzi Vert‘s Pink Tape among others. Even more impressive, the album has reached the number one position on the list of the week’s top-selling vinyl albums, overtaking Taylor Swift, who sold more vinyl albums than any other artist last year, breaking the yearly sales record. Swift still dominates most of the list, with three albums in the top five alongside Kesha‘s highly anticipated Gag Order.
All copies of the recent Farmhouse pressing have sold out.
This week’s top-selling albums:
1. @aespa_official My World: The 3rd Mini Album
2. @Stray_Kids 5-Star: The 3rd Album
3. @taylorswift13 Midnights
4. @LILUZIVERT Pink Tape
5. @phish Farmhouse— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) July 10, 2023
This week’s top-selling albums:
1. @aespa_official My World: The 3rd Mini Album
2. @Stray_Kids 5-Star: The 3rd Album
3. @taylorswift13 Midnights
4. @LILUZIVERT Pink Tape
5. @phish Farmhouse— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) July 10, 2023
Phish’s summer tour kicks off Tuesday, July 11th at the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, AL for a two-night run and goes through the annual Labor Day Weekend sendoff at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO (8/31–9/3). For tickets and a full list of tour dates head here.
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