A three-year journey from meditation to a commercial rock success
In short: After nearly three years of recording, Weezer released an album that split the musical world. While some critics were harsh, the record brought the band a Grammy nomination and a massive Billboard success, fueled by a songwriting process shaped by intense meditation and unexpected musical experiments.
Released on May 10, 2005, Make Believe marked a shift toward more vulnerable, personal songwriting for frontman Rivers Cuomo. The production process was unusually long for the band, spanning almost three years. This period saw Cuomo exploring spiritual practices under the influence of producer Rick Rubin, including a ten-day course in vipassana and metta meditation. This practice directly influenced the track 'Pardon Me,' which focuses on seeking forgiveness for past wrongs.
The album's creation was marked by significant experimentation and near-misses. Cuomo once wrote 'Hold Me' after a 24-hour fast, and 'Haunt You Every Day' was his first entirely piano-driven song, written after Rubin suggested he compose in the style of Billy Joel or Elton John. The band even considered including 'My Best Friend' in the film Shrek 2, but the deal fell through because the song did not fit the film's timing. Instead, the movie used Counting Crows' 'Accidentally in Love.'
Despite its commercial achievements—including a number two debut on the US Billboard 200 and a Grammy nomination for 'Beverly Hills'—the album received polarizing reviews. Metacritic recorded a weighted average score of 52 out of 100. While some critics compared the songwriting to the band's earlier work like Pinkerton, others were much more critical. The album also saw several iterations; early pressings contained a lyrical error in 'We Are All on Drugs' and audio issues in 'This Is Such a Pity,' leading to multiple corrected versions over time.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Make Believe (Weezer album)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-make-believe-weezer-album.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
