Gossard stated that the band 'felt like it was time to try something new,' and that they 'were ready for a change.' Lead vocalist Eddie Vedder called the making of the album 'a construction job.' Binaural was the first album since the band's debut that was not produced by Brendan O'Brien. Similar to the process for Yield, the band members worked on material individually before starting the recording sessions together. The album's 2000 tour spawned a large collection of official bootleg releases.

Although the album was certified gold by the RIAA, it became the first Pearl Jam studio album to fail to reach Platinum status in the United States. Binaural received positive reviews, and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. The atmospheric tracks, mostly featuring somber lyrics dealing with social criticism, led the band to convey these themes with images of nebulas in the album artwork. The music on the album featured an experimental sound, evident on songs that used binaural recording techniques. This is Pearl Jam's first album to feature former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, who joined during 1998's Yield Tour to replace Jack Irons. During the production of the album, the band encountered hindrances such as singer Eddie Vedder's writer's block, and guitarist Mike McCready's entrance into rehabilitation due to an addiction to prescription drugs. Following a full-scale tour in support of its previous album, Yield (1998), Pearl Jam took a short break before reconvening toward the end of 1999 to begin work on a new album. Binaural is the sixth studio album by American rock band Pearl Jam, released May 16, 2000, through Epic Records.

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