Editing 3 Doors Down (section)

===Mainstream success: 1999–2004===
3 Doors Down's first studio album, ''[[The Better Life]]'', was released on February 8, 2000. It went on to become the 11th best-selling album of the year,<ref name="auto"/> selling over four million copies.{{cn|date=May 2025}} It has since been certified 7× platinum,<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=&ti=The+Better+life&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section|title=Recording Industry Association of America |publisher=RIAA |access-date=September 13, 2024}}</ref> thanks in large part to the international hit singles "Kryptonite", "[[Loser (3 Doors Down song)|Loser]]", and "[[Duck and Run]]".{{cn|date=May 2025}} Released in April 2000, "Kryptonite" reached number three on the charts<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/3-doors-down/chart-history/hsi/|title=3 Doors Down |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> and became the band's breakout hit,<ref name="auto"/> receiving a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/brad-arnold/403|title=Brad Arnold |website=grammy.com|access-date=May 8, 2025}}</ref> A fourth single, "[[Be Like That (3 Doors Down song)|Be Like That]]" was re-recorded for the 2001 film ''[[American Pie 2]]'', with alternate lyrics for the first three lines; this version is known as the "''American Pie 2'' Edit". While recording the album, Brad Arnold recorded both the vocal and drum tracks. The band hired drummer Richard Liles for the tour in support of ''The Better Life'' so that Arnold could perform at the front of the stage. Liles left in late 2002.

The band's second studio album, ''[[Away from the Sun]]'', was released on November 30, 2002 and peaked at number eight on the charts.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/3-doors-down/chart-history/tlp/|title=3 Doors Down - albums|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The album produced the singles "[[When I'm Gone (3 Doors Down song)|When I'm Gone]]", "[[Here Without You]]", and "[[The Road I'm On]]". ''Away from the Sun'' went platinum within two months of release<ref>Larkin, C. (July 4, 2006) "3 Doors Down". ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', 4th ed. Oxford University Press.</ref> and eventually went multi-platinum;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wmmo.com/entertainment/3-doors-down-celebrate-20-years-away-sun-with-new-re-issue-song-pop-song/B2IABUODZZBRBCU6T3ANGNDS2Q/|title=3 Doors Down Celebrate 20 Years Of 'Away From The Sun' With A New Re-Issue And Song 'Pop Song'|date=August 11, 2023|website=WMMO}}</ref> it sold four million copies worldwide, including well over three million in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web |title=3 Doors Down Biography |url=http://www.3doorsdown.com/bio.aspx |work=3doorsdown.com |access-date=July 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714101914/http://www.3doorsdown.com/bio.aspx |archive-date=July 14, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts-decade-end/billboard-200-albums?year=2009#/charts-decade-end/billboard-200-albums?year=2009&begin=101&order=position |title=Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=December 31, 2009 |access-date=October 1, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903053729/http://www.billboard.com/charts-decade-end/billboard-200-albums?year=2009 |archive-date=September 3, 2011}}</ref> "When I'm Gone" received Grammy nominations for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, respectively.<ref name="auto3"/> Session drummer [[Josh Freese]] was hired to record drums for the album. [[Rush (band)|Rush]] guitarist [[Alex Lifeson]] produced and performed on three tracks for the record, "Dangerous Game", "Dead Love", and "Wasted Me", but only "Dangerous Game" would appear on the finished product.  The band hired Canadian [[Daniel Adair]] to play drums for the ''Away From the Sun'' tour. He would go on to record the drums for the band's next studio release, and was with the band aboard the [[USS George Washington (CVN-73)|USS ''George Washington'' (CVN-73)]] to film the music video "When I'm Gone".

In 2003, 3 Doors Down released a live EP entitled ''[[Another 700 Miles]]'' consisting of recordings from a live performance by the band in Chicago, Illinois. ''Another 700 Miles'' has since been certified Gold in the United States. In addition to featuring some of 3 Doors Down's hit singles from their previous two albums, the EP also contains a version of the popular 1977 [[Lynyrd Skynyrd]] song "[[That Smell]]". The group toured with [[Nickelback]] in 2004.<ref>Waddel, R. (May 29, 2004). Hopes high for 3 Doors Down/Nickelback. Billboard. Volume 116, Issue 22.</ref>

In 2003, the band began hosting the annual "3 Doors Down and Friends" benefit concert through the band's own charity, The Better Life Foundation. In 2006, this event was held at the Mobile Convention Center, with proceeds benefiting [[Hurricane Katrina]] survivors. As residents of Escatawpa, the members of the band saw the effects of Katrina's devastation.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Waddell |first=Ray |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/56947/3-doors-down-plots-benefit-new-album |title=3 Doors Down Plots Benefit, New Album |magazine=Billboard |date=October 16, 2006 |access-date=October 12, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-date=July 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704033736/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/56947/3-doors-down-plots-benefit-new-album}}</ref>
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