Editing Live (band) (section)

===''V'', ''Birds of Pray'', and ''Awake: The Best of Live'': 2001–2004===
On September 18, 2001, the experimental ''[[V (Live album)|V]]'' (originally to be called ''Ecstatic Fanatic'') was released to mixed reviews. The first single was "[[Simple Creed]]", which featured a rap by [[Tricky (musician)|Tricky]], but the events of [[September 11 attacks|9/11]], which occurred a week before ''V'' was released, meant that the melancholic "[[Overcome (Live song)|Overcome]]" received significant airplay and became the album's selling point. ''V'' reached number 22 in the US. Also in 2001, Live contributed a live version of the song "I Alone" to the charity album ''[[Live in the X Lounge|Live in the X Lounge IV]]''.

In May 2003, the band released the Jim Wirt-produced ''[[Birds of Pray]]'', which reached number 28 on the US album chart, boosted by the unexpected success of the single "[[Heaven (Live song)|Heaven]]", Live's first U.S. Hot 100 hit single since "The Dolphin's Cry".

In November 2004, Live released a [[greatest hits]] compilation, ''[[Awake: The Best of Live]]''. ''Awake'' included "[[We Deal in Dreams]]", a previously unreleased song from the ''Throwing Copper'' sessions, a [[cover version]] of [[Johnny Cash]]'s "[[I Walk the Line]]", and a new version of their song "[[Run Away (Live song)|Run Away]]", with [[Shelby Lynne]] sharing lead vocals with Kowalczyk. A deluxe version of the album included a DVD with 22 music videos and an interview with Kowalczyk.