Having overcome a number of obstacles during the mid-1990s - including the temporary alienation of many fans in the wake of experimental No Code in 1996 and their ongoing feud with Ticketmaster - by the end of the decade Pearl Jam had reemerged as one of the biggest rock bands in America. Their 1998 album, Yield, was a return to their straightforward sound, and spirits were high. The record peaked at No. 2 on the chart and significantly outsold their previous effort, particularly overseas. The album spawned four singles, all of which broke the Top 40 on the Mainstream Rock chart, with 'Given To Fly' hitting the top spot. Having now buried the hatchet with Ticketmaster for the sake of their fans, Pearl Jam returned to full scale touring to support Yield, playing 62 shows across Australia, New Zealand and North America to great success.
