The Maybe Man | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 10, 2023 | |||
Recorded | 2022–2023 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 44:12 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Ryan Met | |||
AJR chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Maybe Man | ||||
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The Maybe Man is the fifth studio album by the American pop trio AJR. It was released on November 10, 2023, following their previous studio album OK Orchestra (2021). It is the band's first album released as part of its deal with Mercury/Republic Records.
In 2022, AJR embarked on a world tour in support of their fourth studio album OK Orchestra. On the tour, they performed their then-unreleased song "I Won't" as a surprise addition to the set, before releasing it as the lead single for their upcoming fifth studio album on July 29, 2022. [1] [2] On November 12, 2022, AJR revealed the album title's abbreviation of "TMM", fitting into the pattern "T** M**** M**". Fans immediately started posting speculative potential titles on the internet; popular theories included "The Music Men", "Ten Meter Men", and "The Manly Men". [3] The band released the album's second single "The DJ Is Crying for Help" on November 18. [4] The third single "The Dumb Song" was released on April 21, 2023. Its music video was released the same day, detailing the song's year-and-a-half-long creation process. [5]
The fourth single, "God Is Really Real", was surprise-released as a music video on YouTube on July 3, 2023, along with a lyric video. While the song was originally set to be dropped along with the album, it was released much earlier than originally scheduled, in order to commemorate the life of their terminally ill father Gary. He died later that day. [6] [7] The single had an official release on July 5, 2023. [8]
On August 27, 2023, they posted the message "Enormous news tomorrow. maybe." to their social media accounts along with a previously unveiled logo featuring the "TMM" acronym. [9] The album's full title and release date were announced the next day in a teaser video featuring the ending of the animated music video for the album's first track, "Maybe Man". The band revealed the track list and album cover on September 11. [9]
The fifth and final single, "Yes I'm a Mess", was released on September 29, 2023. [10] A comedic music video, shot in Times Square, was released on October 25. [11] On October 11, AJR announced that The Maybe Man would be delayed exactly one week from its original release date, due to "exciting opportunities" relating to the album release. [12] The album was then released on November 10 alongside a music video for "Maybe Man". [13] [14] On November 29, a music video for "Inertia", the 5th song on the album, was released. [15] On January 23, 2024, a music video for "Touchy Feely Fool", the 2nd song on the album, was released. [16]
"Maybe Man", the album's first track, is a melancholy song with lyrics that interpolates with other songs, such as the line "I wish I was big, as big as my house..." interpolates with "Don't you like it bigger, better but you do what'cha can?" from "Inertia". "Touchy Feely Fool" is an upbeat yet reflective track that touches on the awkwardness and vulnerability of emotions, describing a rough breakup.
The album was supposed to have a thirteenth track, but it didn't make the album due to the song supposedly not fitting in with the rest of the album's theme. The brothers deemed the track too upbeat and positive for it to fit in perfectly with the rest of the songs. The track was originally supposed to be officially released with a deluxe version of The Maybe Man, however with the unveiling of the "What No One's Thinking" EP; The band has confirmed that The Maybe Man Deluxe is canceled and "The Big Goodbye" is the thirteenth track. [17]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Maybe Man" | 3:40 |
2. | "Touchy Feely Fool" | 3:35 |
3. | "Yes I'm a Mess" | 2:44 |
4. | "The Dumb Song" | 3:45 |
5. | "Inertia" | 3:40 |
6. | "Turning Out Pt. iii" | 3:50 |
7. | "Hole in the Bottom of My Brain" | 3:07 |
8. | "The DJ Is Crying for Help" | 3:39 |
9. | "I Won't" | 2:48 |
10. | "Steve's Going to London" | 4:47 |
11. | "God Is Really Real" | 2:59 |
12. | "2085" | 5:31 |
Total length: | 44:12 |
![]() | This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: set list, attendance and revenue figures need to be added.(October 2024) |
Tour by AJR | |
Location | United States |
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Associated album | The Maybe Man |
Start date | April 3, 2024 [a] |
End date | August 20, 2024 |
Legs | 2 |
No. of shows | 51 |
Supporting acts |
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Attendance | 450,000+ [18] |
AJR concert chronology |
On November 9, 2023, AJR announced their first arena tour to promote the album, [19] most notably including two stops at Madison Square Garden in New York City. [20] Tickets for the tour went on sale on November 17. [21]
On November 14, 2023, AJR announced a second show for Madison Square Garden in New York, due to the first show being sold out on the first day of presale. [22]
On February 13, 2024, the band announced that the supporting acts for the tour will be Mxmtoon, Dean Lewis and Almost Monday. [23]
On April 1, 2024, AJR canceled the tour's first show due to the Norfolk Scope venue being too small to accommodate the show, [24] announcing on April 11 that it was rescheduled to June 23. [25]
On April 2, 2024, due to high demand, Idaho Central Arena announced on their Instagram account that the Boise show would take place at ExtraMile Arena. The previously purchased tickets for Idaho Central Arena was shifted towards the newer venue ensuring that the tickets were still valid. [26]
On July 8, the concert scheduled to take place at Toyota Center the next day was canceled due to the safety concerns surrounding Hurricane Beryl. [27]
As of August 2024, the tour has reportedly sold over 500,000 tickets.[ citation needed ]
On August 8, Adam Met announced that he would not be performing with the band for the Asia shows to attend the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. [28]
The August 17, 2024 Osaka concert is the only concert of the tour to be performed in the afternoon (local time of where the concert was happening.)
The Maybe Man Tour dates | ||||||
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Date (2024) | City | Country | Venue | Attendance | Revenue | Opening act(s) |
North America | ||||||
Norfolk | United States | Norfolk Scope | Rescheduled [b] | |||
April 3 | Philadelphia | Wells Fargo Center | 12,500/13,000 | TBD | Dean Lewis | |
April 4 | Boston | TD Garden | 14,000/15,000 | TBD | ||
April 6 | Hartford | XL Center | 10,000/13,282 | TBD | ||
April 7 | Baltimore | CFG Bank Arena | TBD | TBD | ||
April 9 | Raleigh | PNC Arena | TBD | TBD | ||
April 10 | Charlotte | Spectrum Center | 9,000/13,376 | TBD | ||
April 12 | Indianapolis | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | ~11,000/12,000 [29] | TBD | ||
April 13 | Louisville | KFC Yum! Center | TBD | TBD | ||
April 14 | Grand Rapids | Van Andel Arena | 10,000/10,000 | TBD | ||
April 16 | Des Moines | Wells Fargo Arena | 4,500/6,000 | TBD | Andrew Hoyt [c] | |
April 17 | St. Paul | Xcel Energy Center | 12,000/13000 [30] | TBD | Dean Lewis | |
April 19 | Kansas City | T-Mobile Center | TBD | TBD | ||
April 23 | Boise | ExtraMile Arena | 5,000/6,795 | TBD | ||
April 24 | Portland | Moda Center | 10,000/15,000 | TBD | ||
April 26 | Seattle | Climate Pledge Arena | 13,000+ [31] | TBD | ||
April 29 | San Francisco | Chase Center | 11,000 / 11,000 [32] | TBD | ||
May 1 | San Diego | Pechanga Arena | 7,000/8,900 | TBD | ||
May 4 | Oklahoma City | Paycom Center | 8,100 / 16,591 [33] | TBD | ||
May 7 | Austin | Moody Center | 9,000/10,000 | TBD | ||
May 9 | Tampa | Amalie Arena | TBD | TBD | ||
May 10 | Orlando | Kia Center | TBD | TBD | ||
May 12 | Jacksonville | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | 6,000/8,000 | TBD | ||
May 14 | Hollywood | Hard Rock Live | 4,000/7,000 | TBD | ||
June 23 | Norfolk | Norfolk Scope | 7,000/8,000 | TBD | Almost Monday | |
June 25 | Pittsburgh | PPG Paints Arena | ~11,000/13,380 [34] | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
June 27 | Cleveland | Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse | ~10,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
June 28 | Columbus | Nationwide Arena | TBD | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
June 29 | Chicago | Allstate Arena | 11,000/12,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
June 30 | Detroit | Little Caesars Arena | 13,000/15,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 3 | Chicago | Allstate Arena | 11,000/12,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 4 [d] | Milwaukee | American Family Insurance Amphitheater | 12,500/23,037 | TBD | mxmtoon and Carly Rae Jepsen | |
July 6 | St. Louis | Enterprise Center | 11,000+/12,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 9 | Houston | Toyota Center | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled [35] | |
July 10 | Fort Worth | Dickies Arena | 11,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 12 | Phoenix | Footprint Center | 11,000/12,565 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 14 | Los Angeles | Kia Forum | 12,000/17,500 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 16 | Salt Lake City | Delta Center | 11,500/12,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 17 | Salt Lake City | Delta Center | 11,500/12,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 18 | Denver | Ball Arena | 11,500/13,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 20 | Denver | Ball Arena | 11,500/13,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 21 | Omaha | CHI Health Center Omaha | 10,000+/13,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 23 | Cincinnati | Heritage Bank Center | TBD | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 25 | Philadelphia | Wells Fargo Center | 12,500/13,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 26 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | 11,500 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 27 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | 11,500 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 30 | Atlanta | State Farm Arena | 12,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
July 31 | Nashville | Bridgestone Arena | TBD | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
August 2 | Washington, D.C. | Capital One Arena | TBD | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
August 3 | Boston | TD Garden | 14,000/15,000 | TBD | mxmtoon and Almost Monday | |
Asia | ||||||
August 20 | Seoul | South Korea | Jamsil Arena | 8,000 / 8,000 | TBD | None |
Festival Shows | |||||||||
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Date (2024 - 2025) | City | Country | Venue | Attendance | Revenue | Opening Act of performance | |||
Asia | |||||||||
August 17 [e] [36] | Osaka | Japan | Osaka Sonic Stage | TBD | None | ||||
August 18 [e] [37] | Chiba | Japan | Tokyo Sonic Stage |
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Orcale | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Much like the band's previous albums, The Maybe Man was released to positive reviews. Writing for AllMusic , Matt Collar praised the album, writing, "With The Maybe Man, AJR continue to turn their personal pain and anxieties into universally relatable pop anthems." [40] Exclaim! listed the album cover as 17th worst of the year, writing: "You've entered a wormhole to 2008 — your only tools for survival are a moustache finger tattoo, a copy of Amélie, a voucher for free puppetry lessons and this album cover. Good luck." [41]
AJR
Technical
Additional musicians
Chart (2023) | Peak position |
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Australian Hitseekers Albums (ARIA) [42] | 2 |
UK Album Downloads (OCC) [43] | 41 |
US Billboard 200 [44] | 28 |
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [45] | 9 |
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard) [46] | 4 |
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard) [47] | 8 |
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard) [48] | 9 |