"Backspacer" is the ninth studio album by Pearl Jam, released on September 20, 2009. The band began writing instrumental and demo tracks in 2007, coming together the following year to develop the album. Recorded between February and April 2009 with producer Brendan O'Brien—who has worked on most of the band's albums but not on their debut Ten or their 2006 self-titled record—Backspacer was crafted at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles and O'Brien's Southern Tracks Recording in Atlanta.
Notably, Backspacer is the shortest album in Pearl Jam's discography and features a more optimistic lyrical tone compared to the politically charged themes of Riot Act and Pearl Jam. Frontman Eddie Vedder attributed this shift in perspective to the election of Barack Obama. This album also marks the first time since 1996's No Code that all lyrics were written solely by Vedder.
Released through the band's Monkeywrench Records with global distribution handled by Universal Music Group, Backspacer was promoted through various channels, including a partnership with Verizon, a world tour, and singles like "The Fixer" and "Got Some"/"Just Breathe." The album received positive reviews, praised for its sound and composition, and became Pearl Jam's first number one album on the U.S. Billboard 200 since No Code, also topping charts in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
In 2007, following Pearl Jam's 2006 tour, the band began independently recording demo material while staying connected via email. Guitarist Mike McCready collaborated with guitarist Stone Gossard and drummer Matt Cameron in separate sessions. When the band was invited to record The Who's "Love, Reign o'er Me" for the Reign Over Me soundtrack, they decided to bring back longtime collaborator Brendan O'Brien as producer. This marked O'Brien's first production credit since 1998's Yield.
Eddie Vedder expressed a willingness to let O'Brien take more creative liberties, noting their past reluctance to alter song keys. The band started formal work on the album in May 2008, rehearsing together for the first time since their debut. They recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, and in February 2009, they spent two weeks there, marking a significant shift from their usual Seattle sessions.
The title Backspacer was chosen to evoke nostalgia for the typewriter's backspace key, symbolizing reflection on past mistakes. Vedder emphasized the importance of looking back, while Gossard noted the album's retrospective themes. The title also honored a leatherback turtle sponsored by Pearl Jam for conservation efforts. The album was completed in just thirty days, with much of it recorded in the first nine days, showcasing the band's renewed energy and focus.
