Deep Dive: Michelle Branch – The Spirit Room

Today we celebrate the birthday of singer-songwriter Michelle Branch, best known for her huge 2001 hit singles “Everywhere” and “All You Wanted,” but just because you’re familiar with the hits doesn’t mean you’re familiar with the album from which it originated. As such, we thought we’d take a deep dive into that very album, so strap in and let’s enter... THE SPIRIT ROOM!

Recorded at Sunset Sound, Henson Recording Studios and Ananda Studios in Hollywood, THE SPIRIT ROOM was produced by a quartet’s worth of folks over the course of its sessions: Holly Adams, John Shanks, Nick Spanos, and Jeremy Welt. It was the first time most people had ever heard of Branch, but it wasn’t actually her first album.

That honor goes to BROKEN BRACELET, which was released in June 2000 and probably wouldn’t happened – or certainly wouldn’t have happened as quickly – if she hadn’t posted a pair of songs on RollingStone.com in late 1999 which were subsequently stumbled upon by Hanson, who invited her to open for a couple of their shows. With her profile raised, Branch promptly self-produced BROKEN BRACELET and released it via indie label Twin Dragon Records. By the following year, she’d signed a deal with Maverick Records, resulting in the record and release of THE SPIRIT ROOM.

In addition to “Everywhere,” which hit #12, and “All You Wanted,” which climbed all the way to #6, THE SPIRIT ROOM also spawned a third hit, “Goodbye to You,” which made it to #21 before beginning its descent. Unsurprisingly, given this kind of radio success, THE SPIRIT ROOM was a major commercial success, climbing to #28 on the Billboard 200 and going double platinum.