Missundaztood (stylized as M!ssundaztood) is the second studio album by American singer Pink. It was released on November 20, 2001, by Arista Records. After the success of Can't Take Me Home, her 2000 debut album, Pink became dissatisfied with her lack of creative control and being marketed as a white R&B singer. Aspiring to follow a rawer, rock-inspired musical direction, she began working on the album with Linda Perry after finding Perry's phone number in her makeup artist's phone book. Instead of relying on popular producers, Pink decided to collaborate with producers and artists who inspired her and enlisted help from Dallas Austin, Damon Elliott, Marti Frederiksen, and Scott Storch. Missundaztood also features guest appearances by Perry, Scratch, Steven Tyler, and guitarist Richie Supa.
The album was produced at a number of recording studios during 2001. Pink contributed significantly to the songwriting process, drawing on her experiences and vulnerabilities. The music contains introspective themes of personal insecurities, loneliness, self-identity, and family problems. Unlike the upbeat, R&B production of her previous album, Missundaztood is a pop rock record. It contains elements of a variety of other genres, including blues, metal, hip hop, new wave, and disco. Before the album's release, Pink had a conflict with her record label about artistic freedom. Arista initially rejected her new musical approach, fearing that her abandonment of R&B music would result in commercial failure.
To promote the album, Pink made televised performances and embarked on her Party Tour in 2002. Four singles supported Missundaztood, three of which peaked in the top 10 of the US Billboard Hot 100: "Get the Party Started", "Don't Let Me Get Me", and "Just Like a Pill". A worldwide commercial success, the album reached number one in Ireland and the top five on album charts in Austria, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. It was certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and received multi-platinum certifications in other countries. The album sold 12 million copies worldwide and is Pink's best-selling album.
A critical success, observers regarded Missundaztood as a significant progression from Can't Take Me Home and an artistic breakthrough for Pink. Most music critics praised the album's emotional depth and blending of styles; others appreciated Pink's vocal performances and songwriting. At the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, Missundaztood was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album. Critics have praised Pink in retrospect for reinventing her music and increasing her creative control, calling Missundaztood distinguished and remarkable.
Background
Pink released Can't Take Me Home, her debut studio album, in April 2000 on LaFace Records. The album is an R&B and dance-pop record with hip-hop influences. Produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface, it was a commercial success and sold over three million copies worldwide. Can't Take Me Home had a mixed critical reception, however, with many critics saying that its sound was too similar to that of American girl groups Destiny's Child and TLC. Despite Can't Take Me Home success, Pink felt dissatisfied and constrained by her lack of creative control and being marketed to a teen audience as an R&B singer. Her father, Jim Moore, said in an October 2000 MTV News interview that Pink expressed interest in experimenting and showcasing her versatility on her forthcoming album. She sought to create an album reflective of the musical influences with which she grew up, resembling the music of Annie Lennox and Method Man.
Writing and recording
Sessions with Linda Perry
Pink stumbled upon the phone book of her makeup artist, Billy Brasfield, during a spring 2001 photo shoot for Teen. She discovered the number of Linda Perry, lead singer of the former American alternative rock band 4 Non Blondes. Pink cited Bigger, Better, Faster, More! (1992) as one of her favorite albums when she was growing up, and called Perry her "childhood idol". She noted Perry's number and called her, leaving a 10-minute message on her answering machine. According to Pink, the message was about "how much I loved [Perry] and how she owes me because I got arrested singing her music out of my window at 3:30 in the morning, and how I'm gonna stalk her if she doesn't return my call".