Article Business Wire

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 30, 2002--Multi-platinum group O-Town is back and poised for the next level with their second album O2.

The band couldn't be more ready to show their talents separate from "Making the Band," the reality show that first introduced and united O-Town's members. Their new reign kicks off today when their first single, a rock/pop smash "These are the Days," impacts Top 40 radio. Last week, AOL Music gave fans a "First Listen" of the track, which was streamed an impressive 240,000 times in just two days. "These are the Days" gives an exciting glimpse at the band's new direction as the first single from their much-anticipated album O2 due to hit stores on November 12, 2002.

O-Town contributed heavily to O2 as songwriters on over half of the album; collectively the band wrote the song "Suddenly" while Ashley Parker Angel co-wrote "From the Damage" and "Craving" and Erik-Michael Estrada co-wrote "Make Her Say" and "Been Around the World." In addition to their own contributions, the band teamed up with notable producers like Jamie Houston (Macy Gray), Damon Sharpe (Jennifer Lopez), recording artist Nelly and Steve Kipner (Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilera) who helped pen first single "These are the Days." Each of the songs on the album encapsulates the mature sound the band has naturally grown into, and represents the unique musical background of each member.

"O2 takes all of the different things we each individually love about music and melds them into one common sound," explains O-Town member Jacob Underwood. "O2 was a lot more hands on for us," adds Ashley Parker Angel of O-Town. "Since each of us came from such diverse influences, we all have strengths that lie in different areas and because of that we can pull off a lot of different music."

O2 is the follow up to O-Town's self-titled, now double platinum debut album, which made history when it entered Billboard charts at #5 in January of 2001 (it was the highest chart position for a debut act and album). Their first single "Liquid Dreams," entered at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (another first), and they had two more smash hits "All or Nothing and "We Fit Together." All three songs hit the TRL Top 5 on MTV. The group headlined two nationwide, sold-out concert tours, and was awarded the coveted opening slot on Britney Spears' tour. Intense audience reactions at the live shows unmistakably confirm the band as a pop powerhouse with a solid and dedicated fan base. Band members Ashley Parker Angel, Erik-Michael Estrada, Dan Miller, Trevor Penick and Jacob Underwood are all ready to let their music speak for itself now that their TV series "Making the Band," which chronicled their everyday lives, has ended. The show aired for three exhilarating seasons and catapulted their stardom to another level.