Ursa Major released

Despite the discourse, the band persevered and by late 2008 the material they had been working on for the last five years was released. First, the band released a teaser of sorts through the three song Red Star EP. Secondly, two albums’ worth of material had been written, but with struggles to finalize the recordings, the band opted against a formal double album release, in favor of potentially releasing two connected albums within a year’s time. The plan would include releasing an Ursa Major album with the material that was closest to completion, and a second Ursa Minor album later on. Plans continued to change, though; Ursa Major was originally slated to a fifteen track album released on June 23, 2009. When it was released, it ended up being an eleven-song and one instrumental album released on August 18, 2009. The album, their first in six years, was released under their own independent label, Mega Collider Records. Ursa Major debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 49,000 copies. This made it the band’s highest-charting album, albeit with sales figures that were the lowest since their debut album. Third Eye Blind topped the Billboard Rock Albums chart, Top Alternative Albums chart, and Top Digital Albums chart. Three singles were released – “Non-Dairy Creamer” from Red Star and “Don’t Believe A Word” and “Bonfire” from Ursa Major , but all failed to place on any Billboard chart.