Dude Ranch

Dude Ranch is the second studio album by the American pop punk band Blink-182. It was the only Blink-182 album produced by Mark Trombino, and was released on June 17, 1997 through Cargo Music. MCA Records signed the band in 1998 to handle increased distribution for the album. It is a follow-up to their first album Cheshire Cat and this album was the last to feature Scott Raynor, who was replaced the following year with Travis Barker.

The album’s two singles, “Dammit” and “Josie”, helped the group gain mainstream popularity, and the two songs can be found on the band’s Greatest Hits album. The album received positive reviews. Since its release, Dude Ranch has been certified Platinum by the RIAA and the CRIA


Origins

After decent sales of their debut album Cheshire Cat (1994), released on independent record label Cargo Music, Blink-182 enjoyed a small amount of success. However, the band was unhappy with the limited distribution of Cheshire Cat. During the interim, the band had released two 7-inch EP recordings with Cargo, They Came to Conquer… Uranus (1995) and Lemmings / Going Nowhere (1996). However, the band began looking at major labels to distribute a new, full-length second album.

Beginning in March 1996, several labels courted the band, sending A&R reps to shows and inviting the band to stop by the office for lunch meetings.