XXX (ZZ Top album)

Template:More citations needed Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: September 28, 1999 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Rhythmeen1996Mescalero2003studioXXXZZ_Top_-_XXX.jpg(with live elements)ZZ TopSeptember 28, 1999April 1998 – June 199949:31RCABilly Gibbonsx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} XXX is the thirteenth studio album (also including live material) by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in September 1999. The album's title commemorates the band's 30th anniversary.

Reception

AllMusic only gave the album one and a half stars, and in its review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, he states: "After all, countless blues-based musicians, from Lightnin' Hopkins and Muddy Waters to B.B. King and the Rolling Stones, have aged gracefully, albeit in varying degrees. So why does ZZ Top sound so stiff and useless on XXX, a record celebrating their 30th anniversary? Part of that could be that the songwriting is decidedly weak, but a band as seasoned as ZZ Top should be able to make third-rate material at least listenable."<ref name="AM" />

A more positive review was posted by RoughEdge.com, whose reviewer R. Scott Bolton gave it three out of four guitars and stated that the album "represents the best of both worlds of ZZ Top [...] [t]he bluesy sounds that highlight their early years [and] the special effects and tricks that made their later recordings so popular".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The album peaked at number 100 on the Billboard 200.

Personnel

ZZ Top

• Billy Gibbons – guitar, vocals
• Dusty Hill – bass, keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocal on "(Let Me Be) Your Teddy Bear"
• Frank Beard – drums, percussion

Additional personnel

• Jeff Beck – guitar on "Hey Mr. Millionaire"
• Ross Mitchell - spoken vocals on "Introduction by Ross Mitchell"

Production

• Producer: Billy Gibbons
• Engineer: Joe Hardy
• Assistant engineer: Gary Moon
• Mixing: Joe Hardy
• Mastering: Bob Ludwig
• Digital editing: Brad Blackwood
• Recording: Joe Hardy
• Art direction: Bill Narum

Charts

Album – Billboard

Chart (1999)	Peak position
The Billboard 200	100

Singles – Billboard

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1999	"Fearless Boogie"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	13
2000	"36-22-36"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	31