Welcome Interstate Managers
Welcome Interstate Managers is the third studio album by Fountains of Wayne, released on June 10, 2003. It was recorded in 2001–2002 at Studio Stratosphere Sound in New York City, Q Division in Somerville, Massachusetts, and The Clubhouse in Rhinebeck, New York. The album blends alternative rock and power pop and runs about 55 minutes. It was produced by Adam Schlesinger, Chris Collingwood, and Mike Denneen for S-Curve Records.
After being dropped by Atlantic following Utopia Parkway, the band funded the recording themselves. Lead singer Chris Collingwood struggled, but Adam Schlesinger convinced him to write again. They refused to make demos for labels and finished the album, then signed with S-Curve once it was done. The lead single, "Stacy’s Mom" (May 19, 2003), became a hit, reaching number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Critics welcomed the album, with Metacritic giving it 86/100 based on 24 reviews. It’s widely regarded as the band’s best work and a standout in early 2000s power pop. Other singles from the album include "Mexican Wine" and "Hey Julie." "Valley Winter Song" was later used in an LL Bean commercial. A vinyl edition appeared in 2020 for Record Store Day Black Friday.
All songs were written by Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger. The album has been covered by artists such as Katy Perry (Hackensack) in 2009 and The Wonder Years (Hey Julie) in 2011 for charity.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 10:04 (CET).