Rob Thomas

Ex-matchbox twenty frontman Rob Thomas is an inspiration to average musicians everywhere. Check the facts: He's not overwhelmingly handsome, he doesn't have an especially compelling personality, his voice falls well short of spectacular, and his songs are nearly as generic as his name -- yet the guy's a platinum-selling star...

By Michael Roberts

June 22, 2006

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Ex-matchbox twenty frontman Rob Thomas is an inspiration to average musicians everywhere. Check the facts: He's not overwhelmingly handsome, he doesn't have an especially compelling personality, his voice falls well short of spectacular, and his songs are nearly as generic as his name -- yet the guy's a platinum-selling star anyway. It's tough to pinpoint precisely how Thomas has managed to pull off this damnably difficult feat, but the combination of competence and caution probably has something to do with it. Although matchbox twenty discs such as Yourself or Someone Like You, the group's mega-selling 1996 offering, hardly qualified as creative milestones, they effectively synthesized the pop trends of the day and made them available in convenient, easily digestible audio snack packs. The same can be said ofŠSomething to Be, Thomas's 2005 solo bow, which has spawned enough nondescript-but-tolerable hits (most notably "This Is How a Heart Breaks" and "Lonely No More") to financially justify his current big-venue tour alongside Jewel, another inexplicably popular performer. So tip your hat to Thomas, for getting everything possible out of not very much.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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