Sugar Ray emerged from Orange County, California in 1986 to become a multi-platinum pop rock band which delivered laid-back music with catchy hooks and numerous radio hits during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The band started with funk-metal music before Mark McGrath led them to adopt a more commercial, radio-friendly sound.

The band achieved their first major success with Floored (1997) through the success of their single "Fly" which combined reggae beats with pop-rock elements to reach number one on Billboard for four consecutive weeks. The commercial success of "Fly" triggered a musical transformation for the band which propelled them toward commercial success.