Man Against Machine

In October 2000, Brooks announced his retirement from recording and performing. His final studio album at the time, Scarecrow, was released in 2001. Nine years later, Brooks announced he was coming out of retirement to perform a series of weekend concerts at Encore Las Vegas, titled Garth at Wynn. Following the conclusion of his Las Vegas residency shows, Brooks announced plans for a world tour during a December 2013 appearance on Good Morning America. On July 10, 2014, Brooks held a press conference where he confirmed a world tour and announced plans for a new album. The album would be Brooks' first album released digitally, available only through Brooks' online music store GhostTunes. The original release date was November 28, 2014; however it was later changed to November 11, 2014. Prior to the album's release GhostTunes featured a digital preorder, providing immediate downloads of the first released single, "People Loving People", as well as "Send 'Em On Down the Road". Brooks performed "Mom" during a November 7, 2014, appearance on Good Morning America, receiving a great deal of media attention in promotion of the album. The album was released on November 11, 2014. ==Release and promotion==

On July 10, 2014, Brooks held a press conference where he confirmed a world tour and announced plans for a new album. The album would be Brooks' first album released digitally, available only through Brooks' online music store, GhostTunes. The original release date was November 28, 2014; however it was later changed to November 11, 2014. Brooks performed the song during an appearance on Good Morning America, receiving a great deal of media attention. The album was released on November 11, 2014. ==Critical reception==

At Metacritic, which assigns a "weighted average" rating out of 100 to selected independent ratings and reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received a Metascore of 68, based on 9 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". In rating the album three and a half out of five stars for Billboard, Melinda Newman claims: "Man Against Machine is no reinvention, but rather a continuation... So Brooks does the only thing he can: writing and finding songs that reflect where he is now, but staying true to the quality and tone of his past work... A rowdy, vintage-Brooks-style slam-dunk like "Friends in Low Places" or "Fever" is missing here, but that's a small complaint for such a solid return." In an unfavorable review from Omaha World-Herald, Kevin Coffey suggests: "There's very little to make any of these songs stand out among a crowded field of country artists and especially not amid Brooks's already crowded catalog of hits... If Brooks were to reissue "The Hits," I doubt any of these tunes would make the cut." Two and a half star reviewer for The Buffalo News, Jeff Miers suggests: "Man Against Machine" arrives naked and unassuming, though. The contemporary country scene acknowledges Brooks' influence – how could it possibly not? – but it doesn't necessarily want or need him around any longer... So welcome to the world of classic rock, Garth. Better not put too many new tunes in the set list. Stick to the hits, and nobody gets hurt." Rating the project two stars for Las Vegas Weekly, Josh Bell finds: "Man Against Machine isn't desperate or pandering, but it is bland and mediocre, far from the momentous return Brooks' fans have been waiting for all these years." ==Commercial performance==

According to industry sources, the album was originally estimated to sell between 250,000 and 300,000 copies in the US in its first week of release; but the estimate was later reduced to 140,000. It was predicted to fall behind Pink Floyd's The Endless River, Foo Fighters' Sonic Highways and Taylor Swift's 1989 on the Billboard 200. On January 9, 2015 the album was certified gold and platinum by the RIAA. As of November 2016, it has sold 685,000 copies in the US, making it Brooks's lowest selling studio effort until the following album Gunslinger. In Canada, the album debuted at number four on the Canadian Albums Chart, initially selling 8,500 copies. According to Brooks via an interview with CMT, he did not plan on following the album's chart performance, believing that "quality music will show success over time, regardless of initial sales numbers." ==Track listing==

The following credits are sourced from liner notes included in the album. ;Musicians • Sam Bacco – percussion • Robert Bailey – backing vocals • Eddie Bayers – drums, percussion • Larry Beaird – acoustic guitar • Marc Beeson – backing vocals • Richard Bennett – acoustic guitar • Bruce Bouton – steel guitar • Garth Brooks – lead and backing vocals • Dennis Burnside – string arrangements • David Campbell – string arrangements, conductor • Mike Chapman – bass guitar • Jerry Douglas – Dobro • Kenny Greenberg – electric and acoustic guitars • Rob Hajacos – fiddle • Vicki Hampton – backing vocals • Kevin Kadish – backing vocals • Chris Leuzinger – electric and acoustic guitars • Blair Masters – piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer • Jimmy Mattingly – fiddle • Greg Morrow – drums, percussion • Steven Lee Olsen – backing vocals • Billy Panda – acoustic guitar, mandolin • Karyn Rochelle – backing vocals • Milton Sledge – drums, percussion • Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass guitar • Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar, mandolin • Bobby Wood – piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer • Glenn Worf – bass guitar • Trisha Yearwood – backing vocals • Nashville String Machine – string orchestra ;Additional staff • Matthew "Buster" Allen – recording engineer • Don Cobb – mastering engineer • Eric Conn – mastering engineer • John Kelton – engineer • Mark Miller – producer ==Release history==

Weekly charts Year-end charts Singles ==Sales and certifications==