2000–2001

On May 16, 2000 Pearl Jam released its sixth studio album, Binaural. It was drummer Matt Cameron's recording debut with the band. The title is a reference to the binaural recording techniques that were utilized on several tracks by producer Tchad Blake, known for his use of the technique. Binaural was the first album since the band's debut not produced by Brendan O'Brien, although O'Brien was called in later to remix several tracks. Binaural included the singles Nothing As It Seems (sample (help?info)), one of the songs featuring binaural recording, and Light Years. The album sold just over 700,000 copies and became the first Pearl Jam studio album to fail to reach platinum status.

Pearl Jam decided to record every show on its 2000 Binaural Tour professionally, after noting the desire of fans to own a copy of the shows they attended and the popularity of illegal bootleg recordings. The band had been open in the past about allowing fans to make amateur recordings, and these official bootlegs were an attempt to provide a more affordable and better quality product for fans. The band originally intended to release them to only fan club members, but their record contract prevented them from doing so. Pearl Jam released all of the albums in record stores as well as through its fan club. It released 72 live albums in 2000 and 2001, and set a record for most albums to debut in the Billboard Top 200 at the same time.

Pearl Jam's 2000 European tour ended in tragedy on June 30, with an accident at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark. Nine fans were crushed underfoot and suffocated to death as the crowd rushed to the front. The band stopped playing and tried to calm the crowd when the musicians realized what was happening, but it was already too late. The two remaining dates of the tour were cancelled, and the band seriously considered retiring after this event. Pearl Jam was initially blamed for the accident, but the band was later cleared of responsibility.

A month after the European tour concluded, the band embarked on its two-leg 2000 North American tour. On October 22, the band played the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, celebrating the tenth anniversary of its first live performance as a band. Eddie Vedder took the opportunity to thank the many people who had helped the band come together and make it to ten years. He noted that I would never do this accepting a Grammy or something. The song Alive was purposely omitted from all shows on this tour until the final night in Seattle. The band performed that night for over three hours, playing most of its hits along with covers such as The Kids Are Alright and Baba O'Riley by The Who. After concluding the Binaural Tour, the band released Touring Band 2000 the following year. The DVD featured select performances from the North American legs of the tour.

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready joined Neil Young to perform the song Long Road from the Merkin Ball EP at the America: A Tribute to Heroes benefit concert. The concert, which aired on September 21, 2001, raised money for the victims and their families.