Matthew Sweet - Come To California

What this video is

Released in 1997 as a single from Blue Sky on Mars, 'Come to California' arrived at a transitional moment in alternative rock: grunge's commercial dominance was waning and artists like Sweet were leaning into synth-tinged, melodic power pop with new-wave sensibilities. The song and video reflect a California-idealized aesthetic — warm, sun-saturated visuals evoking West Coast escapism — that stood in contrast to…

Why it matters

Matthew Sweet was a cornerstone of the 90s power-pop revival, bridging the melodic craft of Big Star and Teenage Fanclub with alternative-rock production. 'Come to California' represents his mid-career pivot toward new-wave synthesis, documented on Blue Sky on Mars — an album noted for its…

The director

Sidney Matthew Sweet (born October 6, 1964) is an American alternative rock and power pop singer-songwriter from Lincoln, Nebraska. He rose to prominence via the Athens, Georgia music scene in the 1980s, achieving commercial recognition in the 1990s. Known…