MercyMe is an American contemporary Christian band, originally formed in Greenville, Texas in the mid-1990s. The band signed with INO Records in 2001 and released their first album, Almost There, which propelled them into the mainstream spotlight with the smash hit "I Can Only Imagine". The album went on to sell more than 2 million records in only three years and earned the band an American Music Award nomination. In 2002, the band released their popular second album, Spoken For, which produced two more Top 10 hits. The combined success of the band's first two albums garnered a nomination for the Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist at the American Music Awards.