Either/Or, the third studio album by Elliott Smith, was recorded across various locations in Portland, Oregon while Smith was still part of the band Heatmiser. Co-produced by Smith, Tom Rothrock, and Rob Schnapf, it was released on February 25, 1997, through Kill Rock Stars, shortly after Heatmiser's breakup. The album, featuring singles "Speed Trials" and "Ballad of Big Nothing," didn’t chart in the US but received widespread critical praise.

Director Gus Van Sant, captivated by Either/Or, featured three of its tracks—"Between the Bars," "Angeles," and "Say Yes"—in the Good Will Hunting soundtrack, alongside Smith's new song "Miss Misery." The latter earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song in 1998, catapulting Smith into the international spotlight when he performed it live at the Oscars. In 2020, Either/Or was ranked 216th on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.