“Pardon Me,” released in late 1999 as the lead single from Make Yourself, marked Incubus’s rise into mainstream rock. Written by Brandon Boyd, Mike Einziger, Dirk Lance, Chris Kilmore and José Pasillas, the song combines heavy, syncopated guitar riffs, turntable textures, and introspective lyrics inspired by Boyd’s experience of burnout and self-reinvention. Its mix of alternative metal, funk, and melodic hooks reflected the band’s transition from their earlier experimental style to a more focused sound. “Pardon Me” became Incubus’s first major hit, reaching No. 3 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks and cementing their presence on late-’90s rock radio.