SPIN Magazine proclaimed the song "a power ballad in the "Wonderwall" sense", remarking that the band are "at their loveliest when aping peak-popularity Britpop".

As a result of outcries from Burnett and Beckerman, however, Viacom relented and "Next Year" returned as the theme song in the third and fourth seasons.

The video, directed by Phil Harder, shows the band in a remake of the Apollo 11 Moon mission and incorporates heavy use of NASA stock footage.

Many moments and images of the Apollo era are re-enacted, such as the band meeting President Richard Nixon, bassist Nate Mendel golfing on the Moon (a nod to Alan Shepard during Apollo 14), and depictions of Vietnam war protests.

CD1 dark cover:(Also comes with the first 6 months of a 2001 poster calendar) CD2 light cover:(Also comes with the second 6 months of a 2001 poster calendar) Enhanced CD-ROM, includes "Next Year" video Australia CD: 7 inch: Japan EP Netherlands Live in Holland, part two