Almost There is the first major-label studio album by American Christian rock band MercyMe. Produced by Pete Kipley, the album was released on August 14, 2001 by INO Records. After releasing six independent records, the band decided to pursue a record contract due to the difficulty of selling, booking, and managing for themselves. The band signed with the newly formed INO Records, and were assigned to work with Kipley, who had not produced a major project before. Four of the songs on the album had previously appeared on the band's independent records; the rest were newly recorded songs. The album is a worship and pop rock album, and adopts a more radio-friendly sound than the band's independent albums.