Editing Toby Keith (section)

===1999–2002: ''How Do You Like Me Now?!'' and ''Pull My Chain''===
In 1999, Keith moved to [[DreamWorks Records]]' Nashville division, of which Stroud served as president.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1486882/dreamworks-nashville-merges-with-mercury-and-mca.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201638/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1486882/dreamworks-nashville-merges-with-mercury-and-mca.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 29, 2013|title=DreamWorks Nashville Merges With Mercury and MCA|last=Gilbert|first=Calvin|date=May 7, 2004|work=CMT|access-date=July 9, 2013}}</ref> His first release for the label was "When Love Fades", which also failed to make Top 40.<ref name="whitburn"/> Upon seeing the single's poor performance, Keith requested that it be withdrawn and replaced with "[[How Do You Like Me Now?! (song)|How Do You Like Me Now?!]]", a song that he wrote with Chuck Cannon, and which had previously been turned down by Mercury.<ref name="waddell"/> It also served as the title track to his first DreamWorks album, ''[[How Do You Like Me Now?!]]'' The song spent five weeks at number 1 on the country charts, and became his first top 40 pop hit, with a number 31 peak on the Hot 100.<ref name="whitburn"/> It was also the top country song of 2000 according to the [[Billboard Year-End]] chart.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2000/hot-country-songs| title=Best of 2000: Country Songs | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] |year=2000 | access-date=August 15, 2012}}</ref> The album, which was certified platinum, produced a Top 5 hit in "[[Country Comes to Town]]" and another number 1 in "[[You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This]]". It was also his first album to feature songs co-written by [[Scotty Emerick]], who would be a frequent collaborator of Keith's for the next several albums. Steve Huey wrote that this album "had a rough, brash attitude that helped give Keith a stronger identity as a performer."<ref name="allmusic"/> In 2001, Keith won the [[Academy of Country Music]]'s Top Male Vocalist and Album of the Year awards.<ref name="allmusic"/>

Following this album was ''[[Pull My Chain]]'', released in August 2001. The album's three singles—"[[I'm Just Talkin' About Tonight]]", "[[I Wanna Talk About Me]]", and "[[My List]]"—all went to number 1 on the country charts, with the latter two both holding that position for five weeks.<ref name="whitburn"/> "I Wanna Talk About Me", written by [[Bobby Braddock]], also displayed a country rap influence with its spoken-word lyrics.<ref name="rap"/> The [[Country Music Association]] named "My List" as Single of the Year in 2002.<ref name="whitburn"/> Of ''Pull My Chain'', Erlewine wrote that "this is a bigger, better record than its predecessor, possessing a richer musicality and a more confident sense of humor".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/pull-my-chain-mw0000012267|title=''Pull My Chain'' review|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|work=AllMusic|access-date=July 9, 2013}}</ref>