By mid-1968, the Doors had established themselves as one of the most popular groups in the US. The band's third studio album, "Waiting for the Sun", released in July of the same year, became the Doors' only number one hit on the "Billboard" 200, while also spawning their second single to peak at number one with "Hello, I Love You". The album was the first commercial breakthrough for the band in the UK, reaching number 16 on the UK Albums Chart. After the release of "Waiting for the Sun", the Doors commanded vast sums of money to perform before large crowds in arenas such as the L.A. Forum, the Hollywood Bowl, and Madison Square Garden. Additionally, local Los Angeles Top 40 radio stations, particularly KHJ Radio, which had previously refused to play the band's records, began sponsoring the Doors' live performances. Initial sessions for the album occurred on 26 July 1968 when the band recorded "Wild Child" and "Wishful Sinful" ("Easy Ride" was a "Waiting for the Sun" leftover, captured on 3 March 1968). In September 1968, the group played dates in Europe, along with Jefferson Airplane, before ending their long, grueling touring schedule with nine concerts back in the US. While the 1968 tours managed to capitalize on the chart success of "Waiting for the Sun", it also left little time for the Doors to compose new songs for "The Soft Parade", having already exhausted all the material from Morrison's songbooks.