Built to Last is the thirteenth and final studio album by the Grateful Dead (their twentieth album overall). It was recorded between February 1 and October 20, 1989, and originally released on October 31, 1989.
The album was released on CD in 1989 by Arista Records before being rereleased in 2000 by BMG International. It was then remastered, expanded, and released as part of the Beyond Description (1973–1989) 12-CD box set in October 2004. The remastered version was later released separately on CD on April 11, 2006, by Rhino Records.
This album features the most songs by keyboard player Brent Mydland, who has four song credits, all of which are in collaboration with Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow. This mirrored accurately Mydland's increasing vocal presence in the band over the decade he spent with the Dead. This album also known as Mydland's last album to be released during his lifetime, before his death a year later.
