The Awakening is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on September 25, 2007. The album conveys Etheridge's current autobiographical, religious and political perspectives. Etheridge made the album to convey parts of her story and journey along with her love for God. In the album's booklet, she included a letter to all who buy it starting with "Dear Friend".
The album debuted at No. 13 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling nearly 48,000 copies in its first week. As of 2010, the album has tallied 167,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan. This album was No. 20 on Rolling Stone's list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007.