The 2024 iteration of When We Were Young happens on Saturday, Oct, 19 at Las Vegas Festival Grounds, led by headliners My Chemical Romance (playing 2006’s The Black Parade) and Fall Out Boy.

Read more: 15 of Fall Out Boy’s heaviest songs of all time, ranked

The bill also features Pretty Girls Make Graves (their first-announced show in 17 years, playing The New Romance), Dashboard Confessional (playing Dusk and Summer), Coheed and Cambria (playing Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV), Jimmy Eat World (playing Bleed American), Simple Plan (playing No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls), the Used (playing In Love and Death), Pierce the Veil (playing Collide With The Sky), and lots more. See it in full below.

Tickets go on presale starting Friday, Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. PT.

From its aggressive sound to the subversive style, every anarchistic facet of punk rock has been built on a foundation of tenacious drive and a do-it-yourself attitude. And Amy Fleisher Madden’s story is one that encapsulates the spirit of the subculture she has championed perfectly. From the moment she asked a friend what the Fugazi sticker on her lunchbox meant, her journey into “the scene” was set in motion — one that would swiftly take over her teenage life, and lead her to become not only one of the few bookers in the country for punk and ska bands, but also to start Fiddler, her own record label, by age 16, which would break bands such as New Found Glory, Dashboard Confessional, Recover and more. 

Read more: What does emo really mean? The story of the genre in 11 songs

For any of us who dipped our toes in the scene, or wound up in its very center wearing a pair of thigh-high Docs, we had our own lunch box sticker moment. Whether it was that song or this band, a show or a T-shirt, it fell a set of dominoes and led us to where we are today, with a brain full of Braid lyrics, eagerly awaiting the enigma that is the next My Chem album.

If we were in the scene’s trenches like Amy, or enjoyed it from afar, we were part of a tight-knit community that made up what is now considered the second and third waves of “emo.” We were, heard, and felt the punk misfits who wanted to push the envelope with lyricism loaded with an emotionality the genre hadn’t yet held space for. There was a closeness and a friendship that was felt through the vulnerability of punk and emo in this era that is evident in the music itself and now, all the more evident through Amy’s book NEGATIVES.

Over the last three years, Amy has been pouring over an archive of intimate, rare, and never-before-seen images that offer insight into the scene from 1996-2006. The book is a beautiful window into what was not only a successful time in the alternative music scene, but an honest and powerful period of friendship and community building in the ever-evolving punk genre, and the iteration that would later be coined “emo.” Featuring favorites from the second wave of emo such as Sunny Day Real Estate to the third wave’s Jimmy Eat World, alongside essays and contributions from artists like My Chemical Romance’s Frank Iero, Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba, and Thursday’s Geoff Rickly, Amy has unpacked an unruly and important time in music with remarkable dedication. 

We sat down with Amy to talk about how she found her way from a Latin Jazz club in Miami to breaking some of alternative music’s biggest bands, the process of putting together the ultimate emo book, and the story of her first time seeing Thursday — which of course includes streaking and an abandoned barn. 

Congratulations on your book. How long have you been working on it?

Three… or 25 years. Whatever you want to consider. I started it before the pandemic and then before I even knew what it was. At that time, it was moving towards being a documentary — I had a documentary team, a producer, and we had a couple of meetings, and then the shutdown [happened]. I have a problem admitting defeat and was like, “We can still do this.” Once we started Zooming, though, I just had this heartbreaking feeling where I was like, “I don’t want to do it like this. I don’t want to interview bands over Zoom.” You have to feel it. You have to be in it. So I put it away, put it in a drawer for a couple months, and then realized, “I think it’s a book.” I was pretty hell-bent on not writing anything for a little while because of the brain power that it takes, and I wasn’t sure that I could do it. But then I just started doing it, and I was like, “I can do this.” And it became a book. So three-ish years, really.

In my experience, it takes less brain power when you care deeply about what you’re writing. 

Yeah. It tends to spill out easier. 

So, speaking to publication, you started it all off with a fanzine, correct?

Oh, my gosh, yes. When I was really young, high school! I was 16. There’s probably a hundred of them in existence — it was called Fiddler Jones. The zine morphed into my label, which was still when I was in high school. And that’s how I got my start in music.

Which music scene did you make an entry through?

I was born and raised in Miami, Florida, which is not known for its cool punk-rock scene. Latin jazz and fishing were very much a part of my life — and Cuban food is my favorite food. But there was this little tiny all-ages venue, literally right outside my neighborhood. My parents’ neighborhood backed up to a really big street called U.S. 1, which is the main road. And if you crossed over, there was a Latin jazz bar named Cheers. But the owner of the club wanted to start branching out into different kinds of music — she was a lesbian, and she started out by doing a gay night, and then a rock night and a local band night. So, some of my friends played a “local show,” and I went there and I had my zine with me and I met her, and she took me under her wing 100%. At one point, she was like, “Why don’t you do the local show? I don’t know anything about this.” I was 16, but I sort of tricked her into signing off on all this paperwork for me for school. I made it an “internship.” I got to leave school early to go work at the all-ages gay bar. And she really showed me the roads about it. 

To backtrack, how did you initially get drawn into the scene? What was your first exposure to punk music?

My best friend in high school, her name is Jessi, we are still BFFs, so this is mid-’90s, and she was one of the cooler people that knew about mail-order catalogs, ordering merch, and records and things. I’ll never forget it. She brought a lunchbox to school in high school, which was very cool, and she had a big Fugazi sticker on the lunchbox. I remember the first day we met at school, I was like, “What is Fugazi?” And she’s like, “It’s a band. You probably won’t like it.” [Laughs.] And she went on to show me a lot of really cool bands. From there, we made more friends in high school just that way, finding the couple other [punk] kids, and somebody who was really into Operation Ivy. 

How were you finding these emerging bands to book at the venue?

The local bands were super easy because in Miami, there were so few of us that were into punk things, and you were kind of by default also into skateboard culture. So at this point, if you had baggy pants, we were friends. If you saw somebody wearing a band shirt, that would be a flag. You would just walk over them, be like, “Hey, you like bands? I like bands.” So I met a lot of local bands, high school-age people. And then, through working at Cheers. Things were so small back then. There were so few booking agents — and I still remember Stormy Shepherd, she booked all the Fat Records and Epitaph bands, and she literally would just call Cheers on the telephone and be like, “Hi, I got these bands coming through.” They would send a press kit in the mail with an 8-by-10 glossy photo of the band. And you just book the band. It sounds very simple when I’m telling it, but there were so few of us, it was probably a hundred people in the country Max making these calls. Everybody knew everybody back then.

At what point did you decide to start the record label?

So the first really big show that I had at Cheers was also at a time where ska was having a big moment — and Less Than Jake was one of the biggest bands, because they were merch kings. I remember I booked a Less Than Jake show, I made $150. It was big vibes. I just remember sitting there and thinking about it, like, “Well, if I book 10 big shows, that’s well over a thousand dollars, and what could I do with that?” I just loved everything so much. I wanted to put money back into it. And from knowing all of the high school bands who didn’t have any attention from record labels or enough money to press their own records, I spent the money pressing a seven-inch. And the first band that I pressed the seven-inch for was Chris Carrabba’s first band, the Vacant Andys.

How did you meet Chris?

Those guys lived an hour north of me in a city called Boca. Those guys were a couple years older than me, and they lived a little far away. But when I met them, I booked a show for them, and I just loved them instantly. That was the first record I did, and it was wildly unsuccessful. [Laughs.] I didn’t really factor in that. Let’s say on a big day, 300 people would go to a show in South Florida. That would be a big moment. But I pressed 500 records. And it was like, “Well, I sold 30!” It was a big learning curve, of course. 

Wow. Well, you aren’t doing the label anymore. What was the point at which you decided to stop?

I had my label from ‘96 to 2006, which I just realized is hilarious because that’s the era of my book. Throughout the time of the label, I had been in and out of college. I would go to school, and then a band would get big, and I would take a leave of absence to pay attention to that. Then I would run back and be like, “OK, I have to finish college.” 

After some time doing this at University of Miami, everything changed scene-wise. All the venues closed, and everybody got older. The bands that I was working with started touring. So I got a job in LA, and I moved to Los Angeles. After a little while, I applied and enrolled in a school in Pasadena called Art Center. I only withdrew from Art Center twice! But finally, I closed the label and told myself I’m going to finish this degree so I can be a real adult and be a functioning member of society. 

What was your relationship with that scene after you closed the label?

It went dormant for me. I definitely felt like I needed to take a break. I felt like by being involved in music, part of me was arrested development, where it was like, “OK, I’ve toured with bands and done all this cool stuff, but I haven’t paid attention to normal life things.” I had a company, but I would look at people that were my age that had a traditional life trajectory, and I’d be like, “Everybody is married and has jobs and has purchased homes, and I’m a loser.” [Laughs.] So I took a break from music for probably two or three years while I was deep into Art Center. It was super weird because people at school would come into class wearing band shirts that I had made, and I would just be sitting there like, “Cool shirt, bro.” 

However dated and irrelevant the concept of genre is, it seems like a label that often gets attached after the fact in a moment of musical movements. In your experience, in the “emo” world, during the second and third waves captured in your book, what were you referring to it as at the time — punk?

Here’s the thing, and this is what the whole book is about. When my label was forming and the bands I was working with were coming up, we never called ourselves emo. 

Don’t think anyone wants to call themselves emo.

No, I never uttered the word ever. I never put it in a press release. I never put it as a point of pride. It was almost a joke. I would say punk rock or indie rock to try to explain things to people. And it’s really interesting because after I graduated from Art Center, I got a job in New York, and when I got there, because I had taken so many breaks from college when I started my career, I was a good 10 years older than the people at my level. These people were using the word emo — and it wasn’t a derogatory term. It was really interesting getting acquainted with the word as a non-jab. Even still, I wrestle with the term, and obviously my book is a book of emo bands, but there is a little voice inside of me that was like, “It says emo on the cover — cringey!” 

What is your experience with the current wave? What do you listen to? 

It’s really hard. I’m trying not to fall victim to getting stuck listening to everything that was from my 20s. I’m trying not to do that actively, but I find myself liking more mainstreaming-type things. I’m obsessed with Phoebe Bridgers. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t listen to one of her records or a boygenius record. Then I’ll slip into comfort mode and be like, “Oh, I’m going to listen to a little bit of Sunny Day Real Estate.” I’m obsessed with Ruston Kelly — I’m not really a country person, but I think he calls himself “dirt emo.” I love Beach Bunny and Wet Leg — all of this really fun young people stuff. But then I do come home and slip into my sad people shit.

Can you share one story that’s not included in the book? Your first time meeting or seeing one of these artists live for the first time? 

The best first memory of anyone in the book has to be the first time I saw Thursday. I was on tour with a band on my label, and the tour wasn’t going too well — and we were lost and driving around Kentucky and Tennessee, which is funny because I live in Tennessee now, and I called a friend to see if we could crash at his house in Lexington, Kentucky, but he told me to head to Louisville instead to try to jump on this house show that he heard about.

So, we drove to Louisville, and the show was on the second story of an abandoned farmhouse — I don’t even know how there was power. Someone must have brought a generator and a PA. I remember seeing Thursday, who I had been hearing about from other touring friends, and they were so all-encompassing, sonically, and spiritually — and in the middle of one of the songs someone from the crowd got completely naked and jumped out of a window that was behind the band. It was one of the craziest nights from that era of my life, and I’ll never forget it. The naked jumping person was fine — they landed on some hay. 

After the show, I remember chatting with Geoff and Tucker, and we knew a lot of the same Jersey friends, and they were just so sweet and soft-spoken, the total opposite of how they were when they were playing, and I just knew the band was going to be so big. They were captivating to a room of 20 kids in an old barn — after that, I knew they were capable of doing anything they set their sights on. 

What is your favorite image or page in the book? 

I can’t really choose a single favorite image from the book. They’re all so important to me, and hard-won for different reasons. But one that’s special to me is the photo of Jimmy Eat World by Andy Mueller. This one hits different for me because I had this photo as a part of a poster on my wall in my room when I was still in high school. The poster was a promo mailer for their Static Prevails record on Capitol, and I just remember staring at that photo for years, wondering about what they were laughing about, and thinking what a great shot of a band it was. It was so rare to see a band so happy in their promo shot, and it honestly inspired me to take happier and more candid shots of my label’s bands when it came time to do promo shoots. Also, its lack of emphasis on Jim Adkins as the “lead singer” really set the tone for me when thinking about importance of band members within a band — they’re all equally important, individually, and as a whole — and this photo just felt like a crash course in emo photography ethics for me. 

Tickets go on sale Friday, Sept. 15 at 10 a.m. local, with presales starting Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 9:30 a.m. local. See all dates below.

Read more: 10 great Fall Out Boy songs you’ve likely never heard

Before this, the Maine are doing a headlining fall tour, and they recently gave us a breakdown of all of their albums.

Hot Mulligan are also doing their own fall tour with Heart Attack, Spanish Love Songs, and Ben Quad in support of their new album Why Would I Watch. Read our recent interview with Hot Mulligan for more on that record.

Jimmy Eat World recently wrapped up a co-headlining tour with Manchester Orchestra. See pictures from Central Park and also check out our ranking of their discography.

Pick up the new Fall Out Boy album and more FOB merch in the AltPress Shop.

Fall Out Boy tour dates
Tuesday, October 17 Warsaw, Poland COS Torwar
Wednesday, October 18 Prague, Czech Republic Sportovni Hala Fortuna
Friday, October 20 Milan, Italy Mediolanum Forum
Saturday, October 21 Munich, Germany Zenith
Monday, October 23 Paris, France Zénith
Tuesday, October 24 Amsterdam, Netherlands AFAS Live
Wednesday, October 25 Brussels, Belgium Forest National
Friday, October 27 Leeds, UK First Direct Arena
Saturday, October 28 Glasgow, UK OVO Hydro
Sunday, October 29 Manchester, UK AO Arena
Tuesday, October 31 Birmingham, UK Utilita Arena Birmingham
Thursday, November 2 London, UK The O2
Friday, November 3 London, UK The O2
Saturday, November 4 Cardiff, UK Cardiff International Arena
Monday, November 6 Oberhausen, Germany Rudolf Weber-Arena
Tuesday, November 7 Hamburg, Germany Barclays Arena
Wednesday, November 8 Berlin, Germany Max-Schmeling-Halle
Friday, December 1 Melbourne, Australia Flemington Racecourse
Saturday, December 2 Sydney, Australia Centennial Park
Sunday, December 3 Brisbane, Australia Brisbane Showgrounds
Wednesday, December 6 Bangkok, Thailand Thunder Dome

with Jimmy Eat World:
Wednesday, February 28 Portland, OR Moda Center
Friday, March 1 Seattle, WA Climate Pledge Arena
Sunday, March 3 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 Center
Monday, March 4 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
Thursday, March 7 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
Friday, March 8 Austin, TX Moody Center
Monday, March 11 Oklahoma City, OK Paycom Center
Wednesday, March 13 Birmingham, AL Legacy Arena at The BJCC
Friday, March 15 Orlando, FL Amway Center
Saturday, March 16 Jacksonville, FL VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
Tuesday, March 19 Raleigh, NC PNC Arena
Wednesday, March 20 Baltimore, MD CFG Bank Arena
Friday, March 22 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Sunday, March 24 Albany, NY MVP Arena
Tuesday, March 26 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
Wednesday, March 27 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
Friday, March 29 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
Saturday, March 30 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena
Sunday, March 31 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
Tuesday, April 2 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
Wednesday, April 3 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
Friday. April 5 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center Arena
Saturday, April 6 Minneapolis, MN Target Center

Jimmy Eat World and Manchester Orchestra are nearing the end of their Amplified Echos summer co-headliner. Last night, they made a stop at Central Park SummerStage in New York City, where they electrified the crowd with both new cuts and classics. Jimmy Eat World ran through anthems like “Sweetness,” “Blister,” and “The Middle.” Meanwhile, Manchester Orchestra pulled out “The Way” from their latest release, The Valley of Vision, as well as beloved songs like “Bed Head,” “The Gold,” and “Shake It Out.”

Read more: Every Jimmy Eat World album ranked: From worst to best

See live photos from their New York City show, captured by Sachyn Mital, below.

Sachyn Mital

Sachyn Mital

Manchester Orchestra (photo: Sachyn Mital)

Sachyn Mital

Sachyn Mital

Sachyn Mital

Sachyn Mital

Sachyn Mital

Sachyn Mital

Sachyn Mital

1999’s Clarity is an iconic cult emo album that helped open the door of the mammoth scene that would follow, while 2001’s Bleed American remains an absolute beast of a record, showing that guitar music could embrace big, euphoric choruses without losing its heart.

Read more: 10 most criminally underrated the All-American Rejects songs

More recently, Jimmy Eat World have explored stripped-back storytelling with 2013’s Damage and big, chunky riffs with 2019’s Surviving. Through it all, their emotive songwriting and ability to tug on the ol’ heartstrings have shone brightly. As vocalist Jim Adkins said a few years ago, “Sexy is an opinion. Reliable is a fact. Opinions change, facts don’t.”

Every Jimmy Eat World album ranked

Wooden Blue

10. Jimmy Eat World (1994)

It seems almost unfair to include Jimmy Eat World’s self-titled debut album in this list. It’s never been available on streaming services, guitarist Tom Linton sang a majority of the songs, and bassist Rick Burch wasn’t even in the band back then. You really wouldn’t know it was Jimmy Eat World unless you were told, as the band were still clearly figuring out who they wanted to be.

The record is full of urgent, scuzzy skate-punk songs and sounds as scrappy as you’d expect from an album given a limited-edition release via local indie label Wooden Blue Records. There are glimpses of the band Jimmy Eat World would become, though. Lead guitarist Adkins delivers lead vocals on “Usery,” with the song also using violin to dial up the drama. But if you’ve never heard the album, you’re not missing much — Jimmy Eat World is very much a loose idea of a rough blueprint for what the band would become.

RCA

9. Damage (2013)

After a string of angsty, guitar-driven albums,  Jimmy Eat World embraced power pop on Damage. Described by the band as an “adult breakup album,” there’s no denying that lead single “I Will Steal You Back” is an absolute banger, but there are a few too many midtempo tracks on the album for it to rank any higher.

In isolation, songs like “Appreciation,” “Damage,” “Book Of Love,” and “Please Say No” are some of Jimmy Eat World’s most affecting songs, with the band’s eighth album really giving space for raw, vulnerable storytelling. There’s just not a whole lot of space left for anything else, though. Damage is a great album for when you want to sit and wallow in your emotions, but there’s not much of Jimmy Eat World’s empowering get-up-and-go. 

Capitol

8. Static Prevails (1996)

Static Prevails is where Jimmy Eat World first shifted from being another angsty punk band to a more sophisticated outfit. Inspired by bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, the four-piece started toying with song structure and intention. With more ambition than just wanting to play rowdy shows, Static Prevails is where Jimmy Eat World learned to be dynamic.

Opening track “Thinking, That’s All” is full of snarling rage that goes beyond the screaming chorus, while the euphoric “Rockstar” acts as a blueprint for some of Jimmy Eat World’s biggest hits. If you want to find out where the band’s story truly begins, this is the album for you.

RCA

7. Integrity Blues (2016)

Following a 10th-anniversary tour for Futures and each member of Jimmy Eat World taking a break from the band to focus on other things (a solo album for Adkins, boxing for Linton), 2016’s Integrity Blues feels like a band refreshed.

Simply put, their ninth album is full of new ideas as well as twists on the classics. Lead single “Sure And Certain” is a confident, robust emo-rock anthem, which was defiantly released at a time when the genre was far from cool, while “Get Right” is a snotty, swaggering number that feels gigantic. Then there’s “Pass The Baby.” The spiritual successor to their classic “Goodbye Sky Harbor,” the post-rock-enthused track features an almighty guitar breakdown after a beautiful, twinkling few moments. Integrity Blues is where Jimmy Eat World proved they still had plenty to offer.

DGC/Interscope

6. Invented (2010)

Released after a hot streak of albums, Invented had a lot to live up to. However, the band certainly didn’t sound like they were feeling the pressure on folksy opener “Heart Is Hard To Find,” and that confidence carries itself through a record that sees Jimmy Eat World firing on all cylinders. It’s impressive,considering it was recorded shortly after an anniversary tour for Clarity, meaning it could have been all too easy for the band to rehash former glories

“My Best Theory” remains one of their most recognizable and exciting tracks with that undeniable guitar line, whereas “Coffee and Cigarettes” is the coming-of-age anthem the band were born to write. Dare we say it, but the brooding “Higher Devotion” and the dreamy “Evidence” are probably some of Jimmy Eat World’s most underrated songs. Invented forever lives in the shadows of what came immediately before it, but it’s the sort of record that proves Jimmy Eat World are entirely unbothered by expectations. 

Capitol

5. Clarity (1999)

After several clashes with Capitol Records during the recording process for Static Prevails, Jimmy Eat World were given complete creative freedom for Clarity. Not because the label trusted the band, though — they’d just given up on the group. Jimmy Eat World could sense things weren’t going well, commercially speaking, as well. Worried it might be the last album they’d ever make, they threw everything they had at Clarity. 

And the results speak for themselves. Sure, the group were soon dropped by Capitol, and the album wasn’t exactly a megahit, but over 20 years later, Clarity is still considered a modern classic. Blending punk, emo, hardcore, and dream pop with a flair for fantastical storytelling and soulful relatability, Jimmy Eat World’s breakthrough album pulls from a variety of influences but sounds uniquely them. Listen to “Lucky Denver Mint,” “Blister,” or the 16-minute epic “Goodbye Sky Harbor” and you’ll see why Clarity remains such an emo staple.

RCA

4. Surviving (2019)

Surviving is the closest we’ve ever got to a Jimmy Eat World Greatest Hits album. “Criminal Energy” leans into the political angst of Bleed American, the twinkling “555” pulls from the pretty storytelling of Chase This Light, and “Love Never” is as big and euphoric as they come.

There’s plenty of new energy on the record as well, though. The stuttering “Congratulations” is a fierce, brooding number that flickers through carefully constructed storytelling and explosive catharsis, while “Recommit” feels like a fresh twist on their emo joy. Every track is undeniably a Jimmy Eat World banger, but Surviving never feels tired or like the band are running out of ideas. If you want to know why people are still excited about new music from the group, it’s because of albums like Surviving.

Interscope

3. Chase This Light (2007)

Chase This Light is perhaps the prettiest Jimmy Eat World album. After a string of records that saw the band take aim at both the personal and the political, Chase This Light felt like a much-needed dose of reassurance. From the loud, jubilant riffs of “Big Casino” to the theatrical sway of “Dizzy,” Jimmy Eat World’s sixth album is driven by communal joy.

There’s plenty of relatable depth for all the emo kids, though. The tambourine-shaking “Feeling Lucky” is an unlikely loser anthem. “Firefight” gives their post-hardcore roots a polish, while “Electable (Give It Up)” is a snarling political track about how elected officials don’t have the same values as the people they’re meant to represent. Nice to see that that’s changed over the past 16 years, eh? 

DreamWorks

2. Bleed American (2001)

It was obvious from the iconic opening of the title track that Jimmy Eat World’s fourth album was going to be something special. Focused, energetic, and full of absolute bangers, Bleed American sees the band channel their sophisticated storytelling and heartfelt messages through big, shiny choruses. A punk album disguised as something more euphoric, songs like “A Praise Chorus,” “The Authority Song,” and “If You Don’t, Don’t” give angst a positive twist. Then there’s “Hear You Me,” a devastating, powerful track about loss that still feels like a punch in the gut.

Of course, Bleed American also features Jimmy Eat World’s biggest swings with generational-defining anthems “The Middle” and “Sweetness.” What made the success of Bleed American even better was the fact they were dropped by their major label prior to releasing it. It went on to sell over a million copies and remains a timeless classic.

Interscope

1. Futures (2004)

How do you follow up an album as successful, as beloved, and as brilliant as Bleed American? Well, Jimmy Eat World poured everything they had into Futures. A reaction to the political climate at the time, and acting as the spiritual successor to the eclectic Clarity, Futures does away with grinning optimism and replaces it with a communal fire. The aggressive album may pack a serious punch, but it never feels miserable.

Kicking off with the hammering title track and rattling through the brooding “Work” and the ferocious “Pain,” Jimmy Eat World tackle everything from despair and self-loathing to drug misuse on Futures. Tracks like “Night Drive” has the band tapping into their twinkling emo side, while the theatrical, slow-burning “23” captures a genuine fear of the future. Refusing to deliver more of the same, Futures is Jimmy Eat World’s most accomplished, ambitious album. 

Read more: Every twenty one pilots album ranked

As the label nears three decades of making pop-punk and alternative dreams come true, we’re celebrating the 20 greatest past and present signings from Fueled By Ramen and its partner labels, from scene shifters Paramore and twenty one pilots to fresh blood Meet Me @ The Altar and chloe moriondo.

Fall Out Boy

After making a name for themselves in the local Chicago hardcore punk scene with two early EPs, Fall Out Boy signed an unconventional deal with Island Records. The band would release their first full-length in 2003, Take This To Your Grave, via the much smaller independent label Fueled By Ramen and return to the Island fold for their second record. The Chicago outfit’s emotionally stirring debut via Ramen would prove to become a landmark in pop-punk culture, colliding the emotive worlds of emo with reckless hardcore abandon and significantly altering the genre. Although the pop-punk icons would stay true to their contract and return to Island for their next six records, So Much (For) Stardust marks their triumphant U-turn to Ramen 20 years later. Don’t call it a comeback — it’s just the circle of life.

Jimmy Eat World

Jimmy Eat World’s brief dalliance with Fueled By Ramen to release their self-titled EP in 1998 established the changing face of the outfit from their initial pop-punk sensibilities toward what would later be recognized as morose post-hardcore morphing into emo. In drip-feeding this new approach via a lesser-known EP between the Static Prevails and Clarity eras, Ramen’s offering of a proving ground for their alternate sound enabled the confident show of identity on 1999’s Clarity that would bring about the likes of “Lucky Denver Mint.” Largely considered Ramen’s breakout band to prove that the label had an eye for promising talent, their mutually beneficial relationship was short-lived but hugely impactful on both sides.

Paramore

Remaining loyal to their record label since their 2005 debut LP is just another of the countless reasons why we love Paramore. Releasing each of their six albums since their 2005 debut via Fueled By Ramen not only created a consistency within their output, but a sense of reliability with each new offering — as long as Paramore are still with Ramen, all is right with the world. Becoming synonymous with the Ramen label, the group’s tenure under the label has seen them through the golden age of emo, lineup shuffles and enduring stylistic changes.

Travie McCoy

Growing up in the midst of the punk-rock scene, becoming a household name of the golden age of pop punk seemed like a logical step for Travie McCoy. Alongside fronting the iconic Gym Class Heroes, McCoy dropped his solo debut record, Lazarus, with the help of Fueled By Ramen back in 2010. Although slightly less well-known as his band’s earworms, McCoy’s solo venture brought about the iconic Bruno Mars collab “Billionaire” and successfully broached the rap-rock subject to reel T-Pain and Cee-Lo Green into a scene crying out for variety and energy.

Waterparks

Pop experimentalists and AltPress’s current cover stars Waterparks have enjoyed the freedom of adapting their sound and lyrical attitudes to suit their changing emotions and the musical climate around them since their debut LP in 2016. Four albums later, the outfit herald their arrival on Fueled By Ramen with April’s anticipated output INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, clarifying their genre-fluid approach that blends emotive pop punk with the contagious elements of hyperpop that are currently permeating through the alternative scene. However unpredictable their next album may be, fans can remain reassured that with Ramen at the helm, it’s bound to be as epic as its predecessors.

LIGHTS

Armed with a lifetime’s worth of bitter experience to inspire gut-wrenching lyrics delivered by soaring vocals, LIGHTS has bridged the gap between pop and rock with ease. The delicate tones of Skin&Earth paved the way for the experimental sounds of 2022’s PEP, released via Fueled By Ramen for LIGHTS’ only venture with the label. The artist suggests her newfound alternative approach on PEP was inspired primarily by the presence of Fueled By Ramen, furthering the album’s concept of music as an escapism from reality and inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, which slowed production of the album since 2019.

nothing,nowhere.

Razor-sharp emo rap is nothing,nowhere’s game, and he plays it well. Hailing from the depths of Foxborough, Massachusetts, Fueled By Ramen’s offshoot DCD2 Records scooped up the promising solo artist for his debut full-length, Reaper, and have forged a beneficial partnership ever since. Over six years and four albums with Ramen, nothing,nowhere. has traversed each side of the emo-rap spectrum from tortured, venomous trap to heart-spilling, emotive clean vocals, bringing in guest spots from Dashboard Confessional and KennyHoopla to demonstrate his sheer versatility and talent.

twenty one pilots

Arguably the driving force in the storming success of twenty one pilots, Fueled By Ramen snagged the Ohio duo just in time for 2013’s Vessel after self-releasing their initial two albums. Testament to the Ramen effect, all but one album since has achieved platinum status, garnered worldwide praise and established twenty one pilots as one of the most refreshing additions to the scene in recent years. Charged with sinister alternative raps and contagious choruses that changed the landscape of alt rock, twenty one pilots’ lucrative partnership with Fueled By Ramen has produced unforgettable hit after hit and shows no signs of stopping.

THE BLSSM

If you haven’t already heard of grunge-laced alt-pop upstart THE BLSSM, now’s your chance to stream away. Releasing their third EP, PURE ENERGY, via Fueled By Ramen in 2022, the nonbinary artist known as THE BLSSM produces blissfully thought-provoking alt-pop that tackles difficult topics of mental health framed by calming waves of electric guitars and acoustic sensibilities. Inspired in part by their musician father, Australian rock star Diesel, THE BLSSM is a gorgeously slick product of the 2020s merging tormented raps with heavenly clean vocals, as if they belonged together all along.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=TqPaAF_gFQ4

chloe moriondo

Call chloe moriondo “bedroom pop” all you like, but there’s no denying the immense appeal of her comfortingly saccharine melodies offset by utterly left-of-field, menacing lyrics. The genius behind the lyric “I think you’d look better in a collar” conceals her sinister songwriting behind an unassuming visual representation of a harmless YouTuber when in fact, this artist at the start of her journey can destroy her listeners line by line. Signing with Fueled By Ramen for her sophomore album, Blood Bunny, in 2021, moriondo’s future is bright.

The Academy Is…

The rise and rise of emo would not be the same without the inimitable tones of the Academy Is… Raised by Ramen from their legendary 2005 debut album, Almost Here, and beyond, the outfit’s three studio albums came Ramen-certified and received a suitably Ramen-esque welcome to the scene enjoying a luminous period of success in the late 2000s. Crafting beautifully uncomplicated earworms alongside haunting acoustic odes, the striking polarity of the Academy Is… only added to their appeal at the height of the MySpace era until their official disbandment in 2011. Yet their occasional onstage reunions in the years since have proved that audiences still long for the nostalgia of an emotive youth.

Against The Current

Following four independently released EPs, Against the Current needed a big-name label to release their 2016 full-length debut, In Our Bones. Their contagious singalongs and Chrissy Costanza’s versatile pipes made for belting alt-rock anthems, so where better to call home than the capable hands of Fueled By Ramen? Under the label’s wing, the outfit produced two storming full-lengths and consequently won over the scene, with their refreshing take on energetic rock laced with hard-hitting lyrics often speaking from a place of emotional anguish.

The Cab

The discourse around the golden age of emo often falls short of a mention for the Cab, taken under Fueled By Ramen and Decaydance’s capable wings in time for their 2008 debut record, Whisper War, after Panic! At The Disco’s Spencer Smith landed them a lucrative signing with Ramen a year prior. What came next would prove to be a sensational yet criminally overlooked addition to the pop-punk history books, two phenomenal guest spots from Patrick Stump, numerous singalongs that would live in your head rent-free for months on end and a surprising nightcore success with “Angel With A Shotgun.”

Dashboard Confessional

After five albums and years comfortably seated with Vagrant Records, it seemed like Dashboard Confessional had discovered their perfect formula and would never branch out from their comfort zone. That is until 2018’s Crooked Shadows brought about a more mature persona to the emo mainstays that in turn needed a new home. Shifting their newfound maturity to the Fueled By Ramen fold, their seventh studio venture featured a guest spot from fellow Ramen signing Chrissy Costanza and a surprisingly catchy effort in collaboration with electronic DJs Cash Cash to ultimately become a successful step into the unknown.

Gym Class Heroes

Hi there. It’s the 2000s calling, they want their scene-rap crossovers back. Dutifully providing the soundtrack to high school corridors since the golden age of scene, Gym Class Heroes bridged the gap between alternative hits and the hip-hop inspirations. Signing with Fueled By Ramen for the outfit’s now-iconic 2005 sophomore album, The Papercut Chronicles, the hip-hop hybrids fronted by Travie McCoy took over the scene and produced a prolific partnership with Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump by creating an epic crossover in the form of “Clothes Off!” Despite remaining largely inactive since 2012, Gym Class Heroes will make their return to their scene-shaping career for an appearance at 2023’s When We Were Young Festival.

Cobra Starship

One of Fueled By Ramen’s flagship acts, Cobra Starship became a staple diet of the scene kid generation with their infectious alternative anthems infused with synthpop twinkles that initiate a rave in your mind every time you’re reminded of them. As if it wasn’t enough that they created the greatest movie theme of all time with “Bring it! (Snakes On A Plane)” along with the help of Ramen classmates William Beckett and Travie McCoy, Cobra Starship’s four storming studio albums, decade-long scene-changing career and the smile that beams across anybody’s face when you even mention Cobra Starship speak loudly enough for the Ramen effect and the cultural impact of one Gabe Saporta… just don’t tell him we said that.

Meet Me @ The Altar

Just when you thought bands no longer made contagious pop-punk tunes worthy of embedding on your MySpace page, Meet Me @ The Altar are tangible proof that the genre is alive and well. Full of ferocious visual vivacity, in-your-face pop-punk vigour and devil-may-care lyricism, Ramen scooped up the promising talent in 2020 as the band went viral and the rest is history for the contagious outfit that transcended state lines to create music together when each member lived in a different state upon their 2015 debut. Ever since, their anthemic “Say It (To My Face)” has even featured on Taco Bell commercials, so they’re clearly living the dream.

Lifetime

Exactly why New Jersey punks Lifetime called time on their success story in 1997 just before they broke into the big game is a mystery known only to the band themselves, but luckily Pete Wentz’s Ramen offshoot Decaydance helped to resurrect the members’ love for music in 2007, rounding off their career with a self-titled album that cemented their whole reason for making sounds in the first place. The band’s decade-long disbandment came to a grinding halt as they revived their original reckless hardcore punk vitality under the Decaydance umbrella, just long enough to realize they could go their own way without a big name label above their heads.

Games We Play

The one-man pop-punk powerhouse Games We Play produces nothing but feel-good pop-punk anthems to blast in the car as you cruise down the freeway with the windows down. In fact, the musical project of Emmyn Calleiro provides everything the pop-punk scene needed to rediscover its own identity and not a moment too soon. From overnight TikTok success to signing with Pete Wentz’s DCD2, the multi-instrumentalist’s story so far has been a pop-punk dream come true, and it’s only just begun.

ONE OK ROCK

Japanese rock is a vastly different creature and rightfully so, considering ONE OK ROCK’s incomparable ability to drop 10 jam-packed albums in the space of 15 years, a feat only Western artists could dream of achieving. Choosing Fueled By Ramen as the appropriate home for the international versions of their Japanese albums Ambitions and Eye of the Storm, the Tokyo outfit took the leap in shifting from their pop-infused traditions to a heavier rock sound for 2022’s English album Luxury Disease with Ramen’s support. In doing so, their newfound theatrical and experimental approach established their name within the Western arena, never to be overlooked again.

Kicking off July 11 in Missoula, Montana, the bands will make stops in Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and several other cities before concluding the run Aug. 26 in Philadelphia. Middle Kids, an indie band from Sydney, will open on all dates.

Read more: 20 best fictional bands

You can expect to hear some new cuts from Manchester Orchestra, as the group are fresh off their latest release, The Valley of Vision, which came with a VR film. Meanwhile, Jimmy Eat World haven’t spent long off the road, including appearances at last year’s When We Were Young Festival and a fall run with Charly Bliss.

Presale begins March 14, with general tickets on sale March 16 at 10 a.m. local time. You can find more information here.

Check out the tour dates below.

Read more: Our favorite moments from When We Were Young Festival, the most emo event of the year

From Jimmy Eat World to Fall Out Boy, these are the 12 best alternative Christmas songs that you need to add to your playlist. 

blink-182 – “Boxing Day” 

blink-182 have always had a knack for writing hilarious holiday songs, but on their 2012 EP Dogs Eating Dogs, they penned one of their most heartfelt and touching songs with the Christmas-centric single “Boxing Day.” On the song, vocalist/guitarist Tom DeLonge and bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus complement each other harmoniously while trading off lyrics that touch on themes of emptiness, heartbreak and the all-too-familiar feelings of holiday malaise. “Boxing Day” also shows a more stripped-down sound for the band who have made a career out of high-energy and upbeat music — this time choosing to flex their strengths in artistic restraint, minimalism and subtle poeticism.

Tim Timebomb and Friends – “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” 

Tim Armstrong (Rancid) has one of the most distinct voices in punk, and his 2012 rendition of Dr. Seuss’ classic “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” only further proves this point. Armstrong feels right at home singing the holiday classic and inserts a healthy dose of personality while retaining the classic elements of the source material. Featuring jazz guitar chords, horn sections and classical piano arrangements, Armstrong and co. provide a fun and jovial experience all the way through.

Senses Fail – “Donde Esta Santa Clause” 

When post-hardcore veterans Senses Fail emerged with their very own holiday music in late 2020, it was a welcome treat after a somber and devastating year. Out of the two stellar holiday singles they dropped, their rendition of Augie Rio’s 1958 classic “Donde Esta Santa Clause” is by far their most catchy and ambitious. Sung in both Spanish and English, vocalist Buddy Nielsen performs every line with intention over distorted power-pop guitars and driving drum rhythms that are sure to amp anyone up at your next holiday function. 

Weezer – “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” 

Throughout their 30-year career, Weezer have proved one thing: If they stay true to their core sound, nothing can go wrong. With their 2008 rendition of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” Weezer possess all of their most beloved traits, including lush vocal harmonies, chunky guitar tones and theatrical solos. Weezer take cover songs pretty seriously, and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” is no exception. The song shows that anyone can capture the spirit of a classic while inserting a great deal of unique personality to make it entirely their own. 

Jimmy Eat World – “Last Christmas” 

Jimmy Eat World’s rendition of Wham!’s 1984 hit “Last Christmas” is simply perfection. Vocalist/guitarist Jim Adkins provides his signature evocative vocals over a chorus of sleigh bells, dance drum parts and abstract guitar crescendos to create an arrangement that breathes new life into an already beloved song. Jimmy Eat World have remained one of the most consistent in the alternative scene for nearly 30 years, and their cover of “Last Christmas” will certainly fill you with a healthy dose of Christmas spirit.

The Almost – “Little Drummer Boy” 

It’s only fitting that Aaron Gillespie, the powerhouse drummer of acclaimed post-hardcore act Underoath, would eventually cover every drummer’s favorite holiday anthem, “Little Drummer Boy.” However, for his cover of the classic holiday hit, Gillespie enlisted his alternative-rock side project the Almost to create an anthemic and chant-filled arrangement that shows off his impassioned vocals, which are sure to give you chills upon first listening. Make no mistake, though: Gillespie provides a series of drum rolls that retain the beloved rhythmic cadences of the original song we all know and love. 

Fall Out Boy – “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” 

For those who aren’t necessarily feeling the holiday cheer this season, Fall Out Boy have you covered with “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” — a breakup song that spares no expense in lamenting a relationship that has gone awry just in time for Christmas. Fall Out Boy have always had a penchant for unique song titles, and with this track, they reference an iconic scene from the 1983 beloved film A Christmas Story. They also make sure to insert a well-placed pun or two. “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” shows a stripped-down acoustic sound that suits frontman Patrick Stump’s soulful vocals brilliantly, and with the incorporation of an impactful key change and charming sleigh bells, Fall Out Boy absolutely nailed this now-famous scene holiday classic.

Something Corporate – “Forget December” 

It’s said that the month of December is the most common time for couples to break up, and for Something Corporate frontman Andrew McMahon, he too was caught up in the heartbreak of the holiday season. “Forget December” chronicles a relationship that fell apart during the “most wonderful time of the year,” along with family drama and dreary weather, making this particular December a memory he’d rather not revisit. 

We Are The Union – “Yr Always Alone (On Christmas)”

We Are The Union are well aware that for some, the holidays aren’t always the most wonderful time of the year. With “Yr Always Alone (On Christmas),” the band have crafted the perfect anti-Christmas song that fuses everything from upbeat ska-punk in the vein of Sublime to the contagious power pop of Weezer. If family gatherings begin to feel like too much this season, simply throw on this track and raise a middle finger to the sky.

Sam Tinnesz – “Turn Off All The Christmas Songs”

Continuing the trend of anti-Christmas tracks is none other than “Turn Off All The Christmas Songs” by Sam Tinnesz, a witty love letter to the holiday but also a scathing critique of the overplayed holiday hits that are ingrained in the heads of many. With “Turn Off All The Christmas Songs,” Tinnesz shows his brilliance as a songwriter who can combine comedic and autobiographical lyrics that feel instantly relatable, coupled with earworm choruses. “Turn Off All The Christmas Songs” is sure to be your new favorite holiday track (unless your name is Michael Buble or Josh Groban), with Tinnesz demanding the two singers “go back to hibernation, right where [they] belong.”

Taking Back Sunday – “12 Days of Christmas” 

Admittedly, Taking Back Sunday’s rendition of “12 Days of Christmas” is a bit of a fever dream. However, that’s what makes it so special. Largely a duet between frontman Adam Lazzara and former co-vocalist/guitarist Fred Mascherino, the two spiral into a hilarious back-and-forth banter fest, dissecting every line from the classic holiday song while providing comedic commentary on everything from lactation and Danny Bonaduce from The Partridge Family. While the song ends up running for an impressive eight minutes, you can’t help but feel the holiday cheer and candid fun that was captured during its creation.

August Burns Red – “Carol of the Bells” 

We can all agree that “Carol of the Bells” is one the most unintentionally epic holiday songs ever. But when you pair it with technical metal, it takes on an entirely new form. In 2012, metalcore titans August Burns Red did just that with their instrumental, holiday-centric Sleddin’ Hill, A Holiday Album. Without a doubt, “Carol of the Bells” is the song where August Burns Red truly come into their own as a full-fledged heavy-metal holiday band, with shredding riffs courtesy of guitarists JB Brubaker and Brent Rambler as well as the inhuman and technical drum skills of Matt Greiner. 

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