How JIMMY EAT WORLD redefined emo (more than "The Middle") 

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Jimmy Eat World had the star power of Fall Out Boy mixed with the authenticity of a band like American Football - not 'too' shiny but not pretentious either. Extremely underrated band

Unpopular opinion: Clarity and Futures are way better than Bleed American but the mainstream pop-punk sound they made was actually the thing that saved them. There are no words in the dicitonary to explain how much I love Clarity. I'm 21 years old and it is crazy to know that after all this time this album is still so special to college kids all around the world, it will always be relevant for people who are at this stage of their lives.

Sweetness is one of the most criminally underrated songs of that era. So good.

I've seen them live 4 times, and they are almost TOO good live. They sound just like their albums, very impressive.

Futures is such a good album, from beginning to end. Dare I say it's one of the best underrated concept album of the 2000's.

Bleed American is an incredible album.

As a millennial, I can confirm that "The Middle" has our feels on speed dial.

Jimmy eat world is one of my favorite bands and are criminally underrated. I'm glad they are finally getting the love they deserve.

They just make beautiful music and have remained super consistent throughout the years. Jim just has one of those nostalgic sounding voices where even a newer song can take you back 20 years

Life long metalhead, and I'm gonna say that "The Middle" has one of my favorite guitar solos. 😂

The Middle still makes me cry when I'm having a hard time and gives me hope in the depths of depression. Grateful for that entire album

"Futures" is one of those albums that changed my life. It came out just as I was graduating college and it was the perfect soundtrack to a confused kid trying to figure out what was next.

I was in late elementary school when a friend's older brother burned us all copies of Static Prevails bc he was obsessed. I became obsessed + bought Clarity (amazing album), then loved hearing them get recognition all over the radio/ TV with "The Middle"/ Bleed American a few years later. a few years after that, they were doing a meet + greet at my fave local record store to promote their new album (at the time) Futures. my mom pulled me out of school to take me + told the record store I wanted to do an interview w them for the school paper (we didn't have one lmfao), which they excitedly agreed to. they were so wonderful + kind to awkward, star struck young teen me; they even recognized me at their show a few years later when i saw them live for the first time! love this band, thanks for the great video finn! that's SO cool you saw them play a tiny show in cleveland.

I said it on the “one hit wonder” video, “the sweetness” was a breakthrough hit ! Even if it only got to like number 70 on the 200 list, on the rock radio list, it charted really high and was HEAVY rotation for like two years….that’s a breakthrough hit, if a song breaks through, even on a station that just plays one genre, it can still be a breakthrough hit without being top 40 on the top 200 which is some people’s standard for the definition of a hit, which is insane

Clarity is up there with Led Zeppelin 4 and Joshua Tree. 100% absolutely defining. I think Mark Trombino’s influence is hugely understated here too. I’ve also had the privilege of seeing them live over a dozen times - and they are hands down the best club room band I’ve ever seen. I was at the showcase in LA when they were courting labels and Reuben’s Accomplice opened for them. Saw them at El Rey, Troubadour, Whiskey…all so amazing. Saw them more recently at the Greek and while good the experience wasn’t the same.

I wasn't even into Emo back in 01 - but man- "The Middle" dropping after 9/11 happened...I get emotional now remembering how it helped bring a sense of stability.

Jim Adkins is a genius. Always loved how when he plays 23 live, he improvises and changes the solo up every time.

At a show in STL, Jim said something like “I’m so happy that I get to come to work and make music for all of you.” And he said it in this sweet soothing (almost like his singing) voice. He had the most genuine smile and look on his face. It was toward the end of the show. I was lucky to be like 15 feet from him the whole time, totally star struck. 😊

I highly appreciate you for making a video about these gentlemen. I started listening to them sometime between Futures and Chase This Light. They were one of the first bands I really felt different about, and still listen to today. As you said, they’re not so focused on making hits, but more so making great music and providing the best live performances for their fans. I’ve seen them several times, and I was never disappointed. It’s also so rare to see a band keep the same roster for as long as they have. You change one person in a band and it can change the dynamic entirely, potentially ruining it. We’ve been fortunate enough to see them consistently put out great music over the years, and I hope it continues for a long time.

Bleed American is a perfect album from start to finish. Clarity, Futures, Chase this Light, Invented, and Surviving are all absolutely gorgeous too. Favourite band of all time. No question.

Massively underrated band and one of the first bands I really felt connected with

I will forever love JEW! Their sound were like a movie soundtrack of my emotions in my twenties (basically the 2000s). Songs like "23", "Clarity", "Lucky Denver Mint", "Polaris" and many others still give me goosebumps and are connected to old memories of heartbreak, being in love and so on... Very, very underrated band.

Jim seems like a genuinely kind human being in interviews. They deserve any and all recognition they get.

I think Jimmy Eat World is also an a good example of the “1,000 True Fans” theory. Even though they don’t have the same level of mainstream success that they did with Bleed American and The Middle, they still have a core fan base that supports them and their work. Case in point, I’ve seen them live 3 times over the past several years. The venue in my city has a max occupancy of around 1,000 people. Each time, the show was sold out.

Ahhh! Jimmy Eat World is my absolute favorite band ever! So glad to see them getting some more recognition! They are by far the most consistent band I’ve listened to!:-)

One of my favorite bands as a young teen and still love them today. Clarity is one of the most beautiful albums I’ve ever heard. Bleed American and Futures are masterful as well.

One of the few bands that continues to age like fine wine. Seen them 20 times in the last 15 years and they just keep getting better. Such an authentic band, and the reason I started playing guitar and writing songs. I love them and owe them so much.

Hands down my favorite band of all time. So many songs are tied to important and emotional memories in my life.

Thank you so much for making a video about Jimmy Eat World! Absolutely amazing song writers and have an amazing live show! Praise Chorus and Always Be are two of my favorite songs for my running playlist

I think very few bands have had a run of INCREDIBLE albums like jimmy eat world. Bleed American, Futures, Chase This Light, Invented, and Damage. A 12 year stretch of putting out albums that hit from the first play through but still hold appeal many years later. Amd 2019's Surviving shows they've still 1000% got it, and they're SO GOOD LIVE. Hugely underrated.

Your channel it's a treasure to anyone who loves music and music prodution. Grats, dude!

Thanks for making this! Jimmy Eat World is my all time favorite band. For those who gave up on them after "The Middle" are REALLY missing out.

Thanks for this Finn, I was so excited when I saw the notification for this video! Clarity is in my top 10 albums of all time. When that came out I was 18 and into punk and metal, but my brother had got into the emo scene in college and we shared an hour commute to work everyday in his car (which means he was in control of the music). I saw them play with Sense Field at top of the hill and they were so good it made my appreciation grow by leaps and bounds. Speaking of, I'd love to see you do a video about Sense Field, they're criminally underrated!

Chase This Light is such an incredible album! I find myself going back to it constantly!

I recently read Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994-2007) and its kinda funny. A lot of those late 90s/early 2000s bands that got called Emo HATED it. I think it was Taking Back Sunday (not 100% sure about that) that said they got tagged as "that emo band" and their response was "We're not emo!"

Jimmy Eat World is really the boy who pulled the sword from the stone. Part of a huge pack of bands from that genre and time. From that first album - the one BEFORE Static Prevails, nobody would have known it'd be them. From doing a straight-out punk album (their first), to a legit early emo album (Static Prevails), to defining/redefining the genre with their THIRD album Clarity to settling into their own particular thing for life, they went the distance. VERY difficult to think of another legit Emo band that went the full distance like that. (I wish they'd just cranked out more stuff like Static, personally, but THEY'RE happy) Appleseed Cast is the other obvious success story. Coheed and Cambria although they weren't Emo for long. Planes Mistaken For Stars, although they may have been Emo for only one EP. Penfold actually has kept going for a long while. Since the grandaddy Emo bands were Embrace and Rites of Spring, (Emo started the moment a musician first yelled "Don't call our music Emo!!!") which became Fugazi, perhaps THAT's the most legit long term Emo success story of all. Anyway, thanks - you did really REALLY good

Sweetness is one of the greatest songs ever and I will fight anyone who disagrees.

Clarity and Bleed American is one of the best back to back album releases in Emo. Incredible stuff tbh

I loved their Corona-time streaming only concerts from one or two years ago. It's really hard nowadays to get everyone of your friends back together again, because everybody has kids and lives someplace else but at these shows we could reunite, holding a conference call (lol) and enjoy the gig. Wonderful idea and they did a marvelous job from a technical perspective, great sound, great stage and flawless streaming quality. Worth every penny.

Futures is one of my favorite albums. Just Tonight, 23, Pain, and Drugs or Me are some of my favorite songs of all-time. Also, some of my favorite karaoke songs. Futures, Work, and The World You Love are also really great song in their own rights. Electable and Always Be off Chase This Light are also great songs. Electable is so relatable the last few years as well with some of it's political and social commentary.

Hey Finn, thanks for another great video! I love Jimmy Eat World and I think your video managed to capture their essence perfectly - when you finished with the word "honesty", it all just clicked. Brilliant! As always, looking forward to the next one - no idea what band it will be about, but thrilled to be surprised :)

LOVED THIS! Saw them recently on tour with My Chemical Romance. Definitely another iconic staple of the Emo scene.

Some of the songs are extremely underated: lucky Denver mint, 23, Polaris, sweetness...

One of my all time favourite bands. Came across them in 2003 when a friend gave a me minidisc copy of Bleed American. Integrity blues has to be up there as one of their best albums, Pol Roger is an epic album closer.

This is an amazing channel @thepunkrockmba. I have listened to rock music my entire life but never was interested in learning or hearing about the background or history of artists/sub- genres of rock. However all these videos have super interesting stories and are told very well. Awesome content!

One of my favorite bands of all time. I’m from Arizona and saw them as a budding local band to what they are now. They deserve all the success they’ve achieved. Well done Finn. Great video.

Not sure if anyone else has pointed this out yet, but your reasoning concerning their impact and influence--as well as their longevity and unconcern with chasing popularity, or with replicating the initial success of The Middle--parallels the careers of the guys from Rush pretty well. Rush's initial albums were not considered commercial successes, and were on the chopping block of their label; until, that is, 2112. From there, the largest singular success was that of Tom Sawyer, and never did they have a song as popular as Sawyer, nor did they care. They were just 3 kindhearted Canadians who were interested in writing and performing music that they found compelling and enjoyable. Anyway, I remember discovering Jimmy Eat World around the time that Static Prevails came out, and found this to be a really nice video. Thanks for allowing me to make a connection between both Rush and Jimmy EW.

One of the things that a lot of people overlook is just how skilled of musicians they are. I spent so much time trying to learn how to play Cautioners bass line, which is so difficult in its simplicity.

This Band is soooo underappreciated its insane. I mean yes ofc they had their success in a few ways you could say but still I feel like they are on a level of talent that too many people sadly overlook. Love them so much!

"Just Watch the Fireworks" has always been my favorite song. Excellent live band, too!

great video Finn. I've loved jimmy eat world since way back when, so happy seeing them being able to keep at it and keep producing good music. I really enjoyed this vid, and while you don't really make bad ones, seeing my teen idols keep getting love is so great.

Bleed, Futures and CTL are absolute master classes in song writing, especially back then. The fast ones were fast, the slow ones made you cry. I feel like the reason they never took the world by storm was just a sheer lack of 'coolness'. They forever just look like a bunch of dads who have 9 to 5 office jobs.

Great content as always! I would be extremely grateful for a Bayside deep dive/strange history, or even a quick take of your opinions on them. As always though, you are very appreciated Finn, keep doing your thing brother

Been waiting for this video, Thank you Finn! 👍

One of my most favourite bands when I was 19-20. As they were not known much in my country, bought their CD in Prague. Greetings from Ukraine!

Never clicked on a video so fast. Absolutely love this band

Hey Fin, I hope you're doing well. This is why I love your youtube channel, I haven't thought about Jimmy Eat World in years also I forgot how good they were back then....Take care man.

Great video! I listened to them in the late 90s as well and remember getting static prevails at the record store based off the album cover without knowing who they were. They blew me away!

Another interesting thing with the bleed american album was after 9/11 they changed the name of the album to ANOTHER self titled album and changed the title track to "salt sweat sugar". It used to be really hard to find anything pressed with the original album title. It was such a weird time.

Another great video. Appreciate your hard work dude

I saw this band 10 years ago. They were an opening act and I was completely swept away because they are amazing performers. Jim’s voice comes off incredibly clear and controlled. The band sounded like they have been playing with each other for years and we’re so in synced.

great vid as usual! saw them way back in the day with the promise ring and jets to brazil at the tla in philadelphia.

“Sweater-vest Emo, opposed to Hot Topic Emo”… Never thought about it that way, but, nailed it! 😆

I remember seeing “Lucky Denver mint” played on 120 Minutes during the last days of that show on MTV. My local college radio station also played that song. Quickly became one of my favorite singles of 1999. Then… nothing for about 2 years. But what a pleasant surprise to see “The middle,” which had this-is-going-to-become-iconic written all over it, earn its frequent plays on MYV and VH1 in late 2001-early 02. Several months later, “The Sweetness” surpassed its predecessor, IMHO. Jimmy Eat World didn’t become as high-profile as some of their genre’s bands later in the decade, but I’ve always respected their talent. Thanks for this upload, Finn 💯

I appreciate you for making a video on Jimmy Eat World. They’re my absolute favorite band, and I’ve always felt that they were under-appreciated in the scene.

Jimmy is incredibly underrated and I’d put Chase This Light and Surviving right up there with their best albums, so they’re STILL dropping bangers and STILL putting on one of the best live shows you will ever see. Jim is an incredibly talented singer and songwriter and he’s never forsaken his style, which is one of the reasons I absolutely still consider them one of my favorite bands today.

I saw them in December of 2001 opening for Weezer, with Tenacious D also opening. I was in 7th grade, it was my first real concert, and an incredible show. I can't believe that Finn, amidst the 9/11 talk, didn't mention them retitling Bleed American to a self titled album. It was quite a flex back then to have a pre-9/11 Bleed American labeled copy of the CD.

Love this video, thanks for giving them attention and the recognition they deserve WAY MORE than a one hit wonder... I can whistle the guitar solo from the middle its awesome the video is really nostalgic too

I had no idea about their work other than "The Middle". Very informative, thank you.

Yooooo... Bleed American was a track I absolutely wore out in like 6th grade and I totally forgot about it until you played it. It holds up!!

Bro your thumbnails are evolving over the time！Great job！

Extreme respect to you for making this!

One of my favorite bands - I was a metal guy when I discovered them in my mid 20s when hearing 'salt sweat sugar on the asphalt....' It was hard, sophisticated and emotional. On every album, thera are hooks to die for but, as a musician, I can indulge in little details, musical and lyrical, that make them stand out. And of course, the band spoke to me emotionally, it was easy to relate to despite my age putting me outside the typical target audience. Have all the albums, including demos (Last Christmas, anyone?) and it's always my go-to band when I need an emotional anchor.

Incredibly consistent band. You can put on any JEW album and enjoy the listen. I think Damage is criminally underrated.

Thank you for making a video about them. They are hands down that band I love the most. I love their music so much that I cried like a baby the first time I saw them. I listen to their songs every single day since they came into my life.

I needed this video for years thank you finn :D

I gave their back catalogue a shot back in October after I watched their Fender Sessions promoting Jim’s signature Tele and I have never looked back. Listening for the first time to “Goodbye Sky Harbor” (and a testament that time has been very good to them: their Phoenix Sessions re-recording surpasses the 1999 original by a long long mile) was a mind blowing experience.

I know them thru "The Middle" (heh) but I "really" listened to them on Chase This Light in 2007. It really brought meaning to my life back then. I actually dedicated Chase This Light to my firstborn when she was born. Boy I actually felt goosebumps listening to it now. My daughter is 11 this year! THANK YOU for changing me! Hence they ARE a meaningful band to me! Please come to Malaysia!

I was among those who found Clarity after Bleed American. Goodbye Sky Harbor is a tradition for me to listen to where I travel by plane. I flew to visit my brother @ college and flew thru Phoenix the first time I heard it. Thanks for the video. Liked and subbed

I saw these guys live a couple times, both were excellent.

LOVE Jimmy Eat World, so really cool video REALLY looking forward to that TBS video

Thanks for this Finn! The track Your House off Bleed American was the first song I listened to after my first middle-school gf broke up with me. It hit HARD. I'm sure I'm not the only person that has a story like this for a Jimmy Eat World song. Scene Legends.

In the 90’s Arizona was a hot spot for alternative music with the Gin Blossoms, the Refreshments, and the Meat Puppets ( I know the Meat Puppets were around before the 90’s)

For anyone who hasn’t read it, I’d highly recommend Dan Ozzi’s book “Sellout.” Super interesting look at how major labels were salivating to sign the next big punk/alternative act after Nevermind blew up. There’s an entire chapter about Jimmy Eat World and how they basically had to create their own scene from scratch in Arizona. Love this band ❤️

Loved this. One of my favorite shows I've been to was around '99 or 2000, Jimmy Eat World and At the Drive-In with I think Post From Vermont? Would love to see a deep dive on Sunny Day or Jeremy Enigk.

I saw them on TV in the UK playing The Middle, and what stuck out to me was not the song, but that they looked absolutely terrified! Which instantly piqued my curiosity. I think Invented was the last record of theirs I've heard, but Clarity has become one of my favourite albums of the late '90s.

Thanks for the video Finn! Would love it if you made one about MXPX one day!

I got into Jimmy Eat World after hearing Tom DeLonge say he was into them on The Urethra Chronicles. I would listen to Clarity all the time and I bought Bleed American the week it came out. Good times.

Totally agree! I reviewed some of the releases in the 90s and always loved them. They never really stood out to many people, but everybody knew who they were. Really happy I've gotten to see them a few times over the years, always an amazing show!

Dude thanks for this. I keep forgetting to check out their old stuff. i LOVE LOVE LOVE texas is the reason so i will definitely listen

One part of this video just triggered a memory. My best friends were in a local band out of the Jacksonville FL area. Somehow they and me (I lived with them and toured the US with them) linked up with Roger and Vinnie from Less Than Jake. They invited us down to Gainesville to the studio. While we were down there, Jimmy Eat World was working on their album. Through my friends’ band, I was also able to play the bar top “crack machine” with Lemmy from Motörhead in Clinton Iowa on an off date of Ozfest. (Off topic but extremely cool)

My 14 year old, who saw his favorite band - Motion City Soundtrack - last summer for his first concert going experience, will be seeing Jimmy Eat World this summer in Indy for his second. Their music has an authenticity to it that makes it timeless. It relates to you on a human level in a way a lot of bands simply can't achieve. On a personal note, the Middle - written as a love song to themselves at a tough time in their lives - has helped me get through many a tough moment, and as I have aged, the following line from Big Casino still gives me chills every single time: "And I'll tell you something else that you ain't dying enough to know, there's still some living left when your prime comes and goes."

Thanks so much for this video. Jimmy Eat World is my favorite. They have a really strong catalog and put on a great live show

Fun story - I really liked static, after that a few good songs but not my thing. That's ok. Saw them in 2002 and it was so weird, what I knew as a small band had exploded and the audience was full of early 2000's jocks. which was fine but unexpected. Good to see them getting some success but it was a weird feeling. Cave In was there, a friend had told me how awesome/brutal they were, of course the band had just released tides of tomorrow which was good but yeah massive sound departure. Saw Jimmy again in 2004(?) and the amount of audience screaming was deafening, like an old Beatles show. Hard to hear the actual music. Until they played thinking that's all from static, and the room fell silent. anyways recover played with them, if you haven't heard Recover check out the Ceci n'est pas Recover ep. So good. Anyways I'm old now I guess.

Bleed American was in Rolling Stones 100 greatest albums of all time. Totally deserved.

That ‘Sweater Vest’ emo from the DIY HC scene in late 90’s was awesome! Becuz girls would come out to the otherwise sweaty dude shows. The spirit and energy from the scene was there…just fun times for everyone

This band make a big impact on my life till to this day... The song "Big Casino" is so wellwriten and sooooo undsrrated

I absolutely loved them around the time Bleed American dropped, and then I found Static Prevails in a discount CD store. I was so confused because Jim’s distinctive vocals weren’t there. It just didn’t feel the same. In any case the Jimmy Eat World sound just makes me smile and feel warm while also being great to rock out to. I love the analogy of sweater vest emo vs hot topic emo (I love both)

I first heard them from the promotional cd that SURGE sent out in the 90s. It had 12 tracks each from a band I had never heard of. JImmy Eat World's Seventeen from their Static Prevails release was on there and I really enjoyed it. Easily one of my favorite CDs from my high school days.