Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy is a prominent American rock band.

They formed in 2001 in Wilmette, Illinois, which is a suburb of Chicago. The group consists of four core members. Patrick Stump serves as the lead vocalist and guitarist. Pete Wentz is the bassist and primary lyricist. Joe Trohman plays guitar, and Andy Hurley is the drummer. The band emerged from the Chicago hardcore punk scene. They began as a pop-punk side project created by Wentz and Trohman.

The band follows a specific creative process for their music. Pete Wentz focuses on writing the lyrics, which are the words sung in a song. Patrick Stump acts as the primary composer. This means he creates the melodies and the musical arrangements. During their early years, the songwriting roles were less defined. They eventually settled into a system where Wentz provided the words and Stump provided the tunes. This division of labor helped shape their unique sound.

The band's early formation involved several different members and challenges. Wentz and Trohman initially sought an "easy and escapist" style of music. They met Patrick Stump at a Borders bookstore in Wilmette. While Stump originally intended to join as a drummer, Trohman encouraged him to play acoustic guitar instead. The band also struggled to find a permanent drummer. They went through several musicians before Andy Hurley joined. When Hurley sat in for a recording session, the members described it as an "a-ha" moment.

Choosing a name was another early hurdle for the group. They initially performed under the name Forget Me Not. Wentz preferred long, complex names, while Stump wanted to reference the musician Tom Waits. After a short list of options, friends voted on the name Fall Out Boy. The name was inspired by a fictional character from the animated series The Simpsons. This name was officially used during a performance with the band Killing Tree.

Fall Out Boy achieved significant commercial success through their various albums. Their debut, Take This to Your Grave, was released in 2003. In 2005, the album From Under the Cork Tree made them superstars. This record went double platinum and included hits like "Sugar, We're Goin Down." Their 2007 album, Infinity on High, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. That album sold 260,000 copies in its first week alone. The band also earned a Best New Artist nomination at the 2006 Grammy Awards.

The band's career has included periods of intense activity and brief breaks. After releasing their greatest hits in 2009, the group went on hiatus. During this time, the members worked on various side projects. They reunited in 2013 with the album Save Rock and Roll. This became their second number-one album. They continued this success with American Beauty/American Psycho in 2015. Their seventh studio album, Mania, also reached number one on the charts.

Fall Out Boy has reached massive milestones in the music industry. Their seventh album, Mania, resulted in their sixth consecutive Top 10 album. They also performed at Wrigley Field, which was their first headlining stadium show. In 2018, they received a second Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album. The group continues to record new material. They announced their eighth studio album, So Much (for) Stardust, in early 2023. This album was released on March 24, 2023.