A Fanboy’s Guide To Fall Out Boy’s Discography
Seven albums, two decades — which one reigns supreme?
This past summer, Fall Out Boy bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz ranked all of Fall Out Boy’s albums from his favorite to least favorite, and needless to say there were some disagreements among fans. Fall Out Boy has made a huge impact on my life, as well as the lives of many other fans — so it’s only natural we perceive each album in different ways. However, instead of running to Twitter with my disagreements I decided to make my own list.
Welcome to a fanboy’s guide to Fall Out Boy’s discography:
7. Take This To Your Grave
The problem with Take This To Your Grave is not that it’s bad by any means, but it’s just harder to come back to. This is Fall Out Boy at their rawest and most undeveloped — much like any artist would be on their debut album. Other than nostalgic tracks like Saturday (which happens to be one of my favorite songs of all time) and Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy, the album doesn’t offer much sonically hence why it’s my least favorite. It should be noted that I was maybe five years old when this album came out, so I never really got to experience this album in the way some other fans did.
6. From Under The Cork Tree
Again — don’t get me wrong — this album is good, but I find myself hardly ever coming back to the deep cuts on this one. The highlights of this album come from the singles it produced, such as the iconic Dance, Dance and the accompanying music video that, to this day, stands to be one of the best in Fall Out Boy’s videography.
Another great thing about this album that has nothing to do with the actual sound of it, are the song titles. Fall Out Boy is notorious for their incredibly long song titles and this album features some of their best ones including I Slept With Someone in Fall Out Boy and All I Got was This Stupid Song Written About Me and A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More Touch Me. This album helped Fall Out Boy find their niche, so least favorite or not, it’s still important to their discography.
5. American Beauty/American Psycho
Fast forward nine years and we have this great pop record that still somehow falls short of the albums I’ll be mentioning later. It hurts me to put this album so low on this list because this album cycle was one of my favorites from the band. Sonically, however, this album sounds like a diluted version of their 2013 effort Save Rock and Roll — with the exception of songs like Fourth of July and Twin Skeletons. Speaking of Fourth of July, Fall Out Boy if you’re reading this add it to your setlist! Fourth of July is pop PERFECTION, and includes some of the best lyrical content found on this album.
Twin Skeletons is another song on this album that just gets better over time. Patrick Stump, Fall Out Boy’s leading man, reminds us why he’s one of the greatest male vocalists of all time on Twin Skeletons as he harmonizes with himself so heavily that it sounds like an actual choir — a truly epic finale and one of their best album closers. There are other great moments on this album, but a lot of the songs including the title track, Immortals and Favorite Record aged poorly after the record came out.
4. M A N I A
Most fans have a love/hate relationship with this album and I understand why. There’s a lot going on sonically with Mania, but that’s sorta why it’s higher up on this list than the previous albums. By now Fall Out Boy has the critical acclaim and the accolades to do whatever they please with their music. Mania finds Fall Out Boy playing with EDM and even dancehall sounds, while still maintaining uniqueness in their lyrics. Surprisingly this album has aged well, and even had me wishing certain deep cuts like Sunshine Riptide got a music video and a live performance.
In my opinion, the disconnect with this album and a few fans of the band happened during the middle of the album cycle when Fall Out Boy pushed back the release date. Also, the single choices for this album were questionable and left fans feeling discouraged as even I find myself questioning why they made Young and Menace the lead single and not The Last of The Real Ones. Nonetheless, once the album was finally finished it was a complete joyride because it’s fresh, modern, and reintroduced us to a Fall Out Boy that take risks with their music.
3. Infinity on High
I completely get why Pete put this album at the top of his list as this album was miles ahead of its predecessor From Under The Cork Tree. My love for this album spawned earlier in the year after I decided to give the deep cuts a better listen. Fall Out Boy doesn’t really miss at all with this album, both sonically and lyrically. I constantly joke that nobody does narcissism with a hint of self deprecation better than Fall Out Boy, and this album proves that. Tracks like Fame < Infamy and It’s Hard To Say “I Do”, When I Don’t — two of my favorite deep cuts from this album — are great examples at the profound narcissism Fall Out Boy’s lyrics tend to exude. Even the singles from this album have stayed fresh over the last decade due to Patrick’s stellar vocal performance on singles like Thnks Fr Th Mmrs or “The Take Over, The Breaks Over”. At the time of its release, Infinity on High saw Fall Out Boy’s peak in pop culture, and helped introduce a lot of people at the time to the band — myself included.
2. Save Rock And Roll
Whew, this album takes me back. Fall Out Boy had nothing to lose, but everything to gain with their comeback album and that’s why it’s one of their best. Save Rock And Roll reminded me why I fell in love with this band when I was a kid, and for that I’m thankful. The album is on the poppier side sure, but they definitely didn’t make anything that sounded like what was on the radio. It found the boys playing with sounds they never did before, and the product was great.
Not to mention that some of the best vocal moments we’ve gotten from Patrick can be found in this album such as on the album opener The Phoenix and the album closer/title track Save Rock and Roll which features vocal assistance from the Elton John. I thoroughly enjoyed how the boys included an array of features that did nothing but compliment Patrick’s vocal performance and Pete’s lyrics — my favorite feature being The Mighty Fall featuring Big Sean. Given that the album marked a new beginning for the boys, I am forever grateful for this album and the future it brought us fans.
1. Folie à Deux
If you’re a fan of the band, this was the expected choice for number one. This album is light years ahead of anything the band has ever done, and I can’t fathom why it wasn’t well received upon initial release. This is peak Fall Out Boy for me in terms of sounds, lyrics, song titles, just everything. Whether it be the Bohemian Rhapsody-esque song Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet, or the confident 27 — Fall Out Boy gave it their all on this album.
What makes this album so special in 2018 is that they hardly ever perform songs from it live other than the albums lead single, I Don’t Care. I had the honor of hearing the opening track Disloyal Order of the Water Buffaloes live for the first time on the second leg of Fall Out Boy’s Mania Tour — and what a euphoric experience that was. Just hearing an entire venue belt “detox, just to retox!” was something I’m so glad I got to be apart of.
And with that you have a fanboy’s guide to Fall Out Boy’s discography. I love this band with all my soul, and I’m itching to know what the future holds for the bands album discography.
Of course this is just my take and I would love to know what you guys think — hit me up on my social media @cedeemgrande, or on here in the response section.
