Jimmy Eat World Merchandise

Jimmy Eat World emerged from Arizona in the late '90s, fresh out of high school with a major-label deal. Despite being nominally part of a posthard core-emo scene (with bands like the Promise Ring and Sunny Day Real Estate) that valued aggression and noise as much as hooks and melody, Jimmy Eat World showed a striking pop sensibility. Its debut, Static Prevails, is very much of its time, sporting anxiety-ridden vocals, lyrics of suburban melodrama, and screaming punk guitars. Even then, the band knew a hook when it heard one, as evidenced on the exhilarating "Call It in the Air."

The band found the perfect balance of noise and bliss on Clarity. Lead singer Jim Adkins' vocals are lushly layered and harmonize with the chiming guitars, while the group's powerful rhythm section propels the band through full-throttle power-pop (emphasis on the power) songs like the title track and "Crush." By the time the band moved to a new label two years later, it had cultivated a devoted following. Bleed American made Jimmy Eat World minor celebrities; for the album, the band had thrown themselves into pop-rock craftsmanship, practically abandoning all hints of rebellious noise. Songs like "The Middle" and "Sweetness" became minor hits, and the album contained a half dozen other saccharine treasures.