Since 2001, Fall Out Boy has evolved from their humble beginnings from their first ever performance at the DePaul University cafeteria to their sixth studio album selling over 1 million units and certifying as platinum in 2016. The Illinois-based band, made up of vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley, have undergone a large number of changes in their music, their branding, and, as proved with their most recent single “Young And Menace,” their sound. For years, the group has been subjected to many criticisms on the way their growth as individuals and musicians have colored the artistry of their music. However, the evolution of Fall Out Boy is a lesson in itself about the difficulties of the creative process, proving that musical growth and experimentation is necessary and that it is okay to ask to start over.

Fall Out Boy’s first studio album "Take This To Your Grave "(2003) placed the group on the scene, helping them expedite their fan base as they toured the country. The album is seen as a vital example that provides a blueprint for pop punk music. The "Alternative Press "referred to the record as a "subcultural touchstone [...] a magical, transcendent and deceptively smart pop-punk masterpiece that ushered in a vibrant scene resurgence.” The blue tinted album, crafted to resemble those of classic Blue Note jazz records, received the title of being the "the pop-punk "Abbey Road"” and built a lasting impression with songs like “Saturday” and “Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy.”

In creating the first album, many hardships arose among the band members, specifically between Stump and Wentz, who had to learn how to collaborate on writing music and lyrics. Their process had amounted to days of relentless arguing and numerous drafts being written and rewritten for almost every song on the album. Fall Out Boy’s "From Under The Cork Tree "(2005) sought to fix these issues by assigning Wentz to write the lyrics while Stump wrote the music. Yet, they still faced difficulties in creating the album’s desired sound which resulted in scraping ten songs and writing eight more two weeks before recording was to begin. The album hit many milestones including being certified as double platinum for two million copies and reached major success with their singles “Sugar, We’re Going Down” and “Dance, Dance." However, criticism regarding the group’s sound in the genre of pop punk began to circulate. A "Rolling Stone" review claimed that ."..FOB's knack for crafting ginormous, soaring anthems is in full-force: even with its demented, inscrutable lyrics, "Sugar, We're Goin Down" will likely still be blasting from radios ten years on;” an early insinuation that Fall Out Boy was selling out to the pop genre.

Even with the release of "Infinity On High" in 2007, the group continued to receive passive reviews on their change in musical tone with outlets like "Billboard" stating that Fall Out Boy “drifts further from its hardcore punk roots to write increasingly accessible pop tunes.” No matter what the critics thought, the album’s singles such as “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race” and “Thnks fr th Mmrs” climbed the charts and helped to secure the group with another platinum album.

The release of "Folie a Deux "in 2008 prompted the group into making one of the biggest decisions in the band’s career. After being subjected to relentless backlash from fans and concert goers who would “boo” the band if they played any material off the new album, the four friends went their separate ways, with no true security that the group would return from their hiatus.

Then came 2013 which brought with it one of the greatest comebacks in music history with the release of Fall Out Boy’s fifth studio album "Save Rock and Roll." Critics were impressed with the reinvented group who were being praised for their “rather stunning renaissance,” as stated by "Rolling Stone." The band topped the charts with songs such as “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light ‘Em Up)” and even released the entire tracklist as a cohesive film titled "The Young Blood Chronicles "featuring guest artist such as Courtney Love, Foxes, Big Sean, and Elton John. "American Beauty/American Psycho "followed in 2015 which propelled Fall Out Boy into mainstream consumption with popular songs such as “Uma Thurman” receiving an incredible amount of air time for a band in the 2010s.

Yet, amid the success of the last few studio albums as well as the success with outside projects including “Immortals” which is featured in "Disney’s Big Hero Six "and “Ghostbusters (I’m Not Afraid” from the 2016 "Ghostbuster" reboot, Fall Out Boy’s music has continued to curate criticism from fans and critics alike.

Even with the plethora of experience and history behind the beloved group, Fall Out Boy is not immune to the difficulties that come with creating new musical ideas even now. Recently, the band has postponed the release date of their next album "MANIA "from September 16th to January 19th of next year. In a Twitter post, lead singer Patrick Stump shared that “the album just really isn’t ready, and it felt very rushed,” leaving fans in anticipation for an album that most likely will redefine the group as it is promised to be “the most off-script [they’ve] gone.” Three singles have been released which has already stirred a number of opinions on the direction of the group’s style. “Young and Menace” has a large EDM influence though Wentz has shared that it “is the only song on the record so far that sounds vaguely like a kitten chasing a laser around.” The second single, “Champion,” has been equated to the likes of the "American Beauty/American Psycho "hit “Centuries” while the third and final release, “The Last Of The Real Ones,” alludes to the music associated with the Save Rock and Roll era. Although some EDM and rap influences have made their way previous into albums, the extent of the use in these few samples can only lead to what will be defines as a new era of Fall Out Boy.

What is important to remember at the end of the day is that Fall Out Boy is not the same group they were in 2001 nor are they the same group from 2013. They have matured as human beings and as musicians. It is only logical that their personal growth would inspire their artistic vision. They are also not the only ones in this industry or genre that have grown with time as can be seen with Panic! At The Disco’s" Death of a Bachelor" and Paramore’s "After Laughter." The beauty of the evolution of Fall Out Boy is that their music becomes much more personable when it is allowed to breathe and experiment, just as humans do. Pete Wentz said it best when he shared:

“I think we have to just move forward – that's the goal of us (I don't mean the band; I mean humans) – we just need to evolve. No one wants to be who they were two years ago or 10 years ago... it's great to have that snapshot, but it's time to hang up your hat when you think your glory days are behind you.”

If I have learned anything from the journey of this incredible band, it is that artistic growth should be encouraged along with the ability to take risks and fail if necessary. The artistic process is difficult no matter whether you are writing songs for yourself or selling out Madison Square Garden. As long as you remember that it is always okay to start over, there is truly nothing that can stop you from following your own artistic vision.