10 Pop-Punk Bands Whose Second Album Was Better Than Their First
2. Fall Out Boy
Ironically, the band who sing about a sophomore slump most definitely didn't suffer from one as From Under The Cork Tree trumped Take This To Your Grave by a long way!
Fall Out Boy may fall under a similar category to My Chemical Romance in that they really aren't a "pop-punk" band now - and pigeon-holing such a diverse band as such would be disrespectful to them - but it's worth acknowledging those roots when you rewind to their first two releases.
FOB's Take This To Your Grave was their punkiest outing, featuring tracks like Saturday and Grand Theft Autumn, but it still signalled the more theatrical road the band would embark upon. The album has been certified Gold in its own right, but barely holds a candle - never mind sixteen - to its successor.
From Under The Cork Tree really put Fall Out Boy on the map as Sugar, We're Goin' Down and Dance, Dance dominated radio stations worldwide. Both songs hit the top ten of commercial charts in the UK and US, while Sugar... is Triple Platinum certified on its own.
From Under The Cork Tree remains Fall Out Boy's biggest selling album, and has re-entered the charts upon each of the band's new album releases since.