Spoznali bomo mirne začetke in bujni comeback legendarne tričlanske zasedbe American Football iz mesta Champaign v Illinoisu. Bend se je formiral leta 1997, torej v repnem koncu midwestern emo preporoda v 90. letih, obdobju, v katerem si je ta žanr v veliki meri prislužil skoraj vse stereotipe, ki se ga držijo še danes. Skupina, na katero najprej pomislimo, ko omenjamo midwestern emo, je svojo glasbeno nišo iskala v kombinaciji nežnega indieja, jazza in math rocka, potencial njihovega debitantskega materiala pa je bil v večji meri spregledan.

Ikonična hiša z naslovnice in toliko bolj ikoničen komad Never Meant.

Štiklc z najnovejše plate, bolj dreampop kot emo, in v sodelovanju s Hayley Williams iz Paramore. Za tiste z bolj budnim očesom se v spotu pojavita tudi zvezda serije Workaholics, Blake Anderson, in profesionalni skejter Paul Rodriguez.

Za nadaljnjo utapljanje v doomerski čaši pa predlagamo še tole plejlisto:

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"Real Emo" only consists of the dc Emotional Hardcore scene and the late 90's Screamo scene. What is known by "Midwest Emo" is nothing but Alternative Rock with questionable real emo influence. When people try to argue that bands like My Chemical Romance are not real emo, while saying that Sunny Day Real Estate is, I can't help not to cringe because they are just as fake emo as My Chemical Romance (plus the pretentiousness). Real emo sounds ENERGETIC, POWERFUL and somewhat HATEFUL. Fake emo is weak, self pity and a failed attempt to direct energy and emotion into music. Some examples of REAL EMO are Pg 99, Rites of Spring, Cap n Jazz (the only real emo band from the midwest scene) and Loma Prieta. Some examples of FAKE EMO are American Football, My Chemical Romance and Mineral EMO BELONGS TO HARDCORE NOT TO INDIE, POP PUNK, ALT ROCK OR ANY OTHER MAINSTREAM GENRE.