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  • Sellout

  • The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994–2007)
  • Written by: Dan Ozzi
  • Narrated by: Chris Abell
  • Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (24 ratings)

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Sellout cover art

Sellout

Written by: Dan Ozzi
Narrated by: Chris Abell
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Publisher's Summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

"Ozzi's reporting is strong, balanced and well told...a worthy successor to its obvious inspiration, Michael Azerrad's 2001 examination of the '80s indie underground, 'Our Band Could Be Your Life.'"—New York Times Book Review

A raucous history of punk, emo, and hardcore’s growing pains during the commercial boom of the early '90s and mid-aughts, following eleven bands as they “sell out” and find mainstream fame, or break beneath the weight of it all

Punk rock found itself at a crossroads in the mid-'90s. After indie favorite Nirvana catapulted into the mainstream with its unexpected phenomenon, Nevermind, rebellion was suddenly en vogue. Looking to replicate the band’s success, major record labels set their sights on the underground, and began courting punk’s rising stars. But the DIY punk scene, which had long prided itself on its trademark authenticity and anti-establishment ethos, wasn’t quite ready to let their homegrown acts go without a fight. The result was a schism: those who accepted the cash flow of the majors, and those who defiantly clung to their indie cred.

In Sellout, seasoned music writer Dan Ozzi chronicles this embattled era in punk. Focusing on eleven prominent bands who made the jump from indie to major, Sellout charts the twists and turns of the last “gold rush” of the music industry, where some groups “sold out” and rose to surprise super stardom, while others buckled under mounting pressures. Sellout is both a gripping history of the music industry’s evolution, and a punk rock lover’s guide to the chaotic darlings of the post-grunge era, featuring original interviews and personal stories from members of modern punk’s most (in)famous bands:

  • Green Day
  • Jawbreaker
  • Jimmy Eat World
  • Blink-182
  • At the Drive-In
  • The Donnas
  • Thursday
  • The Distillers
  • My Chemical Romance
  • Rise Against
  • Against Me!
©2021 by Daniel Ozzi (P)2021 by HarperCollins Publishers

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Not bad!

The background entertained me and I loved how in-depth the author got, as well as interviews done. I did find the performance dragged in a few parts. But! If you're a fan of punk music and history? Definitely listen!

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  • Overall
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Journey of mainstream punk in early oughts

I watched a lot of the bands from this book rise in popularity from small clubs to giant stages. A lot of them lost me when they made the major label leaps and that’s a big part of what this book addresses. I have a personal stake in this book having been a huge fan of Thursday and others described in this book. Besides that though it’s a great insight into potentially the last time the major labels will gamble on punk bands and also maybe the end of the sellout question as the digital revolution has narrowed financial gains down so much that it isn’t even an option for majors to sign bands that have an inclination to not play ball. A great and important book.

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