Music
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Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994–2007)
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
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-90's. 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 DayJawbreakerJimmy Eat WorldBlink-182At the Drive-InThe DonnasThursdayThe DistillersMy Chemical RomanceRise AgainstAgainst Me!
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-90's. 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 DayJawbreakerJimmy Eat WorldBlink-182At the Drive-InThe DonnasThursdayThe DistillersMy Chemical RomanceRise AgainstAgainst Me!
Editorial Reviews
"A forensic and uniquely sympathetic dive into one of the most uncouth actions for an artist-selling out, baby."-Jeff Rosenstock
"Fascinating… When it comes to the topic of punk, or more specifically, the iteration of the genre that existed during the last era of the traditional music industry, Dan Ozzi's 'Sellout' is poised to serve as a definitive text."-San Francisco Chronicle
"Ozzi's crisp prose and vibrant storytelling colorfully capture a flamboyant chapter in music history. This accomplishes what the best music books do: drive readers back to listening."-Publishers Weekly
"A fascinating and entertaining look at punk bands signing to major labels to expand their audience and their careers. Sellout offers crucial insight into the way punk rock and big business have attempted to work together in the thirty years following Nirvana's Nevermind."-Craig Finn, The Hold Steady
"Sellout perfectly encapsulates the musician's delicate dance between art and commerce."-Jonah Ray, Mystery Science Theater 3000
"In Sellout, Dan Ozzi tackles the history of each band and what happened in their careers leading up to the ultimate decision with precision and care, and delivers it without an ounce of judgment. For a punk… that's pretty remarkable!"-Jeremy Bolm, Touché Amoré
"SELLOUT…tells a fascinating history of an era of punk that can't be talked about without diving into the impact of major labels. Whether you saw Green Day at Gilman or just casually hummed along to "What's My Age Again?" on the radio, there's something in this book that will grab you."-BrooklynVegan
"Lucid, engaging, and largely objective… Ozzi's true strength as a writer and storyteller comes through is in the meticulous construction of chapters, and how these seemingly personal stories gradually lock together to form the backbone of the book's larger subcultural chronology."-Owen Morawitz, New Noise Magazine
"Fascinating… When it comes to the topic of punk, or more specifically, the iteration of the genre that existed during the last era of the traditional music industry, Dan Ozzi's 'Sellout' is poised to serve as a definitive text."-San Francisco Chronicle
"Ozzi's crisp prose and vibrant storytelling colorfully capture a flamboyant chapter in music history. This accomplishes what the best music books do: drive readers back to listening."-Publishers Weekly
"A fascinating and entertaining look at punk bands signing to major labels to expand their audience and their careers. Sellout offers crucial insight into the way punk rock and big business have attempted to work together in the thirty years following Nirvana's Nevermind."-Craig Finn, The Hold Steady
"Sellout perfectly encapsulates the musician's delicate dance between art and commerce."-Jonah Ray, Mystery Science Theater 3000
"In Sellout, Dan Ozzi tackles the history of each band and what happened in their careers leading up to the ultimate decision with precision and care, and delivers it without an ounce of judgment. For a punk… that's pretty remarkable!"-Jeremy Bolm, Touché Amoré
"SELLOUT…tells a fascinating history of an era of punk that can't be talked about without diving into the impact of major labels. Whether you saw Green Day at Gilman or just casually hummed along to "What's My Age Again?" on the radio, there's something in this book that will grab you."-BrooklynVegan
"Lucid, engaging, and largely objective… Ozzi's true strength as a writer and storyteller comes through is in the meticulous construction of chapters, and how these seemingly personal stories gradually lock together to form the backbone of the book's larger subcultural chronology."-Owen Morawitz, New Noise Magazine
Readers Top Reviews
Tami Lynn Andrew
A truly perfect read for the 90s/early 00s punk generation. It felt like it was made for me. Unputdownable, even in the chapters where I was less a fan of the bands. Informative while being super engrossing and told in a way that is super tangible and narratively engaging. My favourite book of the year! Highly recommended!
Nate C.
As a Gen X music geek, I found this book super interesting. It's a deep dive into the ins and outs of your favorite bands selling out and the backlash and success (or failure) that follows. I really only listen to half of the great bands featured, but I found all of the chapters interesting anyway since I had a familiarity with all of them. If you're in the same position, just buy the damn book anyway and read it. You'll be happy you did! ??
Rev Ciancio
If you loved punk and emo in the late 90s / early 2000s, you’ll love reliving some of your fave moments while getting an accounting of what happened behind the scenes. I was Thursday's manager during most of the period recounted in the book and these stories are truly representative of what took place. I do wish they had published the story about the time I ran into Tony Brummel after the deals were done with Island. We were at a Taking Back Sunday show in NYC. It had been so long since he had seen me face to face that I think he may have forgotten what I looked like. Not sure. But I went up to him and tried to hug him. I truly wanted to thank him for all the good things that had come out of our work together with Thursday. He wasn't into it and or thought I was mocking him because after I chased him around and several times to give him that hug, he ran out of the venue before the band ever played. Oh well. Based on what he had to say in the book, he might still *NEED* a hug! Buy the book. You'll really enjoy going deep on all these bands. PS. I don’t think I’ve ever owned tight jeans in my life and it was an Australian bush hat!
Paul C
Loud galloping guitars… thumping bass… chest-hammering drums… soaring vocals. The pop punk surge blasted out of my college dorm window. Dookie. Enema of the State. 24 Hour Revenge Therapy. These albums were part of the soundtrack of my young life… uh yeah, I still listen to them! Dan Ozzi’s book Sellout tells the story of these bands… from small-town formation to big-city tours and major-label signings. I loved every minute of the basement rehearsals and especially the back and forth about: What exactly is Punk? What is selling out? What is this post-grunge rebel music going to sound like and who will produce and sell these songs? Reacting to the wild success of Nirvana, the major labels saw dollar signs on the faces of these young punk, but many didn’t see eye to eye with these stuffed shirts. They thought that the signature on the dotted line meant that authenticity would be thrown out the window and over-production would ruin the raw sound… The answer: Some bands could have given a shit… and for some, signing ruined everything. There was great pressure to put out the absolute best album for your major label debut. These story lines set up a fascinating look at the music industry. In many ways my angsty friend and I were only witness to the end result: the album and the rock show, but so much goes on behind the scenes and this is that story. Interviews with all the major players: the musicians, the hit makers, the reporters, and the fans. A complete piece of journalism that digs into all the whys and hows of the 90s and 00s music scene. Sellout is the story of 11 bands on the precipice of their indie career… Will they or won’t they “sellout?” I loved it. If you ever entered the mosh pit, pumped your fist to “Am I just paranoid/ Or am I just stoned?,” or ran to Tower Records looking for the latest emo sound, Get this book! 5 out of 5 stars.
Chris Smalley
I forgot how much I loved Jawbreaker until reading this.
