Editing Weezer (section)

===''Pinkerton'' (1995–1997)===
{{Main|Pinkerton (album)}}
[[File:Rivers Cuomo in Thailand.jpg|thumb|[[Rivers Cuomo]] in 1997]]
[[File:Matt Sharp The Rentals 2007.jpg|thumb|[[Matt Sharp]], pictured with [[the Rentals]] in 2007, co-founder of Weezer, left the band after the ''Pinkerton'' tour.{{sfn|Luerssen|2004|p=257}}<ref name="mattsharp">{{cite web|date=April 24, 2002|title=Former Weezer Bassist Matt Sharp Sues Band Over Royalties|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1453586/20020424/weezer.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031003001309/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1453586/20020424/weezer.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 3, 2003|access-date=June 26, 2009|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref>]]

In 1994, Weezer took a break from touring for the Christmas holidays.{{sfn|Luerssen|2004|p=137}} Cuomo traveled to his home state of Connecticut and began recording demos for Weezer's next album. His original concept was a space-themed [[rock opera]], ''[[Songs from the Black Hole]]'', that would express his mixed feelings about success.<ref name="weezerofficalpage">{{cite web|date=February 7, 2010|title=Weezer Recording History page 7|url=http://www.weezer.com/info/recording/WeezRecHist7.htm|access-date=July 26, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207151556/http://www.weezer.com/info/recording/WeezRecHist7.htm|archive-date=February 7, 2010}}</ref><ref name="Alone 2007">''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]'' (liner notes). [[Rivers Cuomo]]. [[Geffen Records]]. 2007. B0010417-02</ref> Cuomo conceived the story as a metaphor for his conflicted feelings about touring in a successful rock band.<ref name="Alone 2007"/> Weezer developed the concept through intermittent recording sessions through 1995.{{sfn|Luerssen|2004|p=139}} At the end of the year, Cuomo enrolled at [[Harvard University Press|Harvard University]], where his songwriting became "darker, more visceral and exposed, less playful", and he abandoned ''Songs from the Black Hole''.<ref name="PinkertonDeluxe">''Pinkerton Deluxe'' liner notes</ref>

While attending Harvard, Cuomo experienced loneliness and frustration while also undergoing an extensive surgery for his left leg. These experiences influenced his songwriting for the next record.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cuomo|first=Rivers|title=The Pinkerton Diaries|year=2011|pages=170}}</ref> The other members of Weezer decided to embark on their own side projects during this time. Sharp started [[The Rentals]], who released their debut album, ''[[Return of the Rentals]]'', in October 1995, also featuring Patrick Wilson on drums.

Weezer's second album, ''[[Pinkerton (album)|Pinkerton]]'', was released on September 24, 1996.<ref name="allmusic2">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pinkerton-mw0000646499|title=''Pinkerton'' – Weezer|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|work=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=January 11, 2022|archive-date=May 23, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523190101/http://www.allmusic.com/album/pinkerton-mw0000646499|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>''Pinkerton Album Overview'' at [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r241030|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic]; retrieved on September 6, 2006</ref> ''Pinkerton'' is named after the character BF Pinkerton from ''[[Madama Butterfly]]'', who marries and then abandons a Japanese woman named Butterfly. Calling him an "asshole American sailor similar to a touring rock star", Cuomo felt the character was "the perfect symbol for the part of myself that I am trying to come to terms with on this album".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cuomo|first=Rivers|title=The Pinkerton Diaries|year=2011}}</ref> It produced three singles: "[[El Scorcho]]", "[[The Good Life (Weezer song)|The Good Life]]", and "[[Pink Triangle (song)|Pink Triangle]]".{{sfn|Luerssen|2004|pp=195–196, 222}}

With a darker, more abrasive sound,<ref name="allmusic2" /> ''Pinkerton'' sold poorly compared to the Blue Album<ref name="themichigandaily">''Anticipated return has Weezer in the ''Green'' '' at [https://web.archive.org/web/20070313132216/http://www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2001/05/14/Arts/Anticipated.Return.Has.Weezer.In.The.green-1408671.shtml Michigandaily.com]; retrieved on September 18, 2006</ref> and received mixed reviews; it was voted "one of the worst albums of 1996" in a ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' reader poll.{{sfn|Luerssen|2004|p=228}} However, the album eventually gained a cult following and came to be considered among Weezer's best work;<ref name="allmusic2" /><ref name="NudeAsTheNews">{{cite web|last=Donohue|first=Mark|title=Nude as the News: Weezer: Pinkerton|publisher=[[Nude as the News]]|url=http://www.nudeasthenews.com/reviews/1220|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060221161309/http://www.nudeasthenews.com/reviews/1220|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 21, 2006|access-date=January 11, 2022}}</ref> in 2002, ''Rolling Stone'' readers voted ''Pinkerton'' the 16th greatest album of all time.<ref name="Readers16">{{cite magazine|title=2002 Rolling Stone Readers' 100|magazine=Rolling Stone|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/rstone.html#Readers%20100|access-date=January 11, 2022|archive-date=July 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718180414/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/rstone.html#Readers%20100|url-status=usurped}}</ref> In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' gave the album a new review, awarding it five out of five stars and adding it to the "''Rolling Stone'' Hall of Fame".<ref>{{Cite journal|date=June 1, 2006|title=Joseph Smith: rough stone rolling|journal=Choice Reviews Online|volume=43|issue=10|pages=43–5837–43-5837|doi=10.5860/choice.43-5837|doi-broken-date=February 1, 2025 |issn=0009-4978}}</ref> ''Pinkerton'' was  certified platinum in 2016.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=DiMeglio|first=Mary J.|date=September 22, 2016|title=Weezer's 'Pinkerton' Goes Platinum Days Before 20th Anniversary|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/weezer-pinkerton-platinum-20th-anniversary-7518089/|access-date=November 7, 2022|magazine=Billboard|language=en-US}}</ref> It is credited for influencing a number of [[emo]] bands in the 2000s.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 27, 2021|title=The story of emo in 14 songs|url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-story-of-emo-in-14-songs/|access-date=October 22, 2023|website=Kerrang!|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last1=Bayer|first1=Jonah|last2=Burgess|first2=Aaron|last3=Exposito|first3=Suzy|last4=Galil|first4=Leor|last5=Montgomery|first5=James|last6=Spanos|first6=Brittany|date=September 4, 2019|title=40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/40-greatest-emo-albums-of-all-time-23526/|access-date=October 22, 2023|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Levinson|first=Alana|date=September 24, 2016|title=Weezer's Pinkerton and the invention of the manic pixie dream boys|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/sep/24/weezer-pinkerton-anniversary-rock-rivers-cuomo-emo|access-date=October 22, 2023|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In July 1997, the sisters Mykel, Carli, and Trysta Allan died in a car accident while driving home from a Weezer show in Denver, Colorado.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Runtagh |first=Jordan |date=May 10, 2019 |title=Weezer's Blue Album: 10 Things You Didn't Know |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/weezer-blue-album-rivers-cuomo-things-you-didnt-know-822881/ |access-date=March 21, 2021 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> Mykel and Carli ran Weezer's fan club and helped manage publicity for several other Los Angeles bands, and had inspired the "Sweater Song" B-side "Mykel and Carli". Weezer canceled a show to attend their funeral.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archive-Clare-Kleinedler |title=Weezer Mourns Tragic Deaths Of Fan Club Leaders |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/677/weezer-mourns-tragic-deaths-of-fan-club-leaders/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328004516/http://www.mtv.com/news/677/weezer-mourns-tragic-deaths-of-fan-club-leaders/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 28, 2015 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |website=MTV News |language=en}}</ref> In August, Weezer and other bands held a benefit concert for the family in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Archive-Clare-Kleinedler|title=Hundreds Join Weezer In Tribute To Fanclub Leaders|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/958/hundreds-join-weezer-in-tribute-to-fanclub-leaders/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420094651/https://www.mtv.com/news/958/hundreds-join-weezer-in-tribute-to-fanclub-leaders/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 20, 2021|access-date=March 21, 2021|website=MTV News|language=en}}</ref> A compilation album, ''Hear You Me! A Tribute to Mykel and Carli'', was dedicated to their memory. The album included "Mykel and Carli", as well as songs by [[Ozma (band)|Ozma]], [[That Dog]], and [[Maroon 5|Kara's Flowers]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=In Music We Trust - HEAR YOU ME!: A Tribute To Mykel and Carli|url=http://www.inmusicwetrust.com/articles/15r27.html|access-date=November 7, 2022|website=www.inmusicwetrust.com}}</ref> In 2001, [[Jimmy Eat World]] released "Hear You Me", dedicated to Mykel and Carli.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mortensa|first=Mala|title=10 emo songs with lyrics that are even sadder than you thought|url=https://www.altpress.com/emo-song-lyrics-meanings/|access-date=November 7, 2022|website=Alternative Press Magazine|date=March 11, 2021|language=en}}</ref>