Editing Emo (section)

===1997–2002: Independent success===

Emo's popularity grew during the late 1990s, laying the foundation for mainstream success. [[Deep Elm Records]] released a series of eleven [[compilation album]]s, ''[[The Emo Diaries]]'', from 1997 to 2007.<ref name="emo diaries">{{Cite web |title=The Emo Diaries |url=http://www.deepelm.com/bands/index_emo.html#anchor1 |access-date=March 27, 2009 |publisher=[[Deep Elm Records]] |archive-date=February 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206033551/http://deepelm.com/bands/index_emo.html#anchor1 |url-status=live }}</ref> Emphasizing unreleased music from many bands, the series included Jimmy Eat World, [[Further Seems Forever]], [[Samiam]] and [[the Movielife]].<ref name="emo diaries" /> Jimmy Eat World's 1999 album, ''[[Clarity (Jimmy Eat World album)|Clarity]]'', was a touchstone for later emo bands.{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|p=101}} In 2003, Andy Greenwald called ''Clarity'' "one of the most fiercely beloved rock 'n' roll records of the last decade."{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|p=101}} Despite a warm critical reception and the promotion of "Lucky Denver Mint" in the [[Drew Barrymore]] comedy ''[[Never Been Kissed]]'', ''Clarity'' was commercially unsuccessful.<ref name="vanderhoff">{{Cite web |last=Vanderhoff |first=Mark |title=Clarity – Jimmy Eat World |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/clarity-mw0000602620 |access-date=March 26, 2009 |website=[[AllMusic]] |archive-date=October 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005004651/http://www.allmusic.com/album/clarity-mw0000602620 |url-status=live }}</ref> Nevertheless, the album had steady word-of-mouth popularity and eventually sold over 70,000 copies.{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|pp=102–205}} Jimmy Eat World self-financed their next album, ''[[Bleed American]]'' (2001), before signing with [[DreamWorks Records]]. The album sold 30,000 copies in its first week, went gold shortly afterwards and went platinum in 2002, making emo become mainstream.{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|pp=104–108}} [[Drive-Thru Records]] developed a roster of primarily [[pop punk]] bands with emo characteristics, including [[Midtown (band)|Midtown]], [[the Starting Line]], the Movielife and [[Something Corporate]].{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|pp=126–132}} Drive-Thru's partnership with [[MCA Records]] enabled its brand of emo-inflected pop to reach a wider audience.{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|p=127}} Drive-Thru's unabashedly populist, capitalist approach to music allowed its bands' albums and merchandise to sell in stores such as [[Hot Topic]].{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|pp=127–129}}

[[File:Saves the Day, Philadelphia, Electric Factory Nov 10, 2010 (5227723812).jpg|thumb|right|220px|Saves the Day was one of the more successful emo bands during the late 1990s and early 2000s, when emo was still primarily underground.]]

Independent label [[Vagrant Records]] signed several successful late-1990s and early-2000s emo bands. [[The Get Up Kids]] had sold over 15,000 copies of their debut album, ''[[Four Minute Mile]]'' (1997), before signing with Vagrant. The label promoted them aggressively, sending them on tours opening for [[Green Day]] and [[Weezer]].{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|pp=77–78}} Their 1999 album, ''[[Something to Write Home About]]'', reaching number 31 on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'s}} [[Top Heatseekers]] chart.<ref name="billboard.com">{{Cite web |title=Heatseekers: Something to Write Home About |url=https://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=294&cfgn=Albums&cfn=Heatseekers&ci=3035794&cdi=7505634&cid=10%2F23%2F1999 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5hQJ6Cfvm?url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=294 |archive-date=June 10, 2009 |access-date=March 25, 2009 |publisher=[[Billboard charts]] }}</ref> Vagrant signed and recorded a number of other emo-related bands over the next two years, including [[the Anniversary]], [[Reggie and the Full Effect]], [[the New Amsterdams]], [[Alkaline Trio]], [[Saves the Day]], [[Dashboard Confessional]], [[Hey Mercedes]] and [[Hot Rod Circuit]].{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|p=79}} Saves the Day had developed a substantial East Coast following and sold almost 50,000 copies of their second album, ''[[Through Being Cool]]'' (1999),{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|p=80}} before signing with Vagrant and releasing ''[[Stay What You Are]]'' (2001). ''Stay What You Are'' sold 15,000 copies in its first week,{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|p=81}} reached number 100 on the ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{Cite web |title=Artist Chart History – Saves the Day |url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=saves the day|chart=all}} |access-date=March 26, 2009 |publisher=[[Billboard charts]]}}</ref> and sold at least 120,000 copies in the United States.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |date=March 28, 2002 |title=Punk From the Heart |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/newsarticle.asp?nid=15512&cf=10550 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040305034032/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/newsarticle.asp?nid=15512&cf=10550 |archive-date=March 5, 2004 |access-date=August 28, 2015 |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> Vagrant organized a national tour with every band on its label, sponsored by corporations including [[Microsoft]] and [[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola]], during the summer of 2001. Its populist approach and use of the internet as a marketing tool made it one of the country's most-successful independent labels and helped popularize the word "emo".{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|pp=81–88}} According to Greenwald, "More than any other event, it was Vagrant America that defined emo to masses—mainly because it had the gumption to hit the road and bring it to ''them''."{{sfn|Greenwald|2003|p=81}}