Why haven't they been in the spotlight since 2001?

[Childish Gambino]

Have they really ever been like, extremely popular? I certainly would never throw their name in the ring with blink or Green Day, because they've never been anywhere near their level of popularity. People know Sum 41, but they will never be as popular as Katy Perry or any other mainstream artist, for the simple reason that nobody listens to pop-punk anymore, everybody just wants to hear hot women singing about their vagina.

I think that Sum 41 still can be as famous as GD or B182...GD weren´t that famous before AI too ...one good record can change everything ...

I don't dispute that, but after Underclass Hero, I doubt they have an album that big left in their tank.

[withchappedlips]

Sum 41 wasn't big enough to take a break after Chuck, or at least wait a while to release new material after Chuck. They aren't as big as a blink-182 or a Green Day. So, when they released a shitty album this time around, they really couldn't get paid back for the efforts. Underclass Hero didn't have the big stadium rock hit that every previous album had. They didn't have the genre defining song "Fat Lip", and they didn't even have a song that 13 year old girls could connect with, "Pieces". They just had a Green Day esque rip off in "Underclass Hero", and a couple of slower songs that really never had a chance at connecting with the current media.

I guess you could say that they had a couple of hits off of the current record. At least one. I think "With Me" got some decent exposure. But, if you look at the current state of music, the "emo" trend is over. The "punk" trend is over. If you're not Green Day, you're really going to have a tough time fitting in to the current state of "mainstream" music.

Plus, Sum 41 hasn't released an album since like 2007. They're not currently in the spotlight because they're not currently making music.

Underclass Hero actually had some success as an album. I think it was like number one rock album on the US charts? I know Canada loves Sum 41 quite a bit. I think they're doing fine. They've never been Blink-182 or Green Day, but at least they aren't "one hit wonders".

[Name]

Sum 41 wasn't big enough to take a break after Chuck, or at least wait a while to release new material after Chuck. They aren't as big as a blink-182 or a Green Day. So, when they released a shitty album this time around, they really couldn't get paid back for the efforts. Underclass Hero didn't have the big stadium rock hit that every previous album had. They didn't have the genre defining song "Fat Lip", and they didn't even have a song that 13 year old girls could connect with, "Pieces". They just had a Green Day esque rip off in "Underclass Hero", and a couple of slower songs that really never had a chance at connecting with the current media.

I guess you could say that they had a couple of hits off of the current record. At least one. I think "With Me" got some decent exposure. But, if you look at the current state of music, the "emo" trend is over. The "punk" trend is over. If you're not Green Day, you're really going to have a tough time fitting in to the current state of "mainstream" music.

Plus, Sum 41 hasn't released an album since like 2007. They're not currently in the spotlight because they're not currently making music.

Underclass Hero actually had some success as an album. I think it was like number one rock album on the US charts? I know Canada loves Sum 41 quite a bit. I think they're doing fine. They've never been Blink-182 or Green Day, but at least they aren't "one hit wonders".

I can agree with some of that. In terms of writing though Underclass Hero was amazing. But it was the generic guitar chords that killed it for me. Anyways they kind of are one-hit wonders because they never had a single that sold half as well as Fat Lip or In To Deep. And yeah fan girls/boys will never connect to Pieces or Some Say like they would to say Summer or Heart Attack.

In a way i'm kind of happy they are not SUPER famous because they could become one of those bands who make the same song with different lyrics on every album. Sum 41 likes so change things up from metal to pop but i still think they deserve a little more recognition then they do right now.

And The Underclass hero being a AI ripoff... thats kinda not true. Sum 41 has been playing songs about politics and the worlds problems since Does This Look Infected? Green Day made it look like a ripoff when it came out because they are the more famous band

[Jeremy Kill]

Sum 41 wasn't big enough to take a break after Chuck, or at least wait a while to release new material after Chuck. They aren't as big as a blink-182 or a Green Day. So, when they released a shitty album this time around, they really couldn't get paid back for the efforts. Underclass Hero didn't have the big stadium rock hit that every previous album had. They didn't have the genre defining song "Fat Lip", and they didn't even have a song that 13 year old girls could connect with, "Pieces". They just had a Green Day esque rip off in "Underclass Hero", and a couple of slower songs that really never had a chance at connecting with the current media.

I guess you could say that they had a couple of hits off of the current record. At least one. I think "With Me" got some decent exposure. But, if you look at the current state of music, the "emo" trend is over. The "punk" trend is over. If you're not Green Day, you're really going to have a tough time fitting in to the current state of "mainstream" music.

Plus, Sum 41 hasn't released an album since like 2007. They're not currently in the spotlight because they're not currently making music.

Underclass Hero actually had some success as an album. I think it was like number one rock album on the US charts? I know Canada loves Sum 41 quite a bit. I think they're doing fine. They've never been Blink-182 or Green Day, but at least they aren't "one hit wonders".

I can agree with some of that. In terms of writing though Underclass Hero was amazing. But it was the generic guitar chords that killed it for me. Anyways they kind of are one-hit wonders because they never had a single that sold half as well as Fat Lip or In To Deep. And yeah fan girls/boys will never connect to Pieces or Some Say like they would to say Summer or Heart Attack.

In a way i'm kind of happy they are not SUPER famous because they could become one of those bands who make the same song with different lyrics on every album. Sum 41 likes so change things up from metal to pop but i still think they deserve a little more recognition then they do right now.

And The Underclass hero being a AI ripoff... thats kinda not true. Sum 41 has been playing songs about politics and the worlds problems since Does This Look Infected? Green Day made it look like a ripoff when it came out because they are the more famous band

Sum 41 had some hits, but I wouldn't classify them as one-hit wonders. That's more in the league of "Mambo #5" or "Who Let the Dogs Out?" Artists who have had songs where the public cares only for the song and not for the band. Though, I know what you mean. To this day, I hear Fat Lip and Pieces on the radio than I do any other Sum 41 song.

About Underclass Hero versus American Idiot, there were definitely some influences. There were many parts of songs that made me feel like it came from a Green Day album (Underclass Hero solo, rant at the end of March of the Dogs, "empty streets," Best of Me solo, So Long Goodbye... etc.) Even the story of Walking Disaster is essentially the concept of American Idiot; leaving home only to come back in the end. "A world of disbelief where I belong" really reminded me of "a land of make believe that don't believe in me." There is even a line in St. Jimmy that goes, "I'm here to represent, the needle in the vein of the establishment."

And just because we're on the subject, American Idiot may be Green Day's most political album, but it is hardly in itself a political album. Really, just the title track and Holiday are the political songs. The rest are just telling a story of life in America circa 2004.

[fergal41]

Sum 41 actually were enormously popular over here from, say, June 2001 right through to the end of 2002. I'd go so far as saying they were getting more exposure on Kerrang!/PRock than Blink 182 that Summer - if not, it was definitely neck and neck. All Killer as an album had two things going for it. The first was that it absolutely epitomised the most popular trend in rock music at the time of its release and the second was that every single song on it was extremely well written. I've been listening to it shit loads again lately and I wouldn't hesitate in saying that each song from that album is up there with their best written tracks. Every song on it was capable of striking a chord with a multitude of different kinds of people and even in a society as small as the one in which I live, that has always been evident. Ask anyone from a wider demogaphic than just the die hard fans on TNS what their favourite song from All Killer No Filler is and every song will show up on your list. I don't know if that could be said for any of the other albums.

As for Underclass Hero, I think that it's by far their weakest album, but (with my gut feeling about Screaming Bloody Murder), I feel that in the larger scale of things that I'll just look back on it as necessary. I think Deryck needed to get that album out of the way so he could write something like the new album. Not to mention there are some great tracks on it like Pull The Curtain, Walking Disaster and Speak Of The Devil.

[kILLDR3n]

Sum 41 actually were enormously popular over here from, say, June 2001 right through to the end of 2002. I'd go so far as saying they were getting more exposure on Kerrang!/PRock than Blink 182 that Summer - if not, it was definitely neck and neck. All Killer as an album had two things going for it. The first was that it absolutely epitomised the most popular trend in rock music at the time of its release and the second was that every single song on it was extremely well written. I've been listening to it shit loads again lately and I wouldn't hesitate in saying that each song from that album is up there with their best written tracks. Every song on it was capable of striking a chord with a multitude of different kinds of people and even in a society as small as the one in which I live, that has always been evident. Ask anyone from a wider demogaphic than just the die hard fans on TNS what their favourite song from All Killer No Filler is and every song will show up on your list. I don't know if that could be said for any of the other albums.

As for Underclass Hero, I think that it's by far their weakest album, but (with my gut feeling about Screaming Bloody Murder), I feel that in the larger scale of things that I'll just look back on it as necessary. I think Deryck needed to get that album out of the way so he could write something like the new album. Not to mention there are some great tracks on it like Pull The Curtain, Walking Disaster and Speak Of The Devil.

With the other artists that Island has or has acquired since Sum 4 they all have much more popularity than Sum 41. The standard "rock" I would consider Sum 41 ended around late 2003ish when Blink ended. That's the only reason I would consider them not being in the spotlight. That and Island is catering to the evergrowing love for shitty taste in music instead when they can change that and promote Sum 41 much more although that genre is typically dead. Never in my LIFE have I seen a Sum 41 commercial but have seen Katy Perry, Drake, and other dogshit. I did see one commercial when Sum 41 was camping and played Over My Head acoustic in the commercial, this is back when MTV was MTV though.

Really though, I'm sure if Sum 41 would randomly have a commercial on TV people would get sparked from that and check them and their new stuff out again.

[fergal41]

Really though, I'm sure if Sum 41 would randomly have a commercial on TV people would get sparked from that and check them and their new stuff out again.

Agreed. I don't see why more bands and artists don't self-fund such means of exposure if their label won't. I know the band says that they don't care if they never reach the commercial heights of the All Killer No Filler era again, but I think it would be interesting to see just how much of a difference it would make to music/ticket sales if something like this was done correctly.

[kILLDR3n]

I don't think Sum 41 has enough to fund a meaningful amount of promotion themselves to major networks, but Island sure does. Who has seen Mariah Carey and other garbage enough? (She is talented though, but fuck that music)

[Jeremy Kill]

As for Underclass Hero, I think that it's by far their weakest album, but (with my gut feeling about Screaming Bloody Murder), I feel that in the larger scale of things that I'll just look back on it as necessary. I think Deryck needed to get that album out of the way so he could write something like the new album. Not to mention there are some great tracks on it like Pull The Curtain, Walking Disaster and Speak Of The Devil.

I'm sure Underclass Hero will have played an important role in the making of Screaming Bloody Murder, just as the song 88 played an important part in the making of Underclass Hero. Skumfuk shares pretty much all the same elements that were present in the last album.

Also, you named my top three favorite tracks from Underclass Hero, haha.

[Emil]

Pop-punk songs still strikes a chord with mainstream audiences though, Savior by Rise Against is sort of pop-ounk and it reached number 3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts, and they're more popular now than ever thanks to that song. So the possibility that Sum 41 might reach new hights agaisn certainly exists.

[sumfan4]

While I do agree that DTLI? went the complete opposite direction from AKNF, I don't think it was their worst album. But yeah you pretty much SUMmed it up!

[TomiT14]

While I do agree that DTLI? went the complete opposite direction from AKNF, I don't think it was their worst album.

They were talking about commercial-wise. It was pretty much the least sold album for them.

[upperclasszero]

I hope that they're not getting mainstream..
cause if they do you're gonna get those assholes telling you that they've been a huge fan since all killer and claiming to know everything about Sum 41

dude i know people like that now. i got into sum 41 after underclass hero came out, and people fucking give me shit for it, but i fucking love all their music/videos/activity...i dont understand why them listening to them before me makes them a "truer" fan

[Mitchell]

I hope that they're not getting mainstream..
cause if they do you're gonna get those assholes telling you that they've been a huge fan since all killer and claiming to know everything about Sum 41

dude i know people like that now. i got into sum 41 after underclass hero came out, and people fucking give me shit for it, but i fucking love all their music/videos/activity...i dont understand why them listening to them before me makes them a "truer" fan

It's not about that.. it's about those typical fangirls/boys that only know them for a day or 2 telling how they know them from the beginning and that they are their biggest fans when they eventually end up 'stalking' another band a week later.

[upperclasszero]

I hope that they're not getting mainstream..
cause if they do you're gonna get those assholes telling you that they've been a huge fan since all killer and claiming to know everything about Sum 41

dude i know people like that now. i got into sum 41 after underclass hero came out, and people fucking give me shit for it, but i fucking love all their music/videos/activity...i dont understand why them listening to them before me makes them a "truer" fan

It's not about that.. it's about those typical fangirls/boys that only know them for a day or 2 telling how they know them from the beginning and that they are their biggest fans when they eventually end up 'stalking' another band a week later.

oh god. thoseeeee people lol. all the kids in my local music scene are like that. it fucking sucks. they all act like theyve known a day to remember and atl since they started, but they only really know the downfall of us all from adtr and a few singles from atl

[gejmik]

...Underclass Hero didn't have the big stadium rock hit that every previous album had. They didn't have the genre defining song "Fat Lip", and they didn't even have a song that 13 year old girls could connect with, "Pieces". They just had a Green Day esque rip off in "Underclass Hero", and a couple of slower songs that really never had a chance at connecting with the current media. ...

I'm not so sure, many girls from my class know Sum 41 thanks to Underclass Hero. Songs like Walking Disaster and With Me made them listen to Sums without my influence :D.

[Name]

I hope that they're not getting mainstream..
cause if they do you're gonna get those assholes telling you that they've been a huge fan since all killer and claiming to know everything about Sum 41

dude i know people like that now. i got into sum 41 after underclass hero came out, and people fucking give me shit for it, but i fucking love all their music/videos/activity...i dont understand why them listening to them before me makes them a "truer" fan

It's not about that.. it's about those typical fangirls/boys that only know them for a day or 2 telling how they know them from the beginning and that they are their biggest fans when they eventually end up 'stalking' another band a week later.

making music 100x better th
oh god. thoseeeee people lol. all the kids in my local music scene are like that. it fucking sucks. they all act like theyve known a day to remember and atl since they started, but they only really know the downfall of us all from adtr and a few singles from atl

Ugh i HATE those people -___- they make all of us new A Day To Remember fans look bad. I've only been a fan for a year and i half but i've bought Treason and Heart and i've got people telling me im not a real fan because i heard the song Have Faith in Me before 1958 or Monument.

It was the ALMOST same way with Sum 41, and now they are making new music that is 100x better and no one notices because people look a them as has beens like B182 which is pretty much not true.

[upperclasszero]

I hope that they're not getting mainstream..
cause if they do you're gonna get those assholes telling you that they've been a huge fan since all killer and claiming to know everything about Sum 41

dude i know people like that now. i got into sum 41 after underclass hero came out, and people fucking give me shit for it, but i fucking love all their music/videos/activity...i dont understand why them listening to them before me makes them a "truer" fan

It's not about that.. it's about those typical fangirls/boys that only know them for a day or 2 telling how they know them from the beginning and that they are their biggest fans when they eventually end up 'stalking' another band a week later.

making music 100x better th
oh god. thoseeeee people lol. all the kids in my local music scene are like that. it fucking sucks. they all act like theyve known a day to remember and atl since they started, but they only really know the downfall of us all from adtr and a few singles from atl

Ugh i HATE those people -___- they make all of us new A Day To Remember fans look bad. I've only been a fan for a year and i half but i've bought Treason and Heart and i've got people telling me im not a real fan because i heard the song Have Faith in Me before 1958 or Monument.

It was the ALMOST same way with Sum 41, and now they are making new music that is 100x better and no one notices because people look a them as has beens like B182 which is pretty much not true.

yeah people need to get the fuck over themselves

[DeryckW]

Glad that Sum isn't a Green Day, cuz pretty much all music that goes on MTV is shit music and mainstream crap.
So, I'm happy that they never got that "famous" or shall I say big.

[SumGeek]

I agree with Jeremy, but in all honestly, I don't care if they are in this spotlight or not. As long as they make the music, go on tour, make stupid videos. I will be quite happy :D

This. As long as we recognize their talent, then to hell with everyone else and their radio friendly hits and criticism. I think once SBM is released it will help. It's supposed to be groundbreaking after all. I don't think they've always been out of the spotlight. Especially not in Canada. The last thing I've seen as far as media and what not was on tv back in August when the album was "supposed to be released." haha. I think Warped Tour definately was a big thing for them this year besides the upcoming album.