Never Meant

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⚫	~~#REDIRECT~~ [[American Football (1999 album)~~]] {{R from song~~}}

	[[Category:1999 songs]]		[[Category:1999 songs]]
			{{Infobox song
			\| name = Never Meant
			\| type = song
			\| artist = [[American Football]]
			\| album = [[American Football (1999 album)\| American Football]]
			\| released = September 14, 1999
			\| genre = [[midwest emo]], [[math rock]], [[indie rock]]
			\| length = {{Duration\|m=4\|s=28}}
			\| label = [[Polyvinyl Records\|Polyvinyl]]
			\| writer = [[Mike Kinsella]]
			\| composer = Steve Holmes
			\| producer = [[Brendan Gamble]]
			\| year = 1999
			\| misc = {{Audio sample
			\| type = song
			\| file =
			}}
			}}

			'''Never Meant''' is a song by American [[emo]] band [[American Football (band)\|American Football]]. The opening track on the band's critically acclaimed [[American Football (1999 album)\|eponymous 1999 debut LP]], it is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential emo songs of all time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web \|last=Cohen \|first=Ian \|date=2020-02-13 \|title=The 100 Greatest Emo Songs of All Time \|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-emo-songs.html \|access-date=2024-05-28 \|website=Vulture \|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web \|last=Shafer \|first=William Earl,Angelique Jackson,Emily Longeretta,Pat Saperstein,Ethan Shanfeld,Katie Reul,EJ Panaligan,Maane Khatchatourian,Thania Garcia,Katcy Stephan,Ellise \|last2=Earl \|first2=William \|last3=Jackson \|first3=Angelique \|last4=Longeretta \|first4=Emily \|last5=Saperstein \|first5=Pat \|last6=Shanfeld \|first6=Ethan \|last7=Reul \|first7=Katie \|last8=Panaligan \|first8=E. J. \|last9=Khatchatourian \|first9=Maane \|date=2022-10-18 \|title=The 25 Best Emo Songs of All Time \|url=https://variety.com/lists/best-emo-songs-my-chemical-romance-paramore/ \|access-date=2024-05-28 \|website=Variety \|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web \|last=Cohen \|first=Ian \|date=2022-07-25 \|title=The Best Emo Songs of Every Year, 1985 to Now \|url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2022/7/25/23273961/best-emo-songs-ever-every-year-rites-spring-mcr-paramore \|access-date=2024-05-28 \|website=The Ringer \|language=en}}</ref>

			Never Meant is built around a highly recognizable 12/8 math rock riff played by two electric guitars in [[Alternative tuning\|FACGCe tuning]]. The song's notoriety has even led it to become an internet meme, where videos are remixed so its beginning riff will unexpectedly play.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2020-04-27 \|title=Never Meant \|url=https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/never-meant \|access-date=2024-05-28 \|website=Know Your Meme}}</ref>

			== Release ==
		⚫	{{Main article\|American Football (1999 album)}}
			American Football's LP1 was released on [[Polyvinyl Record Co.]] on September 14, 1999<ref name="PVRClisting2">{{cite web \|title=American Football CD \|url=http://www.polyvinylrecords.com/acatalog/Catalog_PRC_025_23.html \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010119123400/http://www.polyvinylrecords.com/acatalog/Catalog_PRC_025_23.html \|archive-date=January 19, 2001 \|access-date=December 8, 2021 \|publisher=Polyvinyl Recording Co.}}</ref>. Initially, fans of the band were mostly fans of [[Cap'n Jazz]]<ref name="CMJ17">CMJ New Music Report 1999, p. 17</ref>, a short-lived emo band with a [[cult following]] that Kinsella played with previously. With minor success on college radio and with positive word of mouth<ref name="ClashSpotlight">{{cite web \|last=Montesinos-Donaghy, Daniel \|date=May 29, 2014 \|title=Spotlight: American Football - S/T \|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/features/spotlight-american-football-american-football \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615170551/http://www.clashmusic.com/features/spotlight-american-football-american-football \|archive-date=June 15, 2015 \|access-date=June 15, 2015 \|website=Clash Magazine}}</ref>, LP1 began to form its own cult following in the local emo scene. Nevertheless, American Football would disband, as the members no longer lived in the same city<ref name="Exclaimtimeline">{{cite web \|last=Gormely, Ian \|date=May 6, 2014 \|title=Tim & Mike Kinsella \|url=http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/tim_mike_kinsella-you_cant_miss_what_you_forget \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615170725/http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/tim_mike_kinsella-you_cant_miss_what_you_forget \|archive-date=June 15, 2015 \|access-date=June 15, 2015 \|website=Exclaim!}}</ref>, and their college courses had come to an end<ref name="LOBFinterview">{{cite web \|last=Goggins, Joe \|date=June 5, 2014 \|title=Not So Emotional?: American Football's Mike Kinsella on reflection, reminiscence and resurrection - The Line Of Best Fit \|url=http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/interviews/not-so-emotional-american-football-mike-kinsella-interview-2014 \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617162641/http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/interviews/not-so-emotional-american-football-mike-kinsella-interview-2014 \|archive-date=June 17, 2015 \|access-date=June 17, 2015 \|website=[[The Line of Best Fit]]}}</ref>.

			With the advent of the internet, their album would reach a much larger audience than even Cap'n Jazz and became not just a listening staple in emo circles around the world, but a major trailblazer in the sound of [[Midwest emo\|midwest emo music]]. Features such as their twinkly math rock riffs, arpeggiated melodies, and distinctive open tunings are now some of the most defining features of the genre.

			== Reception ==
			Contemporary reviews have been highly laudatory. [[Variety (magazine)\|Variety magazine]] and pop culture website [[Vulture (website)\|Vulture]] both ranked Never Meant as the #1 greatest emo song of all time,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> with American pop culture website [[The Ringer (website)\|The Ringer]] ranking it as the greatest emo song of 1999.<ref name=":2" />

			== Music videos ==
			On June 5, 2014, a music video was released for "Never Meant".<ref>{{cite web \|last=Gordon, Jeremy \|date=June 5, 2014 \|title=American Football's "Never Meant" Video Released 15 Years Late \|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/55457-american-footballs-never-meant-video-released-15-years-late/ \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619071233/http://pitchfork.com/news/55457-american-footballs-never-meant-video-released-15-years-late/ \|archive-date=June 19, 2015 \|access-date=June 15, 2015 \|website=Pitchfork}}</ref> Directed by Chris Strong, the video was filmed inside and around [[American Football House\|the house that features on the album cover artwork]].<ref name="NPRNM">{{cite web \|last=Gotrich, Lars \|date=June 5, 2014 \|title=American Football, 'Never Meant' \|url=https://www.npr.org/event/music/317432831/american-football-never-meant \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714155935/http://www.npr.org/event/music/317432831/american-football-never-meant \|archive-date=July 14, 2015 \|access-date=June 15, 2015 \|website=NPR}}</ref> The video was set in [[Urbana, Illinois]], around 1999.<ref name="NPRNM" /> Strong revealed that the storyline was "about a brief relationship occurring between two characters at the end of their college experience".<ref name="NPRNM" /> In December, a live video was released for "Never Meant", filmed in October at New York's [[Webster Hall]].<ref>{{cite web \|last=Adams, Gregory \|date=December 24, 2014 \|title=American Football "Never Meant" (live video) \|url=http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/american_football-never_meant_live_video \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615174443/http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/american_football-never_meant_live_video \|archive-date=June 15, 2015 \|access-date=June 15, 2015 \|website=Exclaim!}}</ref>

			== References ==
			<references />
			[[Category:American Football (band) songs]]
			[[Category:Internet memes]]
			[[Category:Emo songs]]

Revision as of 11:36, 28 May 2024

"Never Meant"
Song by American Football
from the album American Football
Released	September 14, 1999
Genre	midwest emo, math rock, indie rock
Length	4:28
Label	Polyvinyl
Songwriter(s)	Mike Kinsella
Composer(s)	Steve Holmes
Producer(s)	Brendan Gamble

Never Meant is a song by American emo band American Football. The opening track on the band's critically acclaimed eponymous 1999 debut LP, it is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential emo songs of all time.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Never Meant is built around a highly recognizable 12/8 math rock riff played by two electric guitars in FACGCe tuning. The song's notoriety has even led it to become an internet meme, where videos are remixed so its beginning riff will unexpectedly play.^[4]

Release

American Football's LP1 was released on Polyvinyl Record Co. on September 14, 1999^[5]. Initially, fans of the band were mostly fans of Cap'n Jazz^[6], a short-lived emo band with a cult following that Kinsella played with previously. With minor success on college radio and with positive word of mouth^[7], LP1 began to form its own cult following in the local emo scene. Nevertheless, American Football would disband, as the members no longer lived in the same city^[8], and their college courses had come to an end^[9].

With the advent of the internet, their album would reach a much larger audience than even Cap'n Jazz and became not just a listening staple in emo circles around the world, but a major trailblazer in the sound of midwest emo music. Features such as their twinkly math rock riffs, arpeggiated melodies, and distinctive open tunings are now some of the most defining features of the genre.

Reception

Contemporary reviews have been highly laudatory. Variety magazine and pop culture website Vulture both ranked Never Meant as the #1 greatest emo song of all time,^[1]^[2] with American pop culture website The Ringer ranking it as the greatest emo song of 1999.^[3]

Music videos

On June 5, 2014, a music video was released for "Never Meant".^[10] Directed by Chris Strong, the video was filmed inside and around the house that features on the album cover artwork.^[11] The video was set in Urbana, Illinois, around 1999.^[11] Strong revealed that the storyline was "about a brief relationship occurring between two characters at the end of their college experience".^[11] In December, a live video was released for "Never Meant", filmed in October at New York's Webster Hall.^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b Cohen, Ian (2020-02-13). "The 100 Greatest Emo Songs of All Time". Vulture. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
^ ^a ^b Shafer, William Earl,Angelique Jackson,Emily Longeretta,Pat Saperstein,Ethan Shanfeld,Katie Reul,EJ Panaligan,Maane Khatchatourian,Thania Garcia,Katcy Stephan,Ellise; Earl, William; Jackson, Angelique; Longeretta, Emily; Saperstein, Pat; Shanfeld, Ethan; Reul, Katie; Panaligan, E. J.; Khatchatourian, Maane (2022-10-18). "The 25 Best Emo Songs of All Time". Variety. Retrieved 2024-05-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ ^a ^b Cohen, Ian (2022-07-25). "The Best Emo Songs of Every Year, 1985 to Now". The Ringer. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
^ "Never Meant". Know Your Meme. 2020-04-27. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
^ "American Football CD". Polyvinyl Recording Co. Archived from the original on January 19, 2001. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
^ CMJ New Music Report 1999, p. 17
^ Montesinos-Donaghy, Daniel (May 29, 2014). "Spotlight: American Football - S/T". Clash Magazine. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
^ Gormely, Ian (May 6, 2014). "Tim & Mike Kinsella". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
^ Goggins, Joe (June 5, 2014). "Not So Emotional?: American Football's Mike Kinsella on reflection, reminiscence and resurrection - The Line Of Best Fit". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on June 17, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
^ Gordon, Jeremy (June 5, 2014). "American Football's "Never Meant" Video Released 15 Years Late". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 19, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gotrich, Lars (June 5, 2014). "American Football, 'Never Meant'". NPR. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
^ Adams, Gregory (December 24, 2014). "American Football "Never Meant" (live video)". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.