So Much (for) Stardust

After receiving mixed reviews for their 2018 album, Mania, the band went silent on new music, besides releasing a second greatest hits album in 2019. Vocalist Patrick Stump discussed the album's creation: Due to the band's album deal with Island Records ending, the band signed with Fueled by Ramen and Elektra Records for the album's release, marking their first release under Fueled by Ramen since Take This to Your Grave. On March 3, 2023, the album's tracklist was confirmed. == Composition ==

According to Sarah Jamieson of DIY, "[the album] sounds closer to a continuation of their 2008 record Folie à Deux than 2018's hyper-slick Mania, there's a return to the bold, luscious pop-rock that they honed early on." Writing for Clash, Shannon Garner felt that with this album, "[the band pulled] themselves back into the pop-punk realm." The album also has disco, soul and funk influences. Mark Beaumont of The Independent stated that "[the album contains] grandiose orchestral passages, spoken word interludes and touches of Bruno Mars funk pop dotted among the roaring angst rock...[that blends] of their various eras...[and] pulls the plug on the rise of the machines." Mathew Abraham of Caliber Tv considered the album to be a "return to a [rock and alternative rock kind of sound] for them, while it also mixes in poppier elements in...some of these songs." Writing for The Line of Best Fit, Jasleen Dhindsa stated, "So Much (For) Stardust...inflicts dynamic, theatrical and intense production values onto power pop and symphonic rock." The album marks a return to a more guitar-driven sound. Songs like "I Am My Own Muse" and "Love From The Other Side" "feature massive orchestral parts." "Heaven, Iowa" has been described as an arena rock track that starts slow, "but blows the audience away once the massive drums and riveting guitar hit near the halfway point." "What a Time To Be Alive" demonstrates disco and funk influences. ==Promotion==

Singles In December 2022, the band released a claymation animation homage, and began teasing a new song. The band made a website called sendingmylovefromtheotherside.com. On January 10, 2023, Oliver Sykes of Bring Me the Horizon posted to his Instagram story that he had received a package in the mail from Fall Out Boy containing a pink seashell labeled 1 of 13 alongside a letter with the date January 18, 2023, and the song title "Love From The Other Side". The lead single, "Love from the Other Side", was announced on January 11, 2023. The song was released on January 18, alongside the band confirming the album title and setting the release date for March 24, 2023. Since then, the band has posted a photo of another package with a set of coordinates leading to the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville, Iowa. The package contained another seashell marked 2 of 13 with a letter, this time printed was the date January 25, 2023, and a speculated song title "Heartbreak Feels So Good". On January 23, 2023, the band announced the next single, "Heartbreak Feels So Good", released on January 25, 2023, with promotion featuring actress Nicole Kidman's advertisements for AMC Theatres. A third package was left outside Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. On March 13, the band announced that "Hold Me Like a Grudge" would be the next single of the album. On March 15, a clip of the song was shared. On March 24, the same day the album was released, the band released a music video for "Hold Me Like a Grudge". The video is a continuation of the music video for the band's song, "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race". On February 28, 2024, the band released a music video for the album's fourth single, title track “So Much (For) Stardust”, featuring NBA player Jimmy Butler. Album In May 2023, the band released CRYNYL, a limited edition tear-filled vinyl of the album in partnership with the art studio BRAIN. TV performances The band performed "Love from the Other Side" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! the same day it was released. Tour On January 31, 2023, the band announced their first solo headlining tour since 2019, So Much For (Tour) Dust, with 30 dates across North America. The band was joined by Bring Me the Horizon and Royal & the Serpent with Alkaline Trio, New Found Glory, Four Year Strong, The Academy Is..., Games We Play, Daisy Grenade, and Carr appearing for select dates. Joe Trohman toured with the band following an end to his hiatus. On February 8, 2023, the band announced a Europe and UK leg of So Much for (Tour) Dust with fifteen dates. Due to overwhelming demand, a second London date was added shortly after. The band was joined by Pvris, and nothing,nowhere. for this leg. On September 7, 2023, the band announced a second US leg, now being stylized as So Much for (2our) Dust, which happened in 2024 with twenty-three dates. The band was joined by Jimmy Eat World along with The Maine, Hot Mulligan, Daisy Grenade, Games We Play, and Carr appearing on select dates for this leg. The tour began on June 21, 2023, at Chicago's Wrigley Field and concluded on April 6, 2024, at Target Center in Minneapolis. == Critical reception ==

So Much (for) Stardust received positive reviews upon release. The album holds a score of 79 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic, based on eleven critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". ==Commercial performance==

So Much (for) Stardust debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200 chart dated April 8, 2023, selling 64,000 album-equivalent units. It is Fall Out Boy's seventh consecutive top-ten album. The album also reached the top ten in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa and the United Kingdom. ==Track listing==

Notes • "So Good Right Now" contains interpolations from "Little Bitty Pretty One", written by Robert Byrd. • "The Pink Seashell" features dialogue spoken by Hawke from the 1994 film Reality Bites. == Personnel ==

Fall Out Boy • Andy Hurley • Joe Trohman • Patrick Stump • Pete Wentz Additional musicians • Bill Reichenbach Jr.– bass trombone, trombone (tracks 1, 8, 12, 13) • Dan Fornero – flugelhorn, trumpet (tracks 1, 8, 12, 13) • Wayne Bergeron – flugelhorn, trumpet (tracks 1, 8, 12, 13) • London Metropolitan Orchestra – orchestra (tracks 1, 7, 8, 12, 13) • Dan Higgins – woodwinds (tracks 1, 8, 12, 13) • Julia Waters Tillman – choir (tracks 5, 9, 13) • Luther Waters – choir (tracks 5, 9, 13) • Maxine Waters Willard – choir (tracks 5, 9, 13) • Oren Waters – choir (tracks 5, 9, 13) • Ethan Hawke – vocals (track 7) • Marvel Jane Love Wentz – additional vocals (track 11) Technical • Neal Avron – production, mixing • Chris Gehringer – mastering • Steve McLaughlin – engineering ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==