HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: The Young And The Hopeless – Good Charlotte

Whether you like them or not, it’s impossible to deny the impact GOOD CHARLOTTE had on music in the early 2000s, and one album in particular earned them the position of pop-punk legends. The Young And The Hopeless was released in October 2002, and it completely changed the game, both for the band and music in general.

Before The Young And The Hopeless, GOOD CHARLOTTE were slowly making a name for themselves. They formed in Waldorf, Maryland in 1996 by brothers Joel and Benji Madden and bassist Paul Thomas. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2000, was fairly successful, being certified gold in the US, and they toured America with Warped Tour in both 2001 and 2002. The Madden brothers secured spots as VJ’s for MTV, and the band were also frequently included on their All Things Rock show, which helped build their fame. Pop-punk was an emerging genre, led by bands like BLINK-182, GREEN DAY, SUM 41 and NEW FOUND GLORY, and GOOD CHARLOTTE fit into this mix perfectly. Its success could be attributed to its versatility: it had enough of the punk attitude and style to be considered alternative, and sounded mainstream enough to attract a wider audience. Besides, while the success and impact of the punk genre can’t be downplayed, it peaked in the 80s and 90s. The 2000’s needed something new.

When The Young And The Hopeless was released, it managed to relate to young people in a way not many albums had. The first single was Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous, which criticised celebrity culture and the way class and fame allows people to avoid consequences for their actions. While it wasn’t the deepest analysis on class and wealth, it was fairly controversial at the time, making a big impact on its audience, especially since GOOD CHARLOTTE were performing on platforms such as MTV and associating with celebrities. Girls & Boys had similar themes, and criticised the fake relationships in celebrity culture. The Anthem, the second single, was exactly that. While it was more on the simplistic side, with lyrics like “I don’t wanna be you” and “Go to college, or university, get a real job, that’s what they said to me, but I could never live the way they want”, it acted as a reassurance to young people who didn’t want to follow the typical lifestyle expected of them, and encouraged them to do what would make them happy. It was an extremely memorable song and the album’s most successful.

The Young And The Hopeless is one of those rare albums where every song could have been a single. GOOD CHARLOTTE showed a deeper side with songs like Hold On, The Story Of My Old Man and Emotionless, mastering the blend of heart breaking and hopeful, making them extremely impactful. Other notable songs are Riot Girl and My Bloody Valentine, which have those catchy, upbeat choruses the band are known for. Really, there are too many good songs to name. While the album might not be the most complicated or technically unique, it is undeniably memorable and fun to listen to. The Young And The Hopeless draws listeners into GOOD CHARLOTTE‘s world, and it’s a roller-coaster of emotions. Its simplicity makes it accessible, and evokes the same feelings 20 years on.

Commercially, The Young And The Hopeless was a huge success. It was certified platinum three times, as well as charting in the top 20 in many countries. It opened lots of doors for GOOD CHARLOTTE, with many TV appearances, and major tours across the US and the world, most notably with NEW FOUND GLORY and NO DOUBT. Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous won the Kerrang! Award for best single, and they won People’s Choice: Favourite International Group in the MuchMusic Video Awards in 2003. MTV continued to really support the band, and they were the last band to play their New Years Eve programme in 2002.

However, on a critical level, The Young And The Hopeless was not overly successful, with various music magazines having plenty to say. Entertainment Weekly compared them to BLINK-182, and said the songs “sound a lot like each other”. PopMatters were harsher still, calling them “corporate rock sodapop garbage.” It wasn’t all bad though as Rolling Stone said they were, “persuasive when they let their vulnerability crack through the surface.” Generally, the world wasn’t quite ready for GOOD CHARLOTTE’s impact, and when they played Reading and Leeds featival in 2003 the crowd had a negative reaction. Later on, Joel Madden said, “We were in between SYSTEM OF A DOWN and METALLICA, and we got bottled. I wouldn’t change it because it’s a fond memory, and I understand why METALLICA fans in 2003 don’t want to watch us… We didn’t walk off stage, we fucking played our songs and we accepted it, and that’s who we are as a band.”

Although at the time reviews of the album were mixed, it’s been well-loved ever since, proving its influence. It’s estimated over five million copies of this album have been sold worldwide, and it has appeared on best-of lists by both Rock Sound and Rolling Stone. It’s seen as a classic and its influence on the pop-punk scene is undeniable. Now, you can mostly find it played at emo nights across the world, still relating to their fans 20 years on.

The Young And The Hopeless was originally released on October 1st 2002 via Epic Records.

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