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The band members never really embraced that label, feeling it didn't describe Jimmy Eat World's catchy and rocking brand of guitar pop, but have come to terms with their relationship with the label. Adkins will even allow that there have been benefits to being called emo, even if he's never felt the term described Jimmy Eat World's catchy and rocking brand of guitar pop. "It's a mixed bag, for sure," Adkins says of the emo label. "I think people want to categorize bands in music, and if you don't have any category, it's a little tougher for the elevator pitch, why your friends should check out this thing that you like. So I think in that regard, it's helped because it's been like a shorthand to describe a scene that we sort of came up in, I guess. As far as helping you out musically with what that might actually sound like, it's not very helpful. But for better or worse, it describes the period of time and the scene we were involved with." Despite it being two decades or so since emo peaked as a "thing" within the overall rock landscape, Adkins has accepted the idea that Jimmy Eat World will always be considered emo. "I don't think we can escape it now. We crossed the event horizon some time ago," he muses. "Now it's just like I could try to argue with people why where I grew up and what scene I came up in exactly, why I feel like that describes something other than what we do. But it's just wasted breath. At this point, if somebody finds something we do that they can connect with, however that comes to be, is a huge compliment. It's the only validation that really matters in music and art. So if that comes with emo being a part of that whole equation, then I am grateful."