The All-American Rejects

The All-American Rejects are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, by guitarist Nick Wheeler and vocalist Tyson Ritter, who started making music together while still in high school. The lineup was rounded out by guitarist Mike Kennerty and drummer Chris Gaylor, and the band became one of the defining acts of the mid-2000s pop-punk and power-pop wave.

Their sound blends catchy, hook-driven choruses with polished guitar-pop production, often paired with confessional or biting lyrics about heartbreak and betrayal. This combination brought them mainstream success with singles like «Dirty Little Secret», «Move Along», «It Ends Tonight» and «Gives You Hell», all staples of alternative and pop radio in the 2000s.

Alongside bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco, The All-American Rejects helped bring emo-adjacent pop-rock to a massive audience, with memorable, high-concept music videos adding to their visibility. Their albums, including Move Along and When the World Comes Down, remain touchstones of that era's rock radio sound.