Jawbreaker formed in New York City but soon after relocated to the West Coast and more than 35 years later they remain one of the most beloved and influential bands of the post-punk era. Vocalist/guitarist Blake Schwarzenbach, bassist Chris Bauermeister and drummer Adam Pfahler carved a unique niche in the emo and alternative scenes starting with the release of their debut album, 1990's Unfun. Over the course of their long career they also released 1992's Bivuoac and 1994's 24 Hour Revenge Therapy, which was included in Pitchfork's Top 100 Favorite Records Of The 1990s.
Jawbreaker signed to a lucrative deal with the major label DGC Records ahead of the release of 1995's Dear You, which further raised the band's mainstream profile but inflamed long-simmering internal tensions. Jawbreaker disbanded in 1996 and its members moved onto other projects in and outside of music. After turning down regular offers to reunite for more than 20 years, the trio returned to the stage to co-headline the 2017 edition of Riot Fest in Chicago and later toured North America and Europe. A career-spanning documentary, Don't Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker, was also released in 2017.
Rolling Stone list Dear You as #4 in their "Top 40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time" and have noted "their fingerprints are all over much of the rock that took over mainstream radio in the mid-2000s." Countless bands cite them as inspiration and fans including Green Day, Blink 182, Dashboard Confessional, and Nirvanna who took them on a 1992 tour.