Rivers Cuomo Disliked Himself For Making Everyone's Favorite Weezer Album

By Andrew Sanford | Celebrity | June 27, 2023 |

By Andrew Sanford | Celebrity | June 27, 2023 |

Fandom is weird. At its best, it can be a celebration of art. People from all walks of life can find common ground in a song, movie, or painting. At its worst, fandom can be a barren wasteland of entitlement and meanness. This interaction between Bart Simpson and Jeff Alberston can quickly sum up the worst.

One person who is all too familiar with the broad spectrum of fandom is Rivers Cuomo. Cuomo is the lead singer of Weezer, which has some of the most divided fans out there. Some people (like me) love everything about Weezer while admitting they aren’t always at their best (I’m looking at you, Black Album). Other fans think the band hasn’t been the same since Matt Sharp left. A whole generation of fans will have been introduced to the group thanks to their Africa cover (whether that’s a good thing is up for debate).

No matter how you like your Weezer, there’s one thing that modern fans universally agree on. Pinkerton, Weezer’s sophomore album, is excellent. It’s raw, emotional, and rocks hella hard. It was so good that some fans refused to listen to anything after (their loss). However, at the time of its release, the album was not as loved as it is now, and that bummed Rivers out.

In a recent sit down with Vulture, Cuomo reflected on the release of Pinkerton. He told Vulture, “No one on Earth liked it.” He continued, “I really, really disliked myself for making the record I made and for thinking that that was the right record to make.” Given the band’s trajectory, this reaction makes a lot of sense. Weezer’s next album would end up being opposite from the dour and emotional Pinkerton, and that style would last for years. The wild part is that Pinkerton has only increased in popularity since its release. If it had been as popular at launch, who knows what kind of band Weezer would be now?

It isn’t the last time Rivers would change the band’s style based on fan reaction. 2014’s Everything Will Be Alright In The End found the group aiming for a back-to-basics sound. It reunited the group with Cars lead singer and Producer Ric Ocasek, and featured lines like, “I tried to do my best for you, but you plugged up your ears.” The album ended up being one of Weezer’s best, so sometimes paying attention to fans can be worth it, but do so at your own risk.