Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Unveils Hopeless Records Exhibit, Highlighting Impact of Emo Music

An exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame showcasing memorabilia of Hopeless Records’ 30-year tenure in emo music has been unveiled, and it should be a treat for all the kids who are still hanging onto their emo and alternative days with an iron grip. Hopeless has helped shape the careers of iconic bands like Sum 41, All Time Low, Avenged Sevenfold, and so many more.

CEO and founder of Hopeless, Louis Posen, recalled that the label started with a 1993 EP from the punk band Guttermouth. Speaking with NPR station WXXI, Posen spoke of the first Hopeless Records release. “Actually, the first song on the seven-inch was called ‘Hopeless’ and where the name of the label comes from,” he said.

He continued, “[Guttermouth] dared me to put out the seven-inch for them. So I went and bought a book called How to Run an Independent Record Label and asked my brother and his friend for $1,000 and put out the Guttermouth seven-inch. And here we are 30 years later.”

The exhibit includes that Guttermouth EP, as well as a cashbox adorned with stickers from All Time Low’s first tour in 2005, a Dickies button-down from Sarah Tudzin of Illuminati Hotties, and bass guitars from Johnny Christ of Avenged Sevenfold and Jack Barakat of All Time Low. There’s also a video screen that loops footage of Destroy Boys, The Wonder Years, Avenged Sevenfold, and other Hopeless artists.

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Emo is Alive and Well at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Posen began Hopeless Records’ journey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a simple phone call. He called up Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris, expecting to explain who the label was.

“We gave [Harris] a call and I said, Hopeless Records. And I thought he’d say, never heard of it,” said Posen. “But he said, ‘Hopeless Records, I’m so excited to be on the phone with you guys.’”

Another key player in the exhibit is Haley Cronin, a 22-year-old assistant curator for the Rock Hall. She helped organize, research, and design the exhibit where fans can travel through three decades of emo music, DIY culture, and inclusivity.

For Cronin, she wanted people who visited the exhibit to understand the history of Hopeless Records and its importance right off the bat. “I want them to feel a sense of belonging, a sense of community that punk, emo, metal is still alive and well,” she said. “If people look at one of these artifacts in one of these video stills or the big picture wall here and find themselves in one of these bands, then we’ve done our job.”

Featured Image by Maria Laura Arturi/NurPhoto/Shutterstock