Roots of The Academy Is...

Fueled by Ramen, LLC is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Atlantic Music Group. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, in 1996, is now based in New York City.

Further Seems Forever is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Pompano Beach, Florida. Over its initial eight-year run the band experienced several lineup changes, resulting in a different lead vocalist performing on each of their first three studio albums. Original singer Chris Carrabba recorded The Moon Is Down (2001) with the group before leaving to focus on Dashboard Confessional. He was replaced by Jason Gleason, who performed on How to Start a Fire (2003) but left the band the following year. Former Sense Field vocalist Jon Bunch joined Further Seems Forever for Hide Nothing (2004). The band broke up in 2006 but reunited four years later with Carrabba on vocals. Their fourth studio album, Penny Black, was released in 2012.

Matchbook Romance is an American alternative rock band from Poughkeepsie, New York, initially formed in 1997 under the name Fizzlewink (1997–2001) and then The Getaway (2001–2002). They were signed to Epitaph Records and released two full-length albums, one EP and one split EP with Motion City Soundtrack under their label. Their EP West For Wishing, released in April 2003, was their first professional record and was produced by Brett Gurewitz. In September 2003, they debuted their first full-length album, Stories and Alibis.

+44 was an American rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2005. The group consisted of vocalist and bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182, lead guitarist Shane Gallagher of the Nervous Return, and rhythm guitarist Craig Fairbaugh of Mercy Killers. Hoppus and Barker created +44 shortly after the initial 2005 breakup of Blink-182 and before it was later reformed. The band's name refers to the international dialing code of the United Kingdom, the country where the duo first discussed the project. Early recordings were largely electronic in nature, and featured vocals by Carol Heller, formerly of the all-girl punk quartet Get the Girl.

Cobra Starship is an American dance-rock band formed in New York City, New York, in 2005 by Gabe Saporta. He recorded the first album as a solo project, While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets. Saporta later enlisted guitarist Ryland Blackinton, bassist Alex Suarez, drummer Nate Novarro, and keytarist Victoria Asher, all of whom provide backing vocals.

Paul Michael Slayton, better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper and DJ. He was an early signee of the Houston-based record label Swishahouse in the late 1990s, through which he met labelmate Chamillionaire and released several albums, including the collaborative Get Ya Mind Correct (2002). By 2005, he signed with Atlantic Records to release his second album and major label debut, The Peoples Champ (2005), which debuted atop the Billboard 200. His third album, Get Money, Stay True (2007), peaked within the chart's top ten. His guest appearance on Nelly's 2005 single "Grillz" yielded his greatest commercial success, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was also nominated for Best Rap Performance as a Duo or Group at the 2007 Grammy Awards.

The Rocket Summer is the solo project of Bryce Avary, a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and record producer based in Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas.