The “American Football” House Has Been Saved For Future Emo Generations
Originally built in 1893, the unassuming white house located at 704 W. High Street in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, became an icon for an entire genre when it appeared on the cover of American Football’s seminal 1999 self-titled album. It subsequently appeared in the 2014 video for “Never Meant” and even became a sort of tourist spot for emo fans.
So it seems only fitting that when the house came up for sale last year, American Football would team up with Polyvinyl Records, Chris Strong (the photographer who took that iconic cover), and several others to buy “their” old house:
Built in 1893, the home has become a historical monument to not only the band, but every fan who’s listened to their era-defining debut that established its quaint facade as iconic midwest imagery. When we heard in the fall of 2022 that the house was for sale, we made a pact with our friends to protect the house from developers and likely demolition. A few days ago, we held true to this promise and formally signed the closing papers, preserving both the space and its unique legacy within the community that shaped its existence.
Of course, folks on Twitter have plenty of suggestions for what should be done with the house:
- “imagining the house becoming a museum, a venue, a place for traveling musicians to stay, a studio… the possibilities are endless”
- “Petition to make the American Football house a UNESCO World Heritage Site.”
- “Imagine if you made it into a little museum of emo”
- “MAKE IT INTO A VENUE”
- “this house should really be hosting DIY shows”
American Football’s most recent release was the “Rare Symmetry” single, which included a cover of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You” as a B-side.