Fall Out Boy So Much (For) Stardust
Released Mar 24, 2023 Fueled By Ramen
Consensus forming 3 professional reviews Updated Oct 6, 2026
Broadly positive consensus
Consensus is still forming across 3 professional reviews. Fall Out Boy's So Much (For) Stardust arrives as a jubilant homecoming that leans into the band's pop-rock foundations while wearing a more seasoned, stadium-ready confidence.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
Love From The Other Side
2 critic mentions
“Love From The Other Side” blows away any cobwebs with its powerful, teeth-bearing promise of a return to their heavier side.” — The Line of Best Fit
Heaven, Iowa
2 critic mentions
“The epic “Heaven, Iowa” throws everything including the kitchen sink, a gospel choir, and a searing hair-metal solo into the mix.” — The Line of Best Fit
I Am My Own Muse
2 critic mentions
“the James Bond-ish drama at the close of ‘I Am My Own Muse” — DIY Magazine
Full critic consensus
Fall Out Boy's So Much (For) Stardust arrives as a jubilant homecoming that leans into the band's pop-rock foundations while wearing a more seasoned, stadium-ready confidence. Across three professional reviews the record earned an 80/100 consensus score, and critics note a palpable return to roots marked by guitar-driven hooks, grandiosity and moments of joyful exuberance. The quick verdict from the critical consensus: yes, the collection is worth listening to for fans who wanted a reconnection with the group's classic strengths.
Reviewers consistently point to standout tracks as proof of the album's payoff. “Love From The Other Side” and “Heaven, Iowa” emerge repeatedly as the best songs on So Much (For) Stardust, praised for emotive string work and soaring, stadium-sized choruses respectively. Critics also highlight “I Am My Own Muse” and “What a Time To Be Alive” for their dramatic and playful turns, while “Heartbreak Feels So Good” and the disco-tinged title cut receive mentions for rekindling Patrick Stump's knack for catchy melodies. Across the three professional reviews, writers celebrate the album's songwriting craft and nostalgia and continuity with past work, even as a few softer moments register as minor missteps.
Taken together, the critical consensus frames So Much (For) Stardust as a confident re-engagement with Fall Out Boy's strengths - a grand, guitar-forward record that balances celebratory excess with polished songwriting - and a satisfying follow-up that will likely please long-term fans and those curious about the band's return to pop-rock territory.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Love From The Other Side
Heartbreak Feels So Good
Hold Me Like a Grudge
Fake Out
Heaven, Iowa
So Good Right Now
The Pink Seashell (feat. Ethan Hawke)
I Am My Own Muse
Flu Game
Baby Annihilation
The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)
What a Time To Be Alive
So Much (For) Stardust
We Didn’t Start The Fire (Bonus Track)
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Fall Out Boy sound reinvigorated on So Much (For) Stardust, with clear standouts like “Love From The Other Side” and “Heaven, Iowa” that showcase the band’s return to bold, luscious pop-rock. The review revels in the emotive strings that open “Love From The Other Side”, and celebrates the soaring, stadium-sized chorus of “Heaven, Iowa” as proof that their old strengths remain intact. There is also praise for the dramatic turn of “I Am My Own Muse” and the playful funk of “What a Time To Be Alive”, which together underline why listeners search for the best tracks on So Much (For) Stardust. Overall the record is described as a joyful, confident continuation of their DNA, a satisfying comeback that rewards long-term fans.
Key Points
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The best song is the opener “Love From The Other Side” for its emotive strings and powerful guitars.
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The album’s core strengths are a confident return to bold pop-rock, dramatic flourishes, and stadium-sized choruses.
Themes
Critic's Take
Fall Out Boy return with So Much (For) Stardust as a jubilant homecoming, led by the bruising promise of “Love From The Other Side” and the sprawling excess of “Heaven, Iowa”. Loftin’s prose revels in big, stadium-ready moments but also notes softer missteps, calling out “So Good Right Now” as leaning too sweet. Overall, the album’s best tracks are its most large-hearted and ambitious moments, the ones that make the return feel true rather than nostalgic.
Key Points
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The best song, “Love From The Other Side”, is best for its powerful, teeth-bearing promise and heavier return.
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The album's core strength is grandiose, stadium-ready songwriting that balances matured themes with genre variety.
Themes
Ho
Critic's Take
Fall Out Boy sound as if they have rediscovered their fire on So Much (For) Stardust, with the guitars back and impossibly catchy hooks returning. The reviewer singles out “Heartbreak Feels So Good” and “Fake Out” as welcome reminders of Patrick Stump’s underrated skills, and praises the disco-infused title track “So Much (For) Stardust” as proof the veteran has tricks left. There is a sense of hunger and a confident reclaiming of territory, making these the best tracks on So Much (For) Stardust for fans craving classic FOB songwriting.
Key Points
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The best song is a tie among guitar-forward, hooky tracks like "Heartbreak Feels So Good" and "Fake Out" for spotlighting Patrick Stump’s songwriting.
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The album’s core strengths are a return to guitar-driven hooks, nostalgia for earlier eras, and renewed band hunger.