AFI frontman Davey Havok has recounted how label executives pressured the punk band with misguided commercial strategies during the recording of their 2006 album 'Decemberunderground'. When the band's label was absorbed into Interscope under Jimmy Iovine's direction, the A&R department attempted to align the group with the executive's musical interests at the time, leading to a series of ill-fated suggestions.

Among the proposals were a collaboration with hip-hop artist 50 Cent and an experimental venture into mobile phone ringtone production designed as a full album project. Ultimately, neither idea materialised, though ringtone versions of some tracks were eventually released. Despite the troubled creative environment, 'Decemberunderground' proved commercially successful, debuting at the top of the US Billboard 200 and spawning the hit singles 'Miss Murder' and 'Love Like Winter'.