Jawbox is an American post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C., formed in 1989 by J. Robbins (vocals/guitar), Kim Coletta (bass), and Adam Wade (drums).

Jawbox signed to the major label Atlantic Records and released their third album For Your Own Special Sweetheart in 1994, which spawned the band's most recognizable song "Savory".

From 1986 to 1989, J. Robbins played in the final incarnation of Government Issue, the longest lived of the early Washington, D.C. hardcore punk bands.

After Government Issue disbanded, Robbins formed Jawbox with bassist Kim Coletta and drummer Adam Wade.

[7] The band's name was found while they were reading Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, in which they saw that "a jawbox is a sink or sewer, and slang for television."

Jawbox have cited various bands and artists as influences, including Fugazi, Helmet, Sonic Youth, Big Black, Naked Raygun, and Edsel, among others.

Shortly after the release of Grippe, Wade's friend and roommate Bill Barbot joined the band as an additional guitarist and singer.

Due to Jawbox's active involvement with their own label DeSoto, the band requested unusual clauses for their contract with Atlantic, such as retaining the rights to distribute vinyl and controlling their own recording budget.

The band then began recording sessions with producer John Agnello for their 1996 album Jawbox (not to be confused with their earlier self-titled releases of the same name on Dischord and Slamdek).

A cover of the Tori Amos song "Cornflake Girl" was included as a hidden track on Jawbox and was subsequently issued as a promotional single.

Robbins became a producer with extensive credits to his name, working with artists such as Texas Is the Reason, Jets to Brazil, Shiner, Against Me!, Clutch, and many more.

On October 7, 2009, Jawbox announced that the band would reform for a one-off performance on the December 8, 2009 episode of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.

[18] Robbins stated that the band would not play any concerts at that time outside of the Late Night appearance, thus putting to rest rumors of a full-fledged reunion.

He was replaced by Brooks Harlan, the guitarist and co-founder of the band War on Women and a long-time musical collaborator of Robbins.

[22] On July 8, 2022, Jawbox released The Revisionist EP, which consisted of two Grippe re-recordings ("Grip" and "Consolation Prize") plus a Wire cover ("Lowdown").

[23] Jawbox has had an outsized impact on underground music, influencing such bands as Motion City Soundtrack,[24] Jim Ward of At the Drive-In and Sparta,[25] Braid,[26] the Jazz June,[27] Lemuria,[28] and Pilot to Gunner.