Following the success of their debut album, Wishful Thinking (2014), the majority of the band members quit their day jobs and vocalist Ben Barlow dropped out of university.
Working with Jeremy McKinnon, Andrew Wade and Tom Denney, the band recorded their second album between December 2014 and January 2015.
Nine days after the release of the album, guitarist Lloyd Roberts left the band due to allegations of sexual misconduct, which were dropped soon after.
[6] The success of the album resulted in the band moved from a "fun, part-time [entity]", as Barlow called it, to a full-time thing.
[7] Also due to the success, Thorpe-Evans, guitarists Matt West and Lloyd Roberts quitting their jobs, drummer Dani Washington turning down a place at the Academy of Contemporary Music[8] and Barlow dropping out of university.
[10] Neck Deep began writing new material as early as December 2013 prior to the release of Wishful Thinking.
[11] Vocalist Ben Barlow said Neck Deep wanted their second album to sound "bigger and better" than Wishful Thinking.
"[9] All of the songs on the album were credited to Neck Deep with Seb Barlow, Andrew Wade, Tom Denney and Jeremy McKinnon.
[15] The band wanted "Can't Kick Up the Roots" to be "a summer song" that "catch[es] people's ears straight away.
[18] The band decided to move "out of our comfort zone" and worked "with someone we've always looked up to", Jeremy McKinnon of A Day to Remember.
[12] McKinnon was working with Andrew Wade on The Ghost Inside's Dear Youth (2014) when Tom Denney had dropped by the studio.
[12] McKinnon had overheard Wade and Denney talking about having a meeting with Neck Deep to discuss their next album.
[26] Some of the items featured on the cover have been coincidences in relation to the lyrics as Cavolo made the art without hearing the album.
[44] The band supported All Time Low and Sleeping with Sirens in October and November[45] on their Back to the Future Hearts Tour.
[48] On 1 January 2016, a music video was released for "Smooth Seas Don't Make Good Sailors", which was filmed throughout 2015.
[51] The band went on a co-headlining UK tour with State Champs in February, with support from Creeper and Light Years.
[55] On 18 March 2016, an EP was released featuring "Serpents" and "Can't Kick Up the Roots"[56] as well as remixes of both songs by Mark Hoppus of Blink-182.
[59] Rock Sound editor Ryan Bird wrote that Life's Not out to Get You is the kind of "pop-punk album you just don't hear any more.
[68] Matt Crane of Alternative Press remarked "Ear-candy choruses [...] and touching acoustic ballads [...] make it rain pizza as far as the eye can see.
[82] All tracks are written by Neck Deep with Seb Barlow, Andrew Wade, Tom Denney & Jeremy McKinnon[14]Personnel per booklet.