15 pop-punk/emo bands to keep an eye on
Signed to Anchor Eighty Four Records, Grayscale have some serious Jimmy Eat World and Brand New vibes. Check out “Palette” and be prepare for it to get stuck in your head immediately.
Headquarters: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Check out: “Palette”
TMP’s Facebook “about me” says it all: “Short Description: Family band from Minnesota. Long Description: We would love to play your house!” They are definitely one of the most entertaining live acts today.
Headquarters: Benson, Minnesota
Check out: “Headache”
Like Pacific’s defining ethos is “Stay Pissed” and songs like “Distant” show them living up to that message.
Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario
Check out: “Distant”
Currently on Hopeless Records, Have Mercy are sure to make you feel something—whether that’s nostalgia or a personal connection to the lyrics is up to you.
Headquarters: Baltimore, Maryland
Check out: “Howl”
Founded in 2009, the Hotelier are incredibly honest in everything they do, and they back that sincerity with music that brings raw emotion and pulls on the heartstrings.
Headquarters: Worcester, Massachusetts
Check out: “Piano Player”
“Sprained Ankle” finds Julien Baker singing “Wish I could write songs about anything other than death.” So long as the songs all sound this great, we don’t mind if she keeps exploring mortality with heart wrenching ballads.
Headquarters: Memphis, Tennessee
Check out: “Sprained Ankle”
It takes guts and skill to make your first-ever U.S. appearance an entire Warped Tour, and that’s just what Moose Blood did last year. Another of Hopeless Records’ U.K. emo exports, check out “Honey” and get ready for some feels.
Headquarters: Canterbury, England
Check out: “Honey”
Bay Faction’s self-titled album is nothing but back to back jams, with “Jasper Wildlife Assoc.” standing out as the strongest offering from these Boston boys. Any band that lists their genre as “post-coital” is worth a listen.
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
Check out: “Jasper Wildlife Assoc.”
If you like your pop punk on the grittier side, you’ve just found your new favorite band. Microwave vocalist Nathan Hardy sings and yells perfectly over melodic guitar riffs, and we’re stoked to see what is next for this four-piece after their debut LP Stovall.
Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia
Check out: “Trash Stains”
Pentimento is a four piece melting pot of genres, ranging from quiet indie to raucous punk, along with everything in between.
Headquarters: Buffalo, New York
Check out: “Stuck Forever”
No Sleeps Records rock outfit Balance And Composure are veterans compared to some of the other bands on this list, but you will undoubtedly find yourself lost in their music.
Headquarters: Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Check out: “Reflection”
Cameron Boucher uses Sorority Noise to take on the usual trappings of the genre (rejection, heartbreak, angst) but never shies away from exploring the source of these issues: his own mental health struggles. Music this vulnerable and confessional has a welcome place in the scene.
Headquarters: Hartford, Connecticut
Check out: “Nolsey”
Can’t Swim aren’t afraid to let their emotions out, and the vocals loose. When those two come together, it’s truly powerful.
Headquarters: Keansburg, NJ
Check out: “Can’t Swim”
Listening to the heart-on-a-sleeve, all-or-nothing style of frontman James Alex, it’s no surprise that they inspired a fan to approach them after a disastrous show. In doing so, the fan saved the band, creating a story straight out of a Beach Slang song.
Headquarters: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Check out: “Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas”
Foxing takes a different approach to their music and live show, and the results come across entirely poetic.
Headquarters: St. Louis, Missouri
Check out: “The Medic”
