drive-thru

29 songs that defined the Drive-Thru Records era

Few record labels have championed pop-punk the way Drive-Thru Records did. In the way same labels like Run For Cover and No Sleep have built a distinct musical community today, Drive-Thru did it in the early 2000s—only bigger. An up-and-coming band signing to Drive-Thru was almost guaranteed to pick up Starting Line or Early November fans. No one was a fan of just one band on this label. No one.

After entering a distribution deal with major label MCA, which was dissolved into Geffen Records (who had a major sweet tooth for pop-punk at the time), a surge of Drive-Thru bands were up-streamed to ridiculous levels of mainstream exposure, including perks likes radio play, late-night television appearances, being played in clothing stores and even being featured on The O.C. (one of the most watched television shows at the time.)

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The comedown from this high of success was quick, leading to bands breaking up and, eventually, the label itself shutting down. But today, we’re left with the Drive-Thru’s legendary catalog—a sonic shot of nostalgia that will certainly take you back to being a teen and/or living in this great era of music. Here are 29 songs that defined not only Drive-Thru Records, but the scene at large.

1. Allister – “Somewhere On Fullerton”

2. Fenix TX – “All My Fault”

3. The Early November – “Ever So Sweet”

4. Senses Fail – “One Eight Seven”

5. Something Corporate – “I Woke Up In A Car”

6. The Starting Line – “Three’s A Charm”

7. Finch – “Letters To You”

8. New Found Glory – “My Friends Over You”

9. Hellogoodbye – “Here (In Your Arms)”

10. Midtown – “Like A Movie”

11. Fenix TX – “Threesome”

12. Something Corporate – “Konstantine”

13. The Starting Line – “Leaving”

14. Hidden In Plain View – “Bleed For You”

15. Hellogoodbye – “Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn”

16. Rx Bandits – “Teen Idol”

17. Hellogoodbye – “Jesse Buy Nothing… Go To Prom Anyways”

18. The Early November – “Baby Blue”

19. Rx Bandits – “Analog Boy”

20. Finch – “What It Is To Burn”

21. Midtown – “Just Rock & Roll”

22. The Movielife – “Hand Grenade”

23. The Starting Line – “The Best Of Me”

24. Hidden In Plain View – “Twenty Below”

25. Something Corporate – “If You C Jordan”

26. Senses Fail – “Bloody Romance”

27. The Movielife – “Jamestown”

28. New Found Glory – “Hit Or Miss”

29. The Starting Line – “Up & Go”