Ryan Piers

Sometimes the ear knows when it hears something special. It perks up, attentively absorbing audio waves from a source wonderful and unique enough to command its undivided attention. Early twenty one pilots had that effect, blending an array of instruments, production techniques and vocal patterns into a happy hodgepodge of songs that eventually peppered the Billboard Hot 100...

Masters of their craft can only stay on top for so long. Eventually, they hand over the reins to their pupils—but not without guidance.  You may have stopped listening to many of pop punk’s giants long ago, tossing their CDs in a closet or burying them in a desk drawer. Little did you ...

No collection of a musicians is more impactful outside their band than blink-182. If there is, it’s tough to think of who. Despite the multi-platinum records and countless sold out shows, the sum of blink’s parts might be better than the whole.  Mark H... Read More ...

Important people in music aren’t just behind the microphone, drums or keyboard. They’re also slaving away on Pro Tools, tweaking audio and making the band sound better.  The late Jerry Finn produced Sum 41, blink-182, MxPx and dozens of others in the early 2000s. Tom Lord-Alge m...

Welcome back to pop punk. Come and look around. If you haven’t air-guitared to “All The Small Things” since high school, or even middle school, there’s so much for you to catch up on.  There’s no need to feel nostalgic or pine for the past. The scene is alive, diverse and o...

Pop punk found new life in 2020. Young bands blossomed, while hip-hop and pop acts picked up guitars. Maybe you’re one of the many fans who rediscovered old favorites on social media. Possibly, Chase Hudson (aka LILHUDDY) acted as your power-chord gateway drug.  ...

Early emo artists crammed into Washington, D.C. basements, while punk rockers destroyed small California clubs. Grunge blew up in the Pacific Northwest, but it all spread across the world. Alternative rock, whatever form it comes in, isn’t just a staple of Western culture. It’s...

The casual music fan must notice that pop punk is undergoing a renaissance. 2020 brought a slew of artists taking a stab at power chords and aggressive lyrics, but simmering under the surface are plenty of up-and-comers.  2021 is a big year for many musicians. Con...

Nobody must long for blinding stage lights and sweaty mosh pitters more than musicians. To stand onstage and perform is more than a means for a living. It’s therapy, a chance for artists to bond with a couple dozen or a couple thousand people.  ...

When blink-182 announced the collaborations for their upcoming album, the message-board grumblings were loud. The additions seemed too mainstream for a band who often mocked pop culture.  On the other hand, making a play at distant fanbases can only help the scene. If ...

The Venn diagram comprising many punk and metal offshoots got pretty messy in the 2000s. Post-hardcore crews were regularly lumped in with metalcore, screamo, emo and a plethora of hybrid acts, often sounding comparable and touring together...

The year is 2001. The middle school bus stops by your house in 10 minutes as you hastily smudge on frosted lip gloss, grab your tattoo choker necklace and add an extra gem to your jeans' bedazzled pocket. Trucker hats and studded belts are all the rage...

The list of young, talented pop-punk bands in America seems without end. From luxurious Los Angeles to the gorgeous hills of West Virginia, up-and-comers jam in pubs and clubs. They’re grinding on social media and releasing new music with that nostalgic pop-punk sound upgraded to fit the 2020s.  ...

What were you doing 10 years ago? If trying to make it as a musician while working a side job filled your days, you can relate to a few bands on this list. Pop punk turned over a new leaf in 2010, with a handful of future greats introducing themselves to the music world...

The blink-182 universe is expanding fast, with the trio often collaborating with fast-rising musicians. Two recent beneficiaries of Travis Barker’s percussion and producing talents are Machine Gun Kelly and YUNGBLUD.  It may seem like an unorthodox collaboration, but lyrically, those two artists share so much in common with the pop-punk giants. Can you s...

Pop punk is often associated with the turn of the century when power chords, skateboarders and forever-young tunes on MTV ruled the scene. More recently, there’s the puzzling association of the genre with pizza that has turned into a giant inside joke.  ...

You think you know blink-182? Yeah, you’ve caught pretty much every tour since 1997 and strum a pink Fender just like Mark Hoppus. You may even own all of their albums on vinyl, including Dogs Eating Dogs. Plenty has been said about the trio. Afte...

Travis Mills spent the past four years out of the spotlight, often burrowed in production studios helping other artists find their perfect sound. It’s a far cry from the center stage of festivals where Mills would whip crowds into frenzies with his endless energy.  ...

The year is 2015. Rocking your “Defend Pop Punk” T-shirt, you elbow through the masses hoping for a prime spot against the railing beneath the Journeys Left Foot Stage at Warped Tour. Your feet fry like eggs on the blacktop beneath the scorching summer sun. Dehydratio...

Summer is the season of pop punk. Sadly, almost everyone’s favorite part of the year seems quite a bit different in the middle of a pandemic. Thankfully, some of our go-to pop-punk bands are fresh off quality releases that rival their earlier work.  ...