Find your new band to escape with below. 

Read more: These 10 bands represent the roots and future of shoegaze as we know it

Floral Tattoo

Emo and shoegaze have a lot in common, though blending twinkly guitar picking, emotional vocals and layered guitar landscapes in a coherent way is a true rarity. Raw, down-to-earth and heavenly, You Can Never Have A Long Enough Head Start sounds like finally hugging a friend, the one who truly gets you, after an eternity of social distancing. And Floral Tattoo records aren’t the only reason to love them. Proudly identifying as “pnw shoegays,” the band are questioning the nature and fairness of our reality in their lyrics while advocating for social justice and contributing to real-life changes in their community and the world.

Fax Gang 

Just like new underground movements are now popping up on the internet, and not so much in local venues, shoegaze isn’t all about introverts playing dreamy tunes on their guitars anymore. It’s also about introverts collaborating online from five different countries and uploading their dreamy tracks to SoundCloud. Fax Gang’s debut LP is a mind-altering specimen of shoegaze 3.0. Throbbing with bit-crushed layers of beats, glitched-out vocals and hazy melodies, Aethernet sounds 100% digital and 1,000% humanly emotional. We can call it many things, from hyperpop to HexD to shoegaze trap. Let’s go with “aethernetgaze.”

Sugar High

If you start with “Ugly,” you’ll witness a rare case of nothing,nowhere.-sounding emo rap with female vocals. Tracks such as “Alone,” on the other hand, will surprise you with how beautifully trap beats can be merged with gleaming guitars and washed-out atmospheres. The duo released their debut LP, Love Addict, in 2020, and are definitely ones to watch for their emotional and shoegaze-y fusion of rock and trap.

Holy Fawn

You can find Holy Fawn on Spotify’s Shoegaze Classics, browsing tags such as sludge, blackgaze, dream pop, doomgaze, post-rock and -metal or spot in Riot Fest 2021’s lineup. So which genre are they? There’s one essential regularity persisting throughout their discography, though: the buildup-explosion framework. Inside tracks, among tracks and between the records. And it’s this reverb-dense continuity connecting transcendental soundscapes and thick walls of sound, angelic singing and screams that allows to loosely tag them as shoegaze. That and their obsession with pedalboards.

Strawberry Hospital

Neptune Gomez, the mysterious entity behind Strawberry Hospital, looks like a scene kid. Even though it’s been a minute since the rawring 2000s, their releases will definitely find a way to your heart, whether your profile pic is still your favorite anime character or you just recently got into the dark side of the Y2K hype. Metal gigs, underground raves, parties, strawberry ice cream, moments of ecstasy and emotional pits are just some of the mental pictures Strawberry Hospital’s sounds bring up. In the spirit of hyperpop and trancecore, they’re drawing a thin line between human and digital by bit-crushing black-metal samples and layering Auto-Tuned vocals beyond recognition. The result? A beautiful, dark fantasy, transcending genre, gender and reality itself.

Pinkshinyultrablast

Shoegaze and ’80s synth-pop is escapism times two. And there’s hardly any other youth, historically and currently, drawn to escapism more than Eastern European kids (hello!). Wherever on the planet you are, Miserable Miracles is the drug you need, and Bernie Sanders shirt-wearing Lyubov is the trip sitter you deserve.

Slow Crush

If abrasive, grunge-y melancholy is what you’re looking for in shoegaze, look no further. Moody yet intense, Slow Crush‘s dynamic instrumentals take shoegaze to peaks of intensity and heaviness, though not in the already common metal-sense, but a post-hardcore one. Meanwhile, Isa Holliday’s silky vocals remain calm and soothing, whether fusing with dreamy, slightly dissonant soundscapes or diving into a dark storm.

Haru Nemuri

With a mission to create the most rock ’n’ roll pop to ever exist, the Japanese poetry rapper weaves shoegaze into a high-energy mix of J-pop, emo and hip-hop with lush guitar riffs, creative percussion patterns and funky bass. Haru Nemuri’s playful rapping (with unexpected screams here and there) is, of course, playing the lead role in her releases, as she’s experimenting with contrasting moods and atmospheres, from melancholic, action-packed ambiance to intense bursts of pure happiness. At least that’s how it sounds to someone who doesn’t understand her lyrics and has to rely on positive hooks in English. Now check out “Pink Unicorn.” See?

Avenade

Sure, there’s no way to start a conversation about Avenade without bringing up Deftones. But this single-player isn’t just another underground artist putting out pieces of the oversaturated mega-genre of Deftones-core. Not only because Matt Hawkins’ vocals tend to sound a lot like Gerard Way’s in the emotional parts. It’s also because of crazy mood swings in his style that can go anywhere from hard-hitting noise rock (“Even So”) to hopelessly romantic, brutally naive and extremely melancholic, well, shoegaze. Like in “Closure,” our new favorite try-not-to-cry challenge.

Fleshwater

Speaking of Deftones-core, Fleshwater, a project featuring members from Vein, are rapidly gaining traction after having only released an eight-minute-long demo, and not without good reason. This atmospheric alt metal-gaze with heavy grunge tendencies, subtle nü-metal throwbacks and compelling vocals conjures some of the best memories from the 2000s scene while sounding fresh and personal. One of the most anticipated LPs of 2021? Hell yeah.

It’s no wonder that popular tracks by favorites such as Three Days Grace and Linkin Park stand at the forefront of our memories. After all, we could barely turn on the radio without hearing “Pain” or “Breaking The Habit.” Still, there are a number of incredible songs that aren’t as actively recognized.

Read more: Here’s what led to BMTH and BABYMETAL’s heavy collab “Kingslayer”

Here are 10 of our favorite songs by 2000s alternative bands that we think are totally underrated.

Paramore – “Fences”

Let’s be honest: Every song by Paramore is deserving of significant and continued attention. Still, when the conversation turns to the Riot! era, only a few tracks tend to be referenced. Those are “Misery Business,” “That’s What You Get” and “crushcrushcrush.” We’re here to say that “Fences” deserves to stand among their ranks. Between the catchy hooks and jazzy bassline, the song is both a standout from their discography and the larger scene.

The Academy Is… – “Black Mamba”

You’ll be hard-pressed to find any song by the Academy Is… that you don’t want to sing along to. Classic pop-punk energy aside, their lyrics are just so relatable. It’s really no surprise that we’re still singing songs such as “The Phrase That Pays” and “About A Girl.” Where’s all the love for “Black Mamba,” though? If any song is a beacon of familiar experience and inspiration, it’s the one that lashes out against critics. Just try to tell us that belting the lines “If you don’t like it take a long walk/Off of the shortest pier you can find” isn’t immediately therapeutic.

Panic! At The Disco – “Build God, Then We’ll Talk”

Contrary to what some might argue after Brendon Urie’s mainstream success, there’s no such thing as an overrated Panic! At The Disco song. This scene icon has been putting out masterpieces ever since their debut, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. That’s not to say the tracks that have maintained their continued popularity are the best of the best, though. Otherwise, “Build God, Then We’ll Talk” would have to be among their most streamed on Spotify. Between the whimsical air, vivid narrative and unexpected cello solo, we can’t believe this song doesn’t get ranked higher among the band’s discography. 

Read more: QUIZ: Which 2009 album are you?

My Chemical Romance – “Cemetery Drive”

My Chemical Romance are well known for their painfully evocative melodies and lyrics. Given their poignance, it’s no wonder that “Welcome To The Black Parade” and “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” have persisted as emo anthems through the years. If there’s any song that should stand with them on that pedestal (besides, of course, “Helena”), we’d nominate “Cemetery Drive.” Between its energetic but chilling instrumentals and edgy lines, it’s a wonder this song isn’t backed by the same fame.

blink-182 – “Easy Target”

Apologies in advance because this whole song will be stuck in your head within five seconds of pressing play. We can’t imagine anyone made it through the 2000s without listening to blink-182’s Untitled album in its entirety, so it’s shocking that “Easy Target” isn’t a larger point of nostalgia. Though arguably less moving than favorites such as “I Miss You” and “Feeling This,” the track’s just so prime to get your heart racing.

Boys Like Girls – “Learning To Fall”

Think of Boys Like Girls and your mind will likely go to “The Great Escape” and “Five Minutes To Midnight.” We can’t fault you. Those tracks were staples of any scene kid’s iPod. Their whole self-titled debut album is full of reminiscent bangers, though. Of all of them, we’re most surprised that “Learning To Fall” isn’t remembered more readily. With its heartbreaking lyrics, this song should’ve been one of the bigger emo tracks of the decade. Just try getting past the line “I don’t wanna know that you know/It should have been me” without feeling an ounce of hurt.

Read more: Pale Waves explain how Avril Lavigne’s music helped them inspire the next gen

Evanescence – “Cloud Nine”

It’s hardly shocking that songs such as “Bring Me To Life” and “My Immortal” have remained popular over the years. Evanescence just know how to write songs that are simultaneously timeless and emblematic of their surroundings. Nevertheless, some of their songs are less prominent in the scene’s collective memory. “Cloud Nine” is one that’s deserving of so much more recognition. Between the complexity of Amy Lee’s vocal melodies and the dark, layered backing, this track showcases everything the band have ever had to offer.

Metro Station – “California”

It’s damn near impossible to pick out a Metro Station song that doesn’t slap. All of their most memorable songs, obviously including “Shake It” and “Kelsey,” more than earned their success. Their whole self-titled album should be a regular point of nostalgia, though. Most notably, “California” deserves all the recognition in the world for its extreme catchiness and danceability. Plus, the lyrics are so damn cute…

Fall Out Boy – “Chicago Is So Two Years Ago”

Fall Out Boy were best known in the 2000s scene for From Under The Cork Tree and Infinity On High. However, their debut album, Take This To Your Grave, was a totally underrated pop-punk masterpiece in comparison. Given that the tracks “Dead On Arrival” and “Grand Theft Autumn / Where Is Your Boy” have received some continued recognition, we can’t be too upset, but the album still deserves more love. Case in point: “Chicago Is So Two Years Ago.” The track is pared down in relation to the dynamic style the band later adopted, which really allows Patrick Stump’s energy and powerful lyrics to shine. 

Read more: 10 underrated albums from the 2000s you probably forgot about

All Time Low – “Shameless”

Given All Time Low’s totally stacked discography, it’s no surprise that some killer tracks have fallen to the wayside. While “Dear Maria, Count Me In” and “Weightless” deserve every one of their millions of streams, we can’t help but wonder how “Shameless” isn’t up there with them. Besides being near impossible not to sing along with, the song is so emblematic of prime 2000s pop punk. 

Which 2000s songs do you think are vastly underrated? Let us know in the comments!

We’re not sure exactly why or how the trend started, but it’s certainly provided plenty of entertainment over the years. And while a certain few bands are often credited with starting it, plenty of artists took part, each finding a unique way to grab the attention of fans old and new. Here are some of our favorites.

Read more: Someone quoted blink-182 lyrics on Bumble, and it didn’t go well

Hawthorne Heights – “Apparently Hover Boards Don’t Work On Water” 

This track was featured on the re-issue of Hawthorne Heights’ debut album, The Silence In Black And White, and credited to the band’s previous name, A Day In The Life. It’s strongly speculated by fans that the title was inspired by a scene in Back To The Future Part II—a totally plausible theory because many other fellow long-song-title writers in the scene also took inspiration from movies in one way or another. This track can also be found on the rare compilation album From Ohio With Love, alongside a few others with long titles.

Sleeping With Sirens – “If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn”

Writing long song titles may not have been something Sleeping With Sirens were particularly well known for, but they were definitely good at it. In fact, many of the songs on With Ears To See And Eyes To Hear, the band’s 2010 debut album, were on the longer side. This just so happened to be the one that skyrocketed the band to instant popularity. Of course, Kellin Quinn’s incredible vocals on the track also didn’t hurt. 

Cute Is What We Aim For – “Sweat The Battle Before The Battle Sweats You”

We’re totally still jamming to CIWWAF—and still appreciating their creativity—in 2020. “Sweat The Battle Before The Battle Sweats You” was featured alongside plenty of other creatively titled tracks on the band’s debut album, such as “I Put The ‘Metro’ In Metronome,” “Teasing To Please (Left Side, Strong Side)” and, of course, “The Curse Of Curves.” Despite being the longest title on the album, “Sweat The Battle Before The Battle Sweats You” actually rolls off the tongue almost as easily as the aforementioned alliterative fan favorite. 

Say Anything – “I Will Never Write An Obligatory Song About Being On The Road And Missing Someone”

For a band whose lyrics often leaned toward social commentary, Say Anything wrote some pretty amazing songs about love and relationships. In typical Max Bemis fashion, he manages to find a creative way to express these emotions that is anything but typical. 

From First To Last – “I’ll Innonculate The World With The Virus Of My Disillusionment”

This title seems so fitting for the year 2020. It also perfectly complements the masterful lyricism in the song. From First To Last took the long-song-title trend to a new level by throwing in some lengthy and uncommon words. It’s hard not to wonder what was going through their heads when they decided on this mouthful of a name, but we sure are glad they stuck with it. 

Mayday Parade – “You Be The Anchor That Keeps My Feet On the Ground, I’ll Be The Wings That Keep Your Heart In The Clouds”

It’s only fitting that a band known for their poetic lyrics would write equally poetic song titles, and they achieved just that with the final track on A Lesson In Romantics, their most beloved and commercially successful release to date. In typical Mayday fashion, the lyrics of this song paint a vivid and emotional picture. It isn’t exactly clear whether there’s a connection between the title and the story being told within the lyrics, but one thing’s for sure—if Mayday Parade’s goal was to make this long song title memorable, they succeeded. Being a poem in its own right, it’s been featured in tons of tattoos and fan art pieces. 

Go Radio – “You Hold Your Breath, I’ll Hold My Liquor”

Notice anything familiar about the title format here? This track was penned by Jason Lancaster, current frontman of Go Radio and former chief lyricist of Mayday Parade. While it isn’t quite as long as the previous item, it is equally clever, and the song itself is an absolute banger. The members of Go Radio reunited in September 2019 after a devastating six-year hiatus and have since released two singles, “Say It Again” and “So Love.” Meanwhile, Lancaster is getting ready to release his new solo EP, Say I’m What You Want.

Fall Out Boy – “Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued”

This list would be incomplete without at least one song from Fall Out Boy, who are among the scene’s OG long-song-title writers. And this one is just classic. It’s natural to be curious about the origins of these extensive and often outlandish titles, but young FOB took the guesswork out of this one, telling the story right then and there. Indeed, the original title of the song was “My Name Is David Ruffin And These Are The Temptations,” in reference to how an ego-driven David Ruffin tried to change the Temptations’ name to “David Ruffin And The Temptations.” Fall Out Boy’s lawyer warned the band that if they kept this title, they could wind up facing a lawsuit from Ruffin’s estate. All things considered, we’re happy they decided to change it—and even happier that this was what they decided to change it to. 

Circa Survive – “The Difference Between Medicine And Poison Is In The Dose”

It’s pretty well known that Anthony Green cannot write a bad song, and he’s also proven time and time again that he cannot write a bad title. Everything about Circa Survive’s On Letting Go was memorable, from the creative names to the killer vocals to the hauntingly beautiful album cover art. Can someone just take us back to 2007, please?

Cobra Starship – “Send My Love To The Dance Floor I’ll See You In Hell (Hey Mister DJ)”

Why leave it at just “Hey Mister DJ” when you could make it sound even more early 2000s-esque? Cobra Starship definitely mastered the art of the long song title, perhaps drawing inspiration from Pete Wentz, whom they claim in the title of another track is the only reason they’re famous. In reality, Wentz and Cobra frontman Gabe Saporta were good friends long before the band signed to Wentz’s record label, Decaydance. Wentz has stated publicly that Cobra Starship’s fame and success actually had little to do with him and everything to do with their hard work and dedication—and, in our opinion, their creativity. They wrote quite a few memorable long song titles over their 10-year career. 

Panic! At The Disco – “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage”

P!ATD are another top contender for the title of “Long Title Champions.” Featured on the band’s beloved debut album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, this name is a quote from Chuck Palahniuk’s 1999 satirical novel, Survivor, in which the pages are numbered backward. Sounds exactly like Panic!’s particular brand of weird, right? There are tons of different interpretations and analyses of this song out there, but fans generally tend to agree on a few things: The lyrics are compelling, the vocal hooks are addictive and the band succeeded in “shaking up” the pop-punk scene by exploring deeper topics than wanting to escape one’s hometown. 

Paramore –  “For A Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic”

OK, it may not be anywhere near the longest title on the list, but it is pretty damn clever. Like many of their pop-punk peers, Paramore played around with juxtaposition to create and add length to this truly memorable song title off Riot!. They’re now working on their sixth album, which frontwoman Hayley Williams revealed earlier this year would be a return to their pop-punk roots.  

My Chemical Romance – “Honey, This Mirror Isn’t Big Enough For The Two Of Us”

MCR are another band who may not come to mind instantly when you think of long song titles, but they definitely had some masterpieces. This track comes from the band’s debut album, which many die-hard fans regard as criminally underrated. My Chem would later go on to top the number of words in this title with “Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)” (that is, if you consider “na” a word). Yeah, they really did that. 

Asking Alexandria – “If You Can’t Ride Two Horses At Once…You Should Get Out Of The Circus”

No argument here, Asking Alexandria. With a total of 15 words and an ellipsis in the middle, this is the longest of many curious song titles on the band’s 2009 debut, Stand Up And Scream, and one of the most memorable in their entire discography. In February, Asking Alexandria released a brand-new long-titled single, “They Don’t Want What We Want (And They Don’t Care),” and the full album, Like A House On Fire, officially dropped in May. 

Bring Me The Horizon – “No Need For Introductions, I’ve Read About Girls Like You On The Backs Of Toilet Doors”

The shortest track on the album with the longest title, “No Need For Introductions, I’ve Read About Girls Like You On The Backs Of Toilet Doors” has been appropriately described by BMTH fans as the ultimate “fuck you” song. Another distinguishing feature is its soft, piano-driven intro, which gives way almost instantly to raw, unfiltered metalcore. This is actually a deeply personal track for vocalist Oli Sykes, so Suicide Season-era fans did get to see it played live. 

Hellogoodbye – “Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn (Take It Back To Square One)”

A subtrend of the long-song-title craze was adding on an extra piece in parentheses like with this Hellogoodbye track. Why wasn’t a one-part title good enough? We’re not sure exactly, but we’re definitely not complaining. Hellogoodbye have been relatively quiet since the 2018 release of their fourth album, S’Only Natural, but earlier this year, they announced a 10-year anniversary livestream event for Would It Kill You?, their second full-length and a longtime fan favorite. 

Underoath – “Anyone Can Dig A Hole But It Takes A Real Man To Call It Home” 

Fans of Underoath have speculated that this song, along with several others on Lost In The Sound Of Separation, deals with vocalist Spencer Chamberlain’s struggle with addiction. The title is a powerful statement and relatable to anyone who’s ever felt they reached rock bottom. Since the band’s revival in 2015, they’ve received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance, toured with Korn and Alice In Chains and performed three of their classic albums as part of their Observatory livestream concert series. 

Senses Fail – “The Irony Of Dying On Your Birthday”

Everything about this Senses Fail song—the title, the lyrics, the unbelievably catchy intro riff—screams 2004 post-hardcore (no pun intended). While it isn’t nearly as long as some of the other tracks on this list, it gets bonus points for creativity and its level of emo-ness. Currently, Senses Fail are making the most of the ongoing pandemic by working on enough new material to fill two albums, which they are planning to release within a year of each other once the world returns to normal.

Forever The Sickest Kids – “Crossroads (I Guess You Can Say Things Are Getting Pretty Serious)” 

FTSK had plenty of upbeat songs with fun, lighthearted titles, but this was actually one of the few that hit you right in the feels. It deals with the difficult decision of whether to hang on to a relationship or let it go. We’re excited to see what kind of direction these scene icons take as they pick up where they left off—they revealed back in June that they were getting started on some new material.   

All Time Low – “Get Down On Your Knees And Tell Me You Love Me” 

This track, of course, isn’t the first on the list to be named after a movie quote, and funnily enough, this isn’t even ATL’s first time referencing the same film franchise. With Jack Barakat being a huge fan of the Macaulay Culkin films, it’s no surprise the title comes from Home Alone 2: Lost In New York. The track follows “Keep The Change, You Filthy Animal,” on their previous album, Nothing Personal, which takes a line from the first Home Alone movie. 

You Me At Six – “There’s No Such Thing As Accidental Infidelity” 

Anger and long song titles go together like bread and butter, and this You Me At Six track is a perfect example. There’s no need to go digging for a hidden meaning with this one, and we love how blunt and to the point it is. In February, the band released a single titled “Our House (The Mess We Made)” and donated all proceeds to Australian bushfire relief. We’re hoping to see more new music and more activism from YMA6 once quarantine finally ends. 

We Came As Romans – “Roads That Don’t End And Views That Never Cease” 

Like Say Anything, WCAR put their own spin on a popular topic—the struggle of trying to make a relationship work as a touring musician. Unlike many of the songs on the list, the title of this one is actually in the lyrics, the rest of which are just as beautiful and poetic. Unfortunately, WCAR were forced to postpone their 10-year anniversary tour for To Plant A Seed but have already rescheduled the dates for 2021.

A Skylit Drive – “Thank God It’s Cloudy Because I’m Allergic To The Sunlight” 

Sounds emo, we’re in. This is the longest title on A Skylit Drive’s second album, Adelphia, which they’ve described as their most experimental. The band released three more albums before going on hiatus in 2016. Former lead vocalist Michael “Jag” Jagmin is now channeling his creative energy into a new project, Signals, which some fans have actually compared to ASD’s Adelphia-era sound. 

Chiodos – “I Didn’t Say I Was Powerful, I Said I Was A Wizard” 

As one may expect from a song with a title like this, Chiodos’ “I Didn’t Say I Was Powerful, I Said I Was A Wizard” tells a story, as do many of the songs on Bone Palace Ballet. Almost all of them are named after quotes from film, television, literature or even the members of Chiodos themselves. This particular line was spoken by the band’s guitar tech while he was high. Had we overheard something this epic, we probably would’ve wanted to make it a song title, too. 

Motion City Soundtrack – “A Life Less Ordinary (Need A Little Help)” 

Motion City Soundtrack have always been straightforward in their songwriting, and this title is no exception. Frontman and chief lyricist Justin Pierre took “A Life Less Ordinary” from the 1997 film of the same name but has stated that the track has nothing to do with the film—it’s more about wanting to live a more “normal,” stable life, free from destructive thoughts and feelings. 

A Static Lullaby – “Half Man, Half Shark; Equals One Complete Gentleman” 

Despite Faso Latido being A Static Lullaby’s most heavily criticized album, there are still a few standout moments, including this track. “Half Man, Half Shark; Equals One Complete Gentleman” is the longest title in the band’s entire four-album discography and is also an obscure film reference, taken from Cabin Boy, which was co-produced by Tim Burton. 

This Providence – “The World Is A Stage, But The Play Is Badly Cast” 

Clocking in at just one minute and 20 seconds, with only four lines repeated throughout, This Providence’s “The World Is A Stage, But The Play Is Badly Cast” knows how to keep it brief, although its title suggests otherwise. After years of extensive touring, the band split up in 2013. Vocalist/guitarist Dan Young has been writing and releasing new music under the name Lonely Benson since 2016 and released a five-track EP called Yesterday, in collaboration with synth duo Low Talker in August. 

Taking Back Sunday – “Cute Without The ‘E’ (Cut From The Team)” 

This title—and the song itself—may just be the epitome of early 2000s emo. Taking Back Sunday named the track after a phrase one of their friends said, and it’s only risen in popularity since its initial release. They’ve certainly come a long way since the days of touring on a shoestring budget—they embarked on a massive year-long world tour in 2019 to celebrate their 20th anniversary and will be hitting the road again in 2021. In the meantime, you can get your TBS fix by attending frontman Adam Lazzara’s solo acoustic livestream this Saturday.

Gym Class Heroes – “Petrified Life And The Twice Told Joke (Decrepit Bricks)” 

Much like Panic!’s “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage,” Gym Class Heroes’ “Petrified Life And The Twice Told Joke (Decrepit Bricks)” has many different interpretations of its lyrics floating around. In general, it’s regarded as one of their deepest and most emotional songs, describing a feeling that every fan has been able to relate to at one point or another.