state champs

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 know they’re […]

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 mixed scene-defining tracks. Popular musicians often join in, using […]

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.  If so, welcome. There’s so much to see. And if you thought […]

Only two EPs into their discography, Featherweight are already proving themselves as an act to be reckoned with. Mixing upbeat elements of pop punk with classic alt-rock, the quintet take listeners on a nostalgic trip to the ’90s. Inspired by bands such as the Story So Far and Turnover, the group implement heavier riffs for […]

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. Concerts are returning, and artists can show off all the […]

NOAHFINNCE and Doll Skin have collaborated to reimagine YUNGBLUD’s “Parents” for Songs That Saved My Life. They released the track in celebration of the beginning of Pride Month.   The cover gives the original a more punk–rock twist. At the same time, the original integrity of the song is still very much intact. Rather than completely […]

The organizers of Riot Fest have announced that the festival is returning to Douglass Park in Chicago this fall. In typical Riot fashion, the lineup for Sept. 17, 18 and 19 is stacked. “We’ve missed you and we can’t wait to see you this year,” the festival organizers shared.  Headliners include alternative veterans Nine Inch […]

Pop-punk group Action/Adventure revealed that they have joined the Pure Noise Records roster. To celebrate, the band released a high-energy video for “Poser,” off their upcoming EP Pulling Focus. Action/Adventure shared the news on social media, expressing how excited they are to be among some of their favorite bands on the label. Read more: 10 […]

You don’t have to look back at the Hot Topic crowd’s fixation with Hello Kitty to see the influence of Japanese culture on the alternative scene. The music speaks for itself. We’ve already taken you around the Western world—from Canada to the U.K. and even out to Australia—in our examination of new, prominent forces in pop-punk music. Now, it’s time to set our […]

New songs this week cover topics from love and heartbreak to social and environmental issues. Royal & The Serpent sings about toxic relationships, Vic Mensa comments on society and more. Whatever mood you’re in or genre you want to listen to, all the music shared this week will certainly not disappoint. Check them out below. […]

For as long as music has existed, artists have been inspiring other artists. Right here within our own beloved scene, we’ve witnessed many examples of newer-era bands drawing inspiration from the OGs. What’s especially endearing is that not only have bands influenced each other in terms of musical style; they’ve also taken from the lyrics […]

Pop punk‘s not dead. Do we have to say it again? Though the genre’s mostly fallen out of the mainstream spotlight, there are still a number of new bands who are making their contributions. And thanks to the rise of streaming platforms, they don’t need to be signed to a major label to gain traction. […]

YouTube‘s Alex Melton is back at it with another entertaining pop-punk cover. This time around, Melton is letting you all know what it would sound like if Machine Gun Kelly, YUNGBLUD and Travis Barker‘s “I Think I’m OKAY” was covered by your favorite pop-punk bands. With 11 different covers in total, Melton channels blink-182, Real […]

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, a holiday that brings about a wide variety of celebrations and anti-celebrations.  The day of love is quite contentious, with some people going all out for their partner to others who are forever single and prefer to keep it that way.  Read more: 10 songs artists used to remind fans […]

You may have started the new year with some lofty wellness goals. But was working out alongside Ryan Key and Derek Sanders among them? Maybe it should have been… In a move straight from our wildest dreams, the Mayday Parade and Yellowcard frontmen have partnered with Cardio Sport to co-host and DJ a pop-punk-fueled, emo […]

Ever heard a new pop-punk song on Spotify and thought, “Wow, this is great. How could it get any better?” Only to have your mind blown by the addition of familiar guest vocals 10 seconds later? Yeah, that’s happened to us about a thousand times over the course of the last decade. If there’s anything […]

If we had to pick one band from Canada keeping the scene alive, it would have to be Silverstein. No question. The post-hardcore band show no signs of slowing down after 10 albums over the course of two full decades and have influenced countless other people to start a career in music. Here’s to 20 […]

Fearless Records’ famous Punk Goes… franchise has certainly come a long way since its first installment in 2000. Genre discrepancies aside, it’s impossible to deny the success of one particular subseries: the Punk Goes Pop albums. There are now seven volumes, with speculation of an eighth floating around online. Of course, as with any expansive […]