Punk, sometimes referred to as ‘punk rock,’ is a genre that peaked in the late 70s/early 80s, carried through to the 2000s, and continued to thrive into the early/mid-2010s, hitting a wall at around 2013 ish. Early punk music from the 80s, with bands like Misfits and Black Flag, had an almost completely different sound than 2000s punk bands like The Wonder Years and Brand New. While they stem from the same origins and have similar sounds, 80s punk was very loud and subversive, often political. 2000s punk, however, was very aggressive and in your face.
The genre can be divided into smaller subgenres like pop punk and skate punk, as well as already falling under the large umbrella term rock. Like the bands that originated the punk genre in the 70s and 80s, 2000s punk is incredibly subjective and many of these bands don’t just fit into one specific genre. Many, if not all of the following bands I would describe as just straight-up punk, though others could describe them as many other genres.
Brand New (2000-2017)
My Top 3 Songs:
- “Seventy Times 7”
- “Jude Law And A Semester Abroad”
- “The Shower Scene”
Brand New’s early music is what I imagine when someone is describing punk. The vocals are raw, as heard in songs like “The Shower Scene,” and the instruments are loud, centering largely around the electric guitar and drum tracks. Their sound changed drastically after their debut punk album “Your Favorite Weapon,” diving into indie rock with their albums “Deja Entendu” and “The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me.” While I miss their punk sound, the band grew dramatically from their indie rock projects rather than “Your Favorite Weapon,” so listeners had to have preferred this new sound.
The Movielife (1997-now)
My Top 3 Songs:
- “This Time Next Year”
- “Pinky Swear”
- “Face or Kneecaps”
This band is pretty similar to Brand New’s earlier releases, just a little more emo. Lead singer Vinnie Caruana is a huge name in the punk scene, also doing vocals in the band I Am The Avalanche, as well as releasing solo music. In typical Caruana fashion, their vocals are VERY loud and in your face, which is what I love about punk and this band specifically. They took a break from releasing music after their 2003 album “Forty Hour Train Back To Penn,” but eventually released an album in 2017 titled “Cities in Search Of A Heart,” which is still what I’d consider punk, though it is a lot more modern than their earlier releases.
The Wonder Years (2005-now)
My Top 3 Songs:
- “You In January”
- “Pyramids of Salt”
- “Came Out Swinging”
The Wonder Years have been super prevalent in the punk scene since 2005, and still continue to make incredible music. They have released 7 albums as a band, each sticking to the same punk sound, though their recent release “The Hum Goes On Forever” is more alternative/indie than their previous releases, which were definitely more punk rock. In addition to making amazing music, they are also unbelievably good live, possessing more energy than most other bands I’ve seen live.
Spanish Love Songs (2013-now)
My Top 3 Songs:
- “Bright Day”
- “Paper Cup”
- “Vermont”
This is an example of one band that still continues to make genuinely good punk music. Spanish Love Songs is an incredible band, though they have recently distanced themselves from their original punk sound, dabbling more in pop-rock music with their recent release “No Joy” as well as their 2020 release “Brave Faces, Everyone.” Their 2016 release “Giant Sings the Blues” is INCREDIBLE, taking a spot in one of my all-time favorites. Aside from its unbelievable instrumentals and vocals, the lyrics, written mainly by lead singer Dylan Slocum, are incredibly hard-hitting and emotional, which is a huge selling point for the band overall.
THE DOWNFALL – CONCLUSION
Punk as a whole seems to have had a major downfall around the mid-2010s when a majority of large punk bands stopped putting out music that stuck with the sound that I and many others associate with punk. Many punk bands also diverged from the genre all altogether, for example, Spanish Love Songs stepped away from their original sound and pursued a more Indie Rock sound with a lot of computerized elements in their songs rather than their typical instruments. While I love the band, I hate to say that I miss the old sound. I can say the same for a lot of alternative bands now, not just strictly punk bands. Alternative band Bayside has recently started releasing more pop-rock music which I honestly don’t love. I understand that music progresses as time does, but I do miss the influence of the 2000s.
