My top 7 pop punk albums

I. Love. Pop. Punk.

It’s the very first genre of music that I properly got into and to this day I still cherish bands like Green Day, Blink-182 and Sum 41, the likes of whom I owe my love of rock music in general. I think that pop punk has such a profound and infectious energy that I can’t help but feel completely elated when I listen to it and the nostalgic value that it holds for me is pretty much incalculable. Thus, I feel the overwhelming need to go full fanboy mode for a few minutes and list my top 7 pop punk albums.

7. Dookie – Green Day (1994)

Favourite Tracks: “Longview”, “Welcome to Paradise”, “Basket Case”, “Burnout”

This album doesn’t really need any introduction. Its forged from beautifully simple and classic pop punk melody, has no shortage of attitude and features a sense of grungy angst that is indicative of the time it came out. All in all, it’s pretty fair to say that Dookie is beyond worthy of the title ‘genre-defining album’.

6. Me vs Gravity – Me vs Gravity (2011)

Favourite Tracks: “Crash Into Consciousness”, “Let’s Get This Pity Party Started”

Me vs Gravity are a fairly unknown band and to me that’s a great shame as they have a really cool and unique sound, showcased aptly on their 2011 self-titled album. With all of the emotional impact of classic pop punk, it also experiments a lot with arrangement; dabbling in acoustic and electronic sounds as well as intermittently incorporating stringed instruments.

5. 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours – Green Day (1991)

Favourite Tracks: “16”, “Road to Acceptance”, “409 in Your Coffeemaker”, “Paper Lanterns”, “I Want to Be Alone”

You might be surprised to hear that my favourite Green Day album is actually a collection of early recordings and EPs that chronicle the band’s formative years. Even though it may not stand up to the production value of their later albums, 1,039 surpasses them in my eyes and ears as it is in my opinion the most musically interesting. I’m a huge fan of Mike Dirnt’s prominent and tasteful bass lines and vocalist/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong hammers out quite a few killer guitar solos.

4. Take Off Your Colours – You Me at Six (2008)

Favourite Tracks: “The Truth is a Terrible Thing”, “Save It for the Bedroom”, “Take Off Your Colours”, “Call That a Comeback”, “Always Attract”

Some criticise Colours by saying that it gets a little bit samey after a while, but this has never been a problem as far as my ears are concerned. For me, it’s an honest record that doesn’t pull any punches, jam-packed with anthemic melodies and edgy instrumentals.

3. Cheshire Cat – Blink-182 (1995)

Favourite Tracks: “Carousel”, “Wasting Time”, “M+M’s”, “Peggy Sue”

When it comes to Blink-182, some may prefer the mainstream sensibility of titles such as Enema of the State or their self-titled effort. But it’s the brash, unapologetic and exuberant vigour of Blink’s debut that triumphs for me, in all its raucous skate punk glory.

2. Put Up or Shut Up – All Time Low (2006)

Favourite Tracks: “The Party Scene”, “The Girl’s a Straight-Up Hustler”

Ok this one’s technically an EP but, similarly to Cheshire Cat, I prefer Put Up to later All Time Low records because it comes across to me as much more down to earth. It’s simple, energetic and I think that frontman Alex Gaskarth is an absolute master of melody; delivering powerful vocal lines that stick in the mind and that are complemented by the instrumental arrangement underneath.

1. What You Don’t See – The Story So Far (2013)

Favourite Tracks: “Empty Space”, “All Wrong”, “Right Here”

I absolutely love everything about The Story So Far’s sophomore effort. From the passionate and gritty vocal performance of Parker Cannon, to the juxtaposition of emotional guitar overlays combined with more abrasive (but still melodic) rhythm guitar and bass parts, the accomplished drumming of Ryan Torf and the nice contrast between tight, rhythmic, fast-paced skate punk-esque sections and more open, grooving sections that give space for the instruments to breathe. All of these things allow the band to drive home their message with an angsty conviction and in my opinion What You Don’t See is everything that an awesome pop punk record should be.

That’ll about do it, these are my favourite pop punk records, do with this what you will. As always I’d love to hear what some of your favourite pop punk (or any genre really) songs/records are.

Hope you had fun reading and listening to this, I certainly had fun writing it. A full day spent listening to pop punk tunes goes down as a good day in my books.

(shut up and end the blog Fraser)

BYE!!