If I could get into a time machine I’d go back and tell Cartel to never get into that bubble
My top 10 punk rock, pop punk, and emo albums from the 2000s
This week we're ranking my top 10 punk rock, pop punk, and emo albums from the 2000s. And I don't like genre-fying things, because some nerd on the internet always tries to correct me, but I will say these generally fall under these categories.
I tried to think of 10 albums off the top of my head. I tried to think back to what was always in my CD player and later on my MP3 player, which is wild. After I wrote them down, I ranked them from least to most influential, for the purposes of ranking things. To be clear these were all hugely influential on me.
Also, it’s important to note that a large amount of my enthusiasm for these albums comes from the time I heard them: my late teens and early twenties. Everything sounded better when the world was full of possibilities, so it’s impossible to part out out how much of my affection is for the music specifically and how much is for that time of my life, so I thought I’d acknowledge that right up front.
Anyway, here goes:
They're Only Chasing Safety by Underoath. You could argue that there are better Underoath albums, and I think that’s fair, but this one got so many things right. A lot of bands were doing the screamo thing, but this felt like quality screamo, you know? This is the one they’re playing on the current nostalgia tour, after all.
Cities by Anberlin. So many epic albums by so many bands came out during this time. Cities is a masterpiece, and I don’t think Anberlin ever matched it. It felt huge and anthemic and dark. I interviewed Stephen Christian for my college newspaper at the time and he was so very nice. A lot of artists say they’re very proud of their newest album and it’s going to be their best yet, but I could tell he actually meant it.
Chroma by Cartel. This is a band that should’ve been much bigger. I think their momentum was slowed down when they decided to be on some reality show sponsored by Dr. Pepper. The hooks are massive, Will Pugh is a great singer, and this was on permanent rotation for me, and deservedly so because this is a no skips album. If I could get into a time machine I’d go back and tell Cartel to never get into that bubble, but maybe it all worked out how it was supposed to.
Sing the Sorrow by AFI. I’m embarrassed to say it, but I didn’t learn about AFI until 2003. Everyone else had known about the ultra-melodic goth punk stylings of AFI for years, but I was so basic I had to wait until I heard “Girls Not Grey” on the radio. Discovering music on the radio. How 2003!
The Definitive Act by Tsunami Bomb. This band does not get enough credit. Female fronted goth punk band? Yes, please. The songs hit so hard, and this is one of the first albums I remember being enchanted by some of the studio flourishes (stereo guitars on “A Lonely Chord”!). I saw them live when they were promoting this album and later on a Warped tour and they always pulled it off.
The Ever-Passing Moment by MxPx. I’m an outspoken MxPx stan. I love pop punk and I love an underdog and MxPx always seemed like pop punk underdogs during the whole pop punk boom. The rest of the 2000s were a weird time for MxPx as they struggled to figure out who they wanted to be and left a major label, but this was a high watermark for them in regard to songwriting and a good mix of punk and retro energy. (Jerry Finn produced it, although most people probably already know that).
Decomposer by The Matches. Every album by this band was a low-key masterpiece, but this is the one that holds the fondest spot in my heart. It was interesting and unique and had some fairly big swings (“Salt Eyes”!), but every song was full of hooks. Jon Devoto is one of the best guitarists of any band in any genre, and all of the leads are perfect. (Side note: When their bass player quit in 2008, I applied to audition, although they went with someone else. I’m not mad about it.) They reunited in 2014 and I flew to New York to see them. A fan had made a bracket for every Matches song, and the winner was “Didi My Doe (pt. 2)”, and that was my favorite song too!
Riot by Paramore. It weird to think that at some point Paramore was not a household name, but that’s how it was in the mid-2000s. I liked their first album and pre-ordered this one. When it arrived in the mail (along with some other Fueled by Ramen merch like an Academy Is… t-shirt) I put it into my CD player, and I was blown away. First, by Hayley Williams’ formidable pipes, and also the songs were just so good.
Hiding Inside the Horrible Weather by My American Heart. This is a no skips masterpiece, heavy and melodic, shot through with melancholy. I’ve listened to it on a lot of cold winter days, felt sorry for myself, and thought the music matched my mood perfectly. I also listened to it while driving down the road on a bright summer day while feeling that I had my whole life ahead of me, and the music fit that as well. I’m saying this a lot but: this band should have been huge.
Commit This to Memory by Motion City Soundtrack. This is probably the most important. It is certainly the MCS album I’ve listened to the most. It goes down easy with the catchiest melodies. Lyrically, it also has the right tone for me: insecurity, self-loathing, and anxiety. That's how I felt at the time as a young person and, honestly, it's still how I feel now. I think Justin Pierre is an underrated lyricist and vocalist. This band deserved to be Blink 182 level huge, but maybe it's best that they didn't so that I can more or less keep them to myself.
For next week: If you’re playing along at home, next week I’ll be ranking the best places in a hometown.
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