What happened to catchy pop punk? • Page 3

Good point.Music will always be cyclical though, so that rend won't remain forever. This is a very interesting discussion, definitely following this thread.

 

modern good pop punk? Iron chic is pretty decent.

 

Broadway Calls has three albums out and every song on every one of them is catchy as hell. have no idea why they aren't huge, Good Views should have blown up. feel like their niche in the punk scene has held them back

 

I think we need lots of bands playing lots of music and bands constantly coming up and challenging things and not just a look to the past. Diversity is great for the music scene. It's better when the best bands aren't behind us. I want the next Latterman. The next Japandroids. And the next Yellowcard, Starting Line, or Green Day.

I think there's been a popular belief that "repetition" is a hook. That what makes a song catchy is defined by what gets repeated. But I think it's so much more than that. I think what so many bands lack is an ear for the melody that gets stuck in your head and using that in multiple ways throughout a song. I think that there isn't enough thought going into the pacing, the pauses, or letting a song breathe. An example I use a lot is Saves the Day's TBC, an album that is surprisingly fast paced all-in-all, not unlike what some bands want to play now, but how Chris structures and sings those choruses really does make all the difference in the world. He's able to do so much just by the choices he makes in where to take a second of space.

 

Really like Broadway Calls

 

Catchy pop punk grew up and went to college because no matter what the band's say, you do in fact get older.

In all seriousness though, I don't think "catchy pop punk" has really gone away, I think it's just that what a lot of us view as catchy isn't what a new generation of fans view as catchy. To us, it's the hooks and the melodies and the way the songs breathe and evolve that's catchy and sticks with us. For a younger crowd, the gang vocals, speedy pace and repetition is what seems to be catchy to them. I still think the scene has grown stale and bands don't really write anything catchy anymore, but at the same time, I kinda see how newer bands can stick with some fans - albeit at a discernible loss of quality musical output.

 

I think it's led to a bifurcation, this is reductive for the sake of conversation, but to some degree it's either play in a rock band or become a DJ. That doing one is seen as antithetical to the other. And if you're a teenager today, you are probably more likely to pick one or the other. And I think it also plays into how technology is seen. A generation raised on smartphones doesn't really see a difference between an analog piano and a digital keyboard in the same way they've only lived in a world with e-books, digital music, and things like that. Playing in a band and making music is making music. It's interesting to look at how culture may have an impact on the music created and what's popular and how it's even made.

 

I think the either or aspect of rock vs. electronic music is kind of being encouraged by the music industry - intentional or not. With major rock stars like Dave Grohl making statements like "playing music on a laptop isn't real music" it leads to this kinda of rivalry between electronic and rock (or rather any genre played on a traditional set of instruments) where you have to pick one or the other and liking both just doesn't make sense.

Obviously that is stupid since both take an talent and ability and both are legitimate ways to make evolving and creative music, but it's as if industry and fans create this "us vs them" nature. The reason why still alludes me.

 

I also think that, because these bands think that repetition of the chorus is what makes a song catchy, they're like incapable of writing good verses. Like, I was listening to that second Valencia record today and the verses are almost as memorable as the choruses. Andrew McMahon has always been a killer verse writer. Those first two Dangerous Summer records stand out because of the bridges. So even if you find a decent chorus and repeat it like 10 times, your song still sucks because it's just a chorus hook and literally nothing else.

 

Those are all great points. And by all means, to me, music is music. The song someone created on their laptop is just as great as the track created by a band in their garage.

I struggle to figure out whether the bands are worse or I'm just an old man, but I just don't see the Motion City Soundtracks, Blinks or Relient Ks out on Warped Tour anymore and I wonder what happened. I mean, at the very least, this current generation has popular bands like Paramore and PVRIS to act as conduit to pop-punk, but it seems like a slimmer pickings.

 

In some ways, I think that the lack of repition can even accent the catchiness of a song! Last year, I found myself listening to Pentimento's "My Solution Is In The Lake" more than other songs released that year because I couldn't get enough of the chorus, which was only shown twice in the song as opposed to the standard three. Because of the fact that I was never completely satisfied with only hearing it twice, it resulted in me coming back to the song more often.

 

I think I have a unique perspective because unlike most here, I didn't grow up listening to punk or pop punk. It was something none of my friends listened to and to be honest I didn't find this "scene" until into my 20's. That said, there is zero doubt the pop punk of the 90's and early 2000s was just on a different level in terms of catchiness and staying power. I love that era and it's really about the only pop punk I listen to regularly. My point is that it's not just nostalgia for that era, because in my case there is no real nostalgia. The music and songs are just better. Jason and others have said it much better in this thread. We need diversity in the genre, but most importantly, we need songs that are catchy and have staying power. Even some of the heavier pop punk and punk bands are capable of great hooks and melodies, we just need more of it. Not 1-2 songs per album, but consistency is what's key. JMO.

 

I can't believe I missed some Hawk Nelson discussion haha. My friend and I were just talking about them. I was big into them back when I went to church in high school. I was also shocked to learn they were still cranking out albums. That's the case for a lot of Christian bands though, they never go away/

 

This was a fun thread to catch up with. FM Static and Hawk Nelson brought back some memories, lemme tell you.

I liked that one Thief Club (singer of HTL) song with Will Pugh, and it's more recent. But they're also proven hook-writers, so they probably don't really count:

 

I always thought HTL were a fun band. Invicta was their peak though since it was their most complete work, but the rest of their stuff was always so catchy, always had me bobbing along.

 

Yeah Hit the Lights are definitely enjoyable, My Heavy is a cool song too, that whole album is enjoyable

 

Gonna throw this one in here...

 

Jesus, I think I remember hearing that so many years ago...

 

I just threw on the first Fenix Tx album on my run tonight and they fit this thread perfectly. Will had such an incredible ear for melody and writes killer hooks. Not to mention the vocals are incredible.

 

Just found about these guys (through this article talking about upcoming pop-punk bands). It all looks/sounds really good to me, was definitely impressed:

"Walkney: Altoona, Pennsylvania — Derek Mrdjenovich and Aaron Porta are revolutionizing the scene, collaborating with creative minds to make an impact through music."

They sound like a very urgent mixture of The Dangerous Summer, Quietdrive, The 1975, Fall Out Boy and Fatherson. Possibly a very random band combination, but for me it makes sense.

 

Check out this band, Count to Four. I knew them because my brother was friends with the guitarist. The singer recently left to finish college but their debut album is PURE pop punk and it was a shame that it didn't get much recognition. They had incredible potential, however, they are releasing a new album soon with a new singer so I'll be looking forward to that.

 

Not bad, I'll be sure and check out their other stuff. Thanks man!

 

Listened to quite a few songs and enjoy it. Thanks for rec.

 

it turned into good emo music

 

last great one was Somos's Temple of Plenty

the Knuckle Puck one is p good too