Written by Taylor Weatherby and Jessica Lipsky

If the average fan travels to Las Vegas to find themselves squarely in the moment — whether that be at the slots, a show, or an artist residency — one festival is aiming to be a blast from the past. Held Oct. 22, 23 and 29, the When We Were Young Festival is a nostalgia event for the ages (particularly, those in their late 20s to early 40s). The event features 64 of the biggest names in pop-punk, emo and hardcore from the early 2000s through 2010s, as well as a handful of contemporary acts who are continuing those movements today.

While there was no doubt a divide between subcultures and subgenres back in the day — just ask any scene kid, these journalists included — When We Were Young breaks down those barriers in favor of a smorgasbord of sound. Across five stages at the Las Vegas Fairgrounds, there will be pop-punk from Avril Lavigne, post-hardcore from AFI, straight-ahead punk rock from the Linda Lindas, and the highly anticipated return of emo rockers My Chemical Romance.

Almost as soon as When We Were Young was announced, social media exploded about the implausibility of such a massive lineup. Even still, tickets sold out immediately. Organizers responded to the demand (and fans' thoughts about who was missing from this year’s roster) by announcing a jam-packed lineup for 2023 — which, of course, is already sold out.

Ahead of the inaugural When We Were Young festival, GRAMMY.com asked some of its acts to look back on this unique time in music and share some of their favorite memories. While you’re reading, press play on GRAMMY.com's official When We Were Young Fest playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Pandora. Playlist powered by GRAMMY U.

3OH!3

Photo courtesy of the artists

Nathaniel Motte: I think the emo scene really encouraged a sense of demystification across a lot of different facets of music. We started touring on a national scale on Warped Tour, and on that tour, pretty much every band does a daily meet and greet, where fans can meet the bands in person and have a substantive, personal interaction with them. That was really important for us, as we always considered ourselves pretty regular people, just trying to rock a party and make it as fun as possible for a bunch of our friends in the crowd. 

Our first three years of full touring (2008, 2009, and 2010) was a delirious, crazy, exhausting and joyful blur. We were so ignorant to the pitfalls of the "industry" that we didn't know what we couldn't do, and therein, every opportunity to do something different was novel and exciting. Each one of those years I was deferring my acceptance to medical school at the University of Colorado, because the experiences we were getting and the fun we were having was way too much to turn away (shout out to CU Medical School for the patience and generosity!). 

Sean Foreman: Playing Warped Tour in New York and reaching out to Lil Jon — who drove out and joined us on stage for two songs — that was truly the WTF moment, since a lot of our early sound was inspired by him. 

I’m a fan of almost all these bands, but I will say I’m excited to see Pierce the Veil. Our first American tour, we shared a bus with them. They are extremely nice people and I love their new song "Pass the Nirvana" a lot. That’s inspiring to me to watch a band that has been around maybe longer than us continuing to grow. They also short circuited our bus with their hair straighteners, and to this day I like to give them crap about it. 

A Day To Remember — Neil Westfall, guitarist

Photo: James Hartley

To me, this time was all about finding out who I was and what I liked. I would go to every show that came to my part of Florida. I made almost all my lifetime friends from going to shows and being a part of the scene in Florida. ADTR made music that allowed us to fully express every influence, whether that made sense to others or not. It allowed us to play every genre of show and fit in enough to play, but stand out enough to be remembered. 

I remember being on tour with Parkway Drive, The Acacia Strain and Suicide Silence, and getting our mixes back from Adam Dutkiewicz for Homesick. We all listened to them on the PA at the venue in Melbourne. We were insanely happy with how everything was going, and DL from The Acacia Strain came up to us and said,"You guys are about to be the biggest band in the world." We all laughed and went on to play. While we may not be the biggest band in the world yet, we aren’t finished. 

I am a huge fan of Paramore. I think we may have played, like, three festivals together in the past, and they have absolutely crushed every time I have seen them play. I probably could talk about multiple songs on multiple albums, but the first song I heard was"Pressure" from the album All We Know Is Falling. I doubt I will ever get to see them play it, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. 

The All-American Rejects — Mike Kennerty, guitarist

Photo courtesy of the artist

[This era] was the last gasp of the old music industry... MTV, radio, magazines. We got to live out those rollercoaster experiences right before things changed, which was amazing as kids who grew up in Oklahoma seeing all those things from afar. We've probably forgotten as much as we remember! But getting a VMA (back when videos still felt like a big deal) was pretty cool!

We found out about the lineup along with everyone else. To say they were vague about who all else was playing is an understatement. Alkaline Trio is still a great band and I'm excited to see them again! The first time we got to play with them was in the early '00s at this small club in Amsterdam. It felt like I was getting into a killer show for free.

Anberlin — Deon Rexroat, bassist

Photo: Jordan Butcher

That first decade of the 2000s was very unique, because you still had this sort of monoculture coming out of the '90s that helped regional and local scenes to develop. Anberlin developed our sound by being a part of a local community of musicians in Central Florida. We started out playing shows with Copeland and Underoath. We weren't all the same genre, but it didn't matter. People nurtured our growth simply by going out to local shows and giving unknown bands like us a chance. 

Florida, at that time, was a special place, with bands like Hot Water Music, Dashboard Confessional, New Found Glory, and others really standing out musically and doing things that would go on to influence people across the country and the world. It was a great scene to be a part of.   

The time around our third album Cities, will always be a special time for me. We were coming off an incredible two years of growth after releasing Never Take Friendship Personal, and it felt like we were becoming a mature, respected band amongst our peers. We felt established and actually started headlining tours and selling out shows in larger venues. It was obvious something was really happening for us.  

I was and am stoked and honored about the invite to play [the fest], as I'm sure the other bands are. But I have to be honest — when we were first presented with the offer, I thought,"How is this real?" immediately followed by"How will they pull this off?!"

Sure, Warped Tour did it for years and on a daily basis, but so many bands are of a certain size or bigger here. The scheduling gymnastics are going to take Olympic-level talent. Regardless of all of that, I do know our set will just be a bonus next to spending multiple days with longtime best friends like Bayside and Story Of The Year, among many others!

Jimmy Eat World [is my favorite band on the bill]. Hands down. Having Clarity and Bleed American come out in the few years leading up to Anberlin's formation, they were, and still are, so influential for me. I think it speaks volumes that they are playing this fest, but are also such a major influence on so many of the other bands on the same bill. It's really hard to express what they mean to me personally, but also what they mean to the scene they helped to build that is at the core of the festival. 

Avril Lavigne

Photo: Ryan McFadden

There have been songs I've loved by a lot of the bands playing. I love "Dirty Little Secret" by the All-American Rejects and "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World — I'm really excited to see Jimmy Eat World. I still go back to their album Bleed American a lot. And I love the first album by The Used, which was done by my producer John Feldmann. 

This was a world I grew up not just a part of, but listening to. When I got asked to do [the festival] and found out who else was on it, I was like,"F— yeah, I'm in!" So many of my friends and favorite bands in one place — there's no way I couldn't be there. 

Black Veil Brides — Andy Biersack, singer

Photo: Joshua Shultz

I'm a bit younger than a lot of my contemporaries from this era, so a lot of this period musically, for me, represents that "coming of age" sort of feeling. Being in 6th/7th grade and discovering bands like AFI, Alkaline Trio and Jimmy Eat World, and [then being] completely blown away that this thing called Warped Tour existed. I'd lay in bed some nights just thinking about how many days were left until next year's show in Cincinnati. It really means everything to me.

Alkaline Trio is and will always be my favorite band of all time. There is no single artist that has had the effect on me that they did and continue to do. I remember seeing them in Covington, Kentucky as a kid and waiting around back by the buses to see if I could get an autograph. [Guitarist] Matt [Skiba] signed my hoodie and I felt like I had won the lottery. I've been lucky enough to get to work with Matt a few times over the years. He's an amazing artist and person. I cannot wait to watch their set every day!

The basis for my songwriting and interest in pursuing that end of music really stems from this era more than any other. When we started touring and gaining popularity, I was still a teenager who had just dropped out of high school and was suddenly on this crazy ride, and sort of learning about life through the mechanism of the music industry and being on the road. I feel so lucky that we came up in the time and era that we did, and I think there's a reason why this type of music has continued on in popularity and adoration.

We have all been so excited for this [festival] for so long, and can't wait to play and enjoy the celebration of some of the best music that's ever been made.

Bright Eyes — Nate Walcott, keyboardist & trumpeter

Photo: Shawn Brackbill

My emo phase was a little earlier, in the '90s, when I was in high school. I'm old!

This was in Lincoln, Nebraska. Some friends of mine were really into bands like Mineral and Sunny Day Real Estate, and I liked some of that stuff; it was an appropriate soundtrack to my angsty high school teen years. But so were things like "Central Park West" (John Coltrane) and "Flamenco Sketches" (Miles Davis) and Chopin's preludes in Em and Db major, as well as "I Could Have Lied," perhaps the most emo of all Red Hot Chili Peppers songs. All of these things somehow had a similar feeling to me.

One of my best friends in high school, Ben Armstrong, played drums in Commander Venus —a band featuring my future Bright Eyes bandmate Conor Oberst…. It was fun riding around with Ben going to Commander Venus shows in houses and weird performance spaces and s—y all ages clubs.  To be a high school kid doing that stuff was exhilarating and…emotional!

I started playing in Bright Eyes in 2002, and became a full-time member in 2005. I can't speak entirely for all my bandmates —  My Chem[ical Romance] most certainly came up from time to time — but I wasn't listening to a lot of emo, hardcore or pop-punk once the aughts hit. But we were touring and recording constantly during this period.

I was pleasantly surprised by the degree to which the festival tapped into this sense of nostalgia, and how much it seemed to resonate with people. Any occasion for people to congregate and enjoy music in the spirit of celebration is something to be happy about, and we're glad to be a part of it. I'm looking forward to expanding my horizons and hearing some new things.  Maybe my biggest emo phase lies ahead!

Dance Gavin Dance — Matt Mingus, drummer

Photo: Lindsey Byrnes

This era of music was particularly very special to me. I started going to local pop punk/emo shows when I was 14. This progressed into me getting acquainted with the larger national acts in the scene. I always liked these shows because everyone there was very welcoming and I felt right at home.

I was lucky enough to grow up in Sacramento, California, which had awesome shows all of the time thanks to the legendary music venue called The Boardwalk. Thanks to seeing countless bands there over the years, myself and the other founding members were inspired to create Dance Gavin Dance.

One of my fondest memories of that era was when we got our first record deal and went to record our first full-length album, Downtown Battle Mountain, in Portland, Oregon in 2007. I had just turned 18 and was still a senior in high school. I was nervous but more so excited; little did I know this would jumpstart a life full of touring and writing music with some of my best friends in the world for the next 15 years and counting.

I was excited and honored [to be on the bill]. However, it made me feel a little old. To be put up on a pedestal with bands like My Chemical Romance and Paramore as a nostalgic artist, I must say, felt pretty good.

I'm super excited [to see] a lot of the bands on the festival [lineup] — one in particular is Dashboard Confessional. When I was in 8th grade, I did a music project on The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most; I used to be in love with that album when I was younger and still get all sorts of feelings when I listen to it to this day. I can't wait to finally see them perform!

​​Hawthorne Heights — J.T. Woodruff, singer

Photo: Courtesy of the artist

Standing on the main stage in Columbus, Ohio at Warped Tour 2005 — that was the moment that I realized our band and this genre was starting to get massive. It was an ocean of people from all walks of life, that were dressing like us, and wearing the same haircut as us. It felt great to belong to something. The roller coaster was in the free-fall stage, and we were hanging on for dear life, in the best way possible. I will remember that summer for the rest of my life.

For me, the most special moment was feeling a part of something different. We got to take part in a tidal wave, which changed the scene from almost exclusively pop-punk vs. hardcore to something that blended these worlds together. You could feel the sea change happening — similar to when the grunge movement happened when I was a kid. It wasn't something we were aware of at the moment, but as time grows, you start to realize the lasting impact the songs we created [have] had.  

We found out [about] the lineup when the fans did. And while it felt chaotic at the time, it was interesting to see how the internet reacted in real time. It was a masterclass in social marketing. These events are what makes the scene relevant after all these years. The fans need it. The bands need it. We all want to live forever.  

Universally, I think My Chemical Romance is a band that everyone believes in. We've been fortunate enough to hang out with them quite a few times, and they are genuine legends. A band that puts art first, and will sacrifice nothing to achieve the vision that is in their collective brain, is so rare and so pure. I took my daughter to watch them on their current arena tour. We loved every minute of it, and it was a great moment from a father to a daughter — elder emo to current emo. 

I Prevail — Steve Menoian, guitarist

Photo: Fearless Records

I think it was a really creative time for rock and guitar-driven music. There were so many different subgenres that were coming together and building the foundation of the way we would look back on that era.

When you really think about it, it's weird to think that music as different as emo, hardcore, metal-core and pop-punk would eventually feel that they almost cohesively came from the same era. I think that's unique. When we look back on the '80s or '90s, it seems like one style really dominated, like hair metal or grunge. The 2000s [felt] unique in how eclectic it was. 

We had an awesome alt rock station in Detroit called 89x. I remember driving to high school in the mornings and hearing The Used, 30 Seconds to Mars, Fall Out Boy, Panic! [at the Disco], Paramore, Rise Against, Simple Plan — so many bands like that. I didn't really realize it at the time, but it was great exposure to the emo and alt rock that was brewing in that era.  

I went through a huge Dashboard [Confessional] phase in my early college years. I remember sitting in my dorm late at night and learning to play all those songs off of The Places You Come to Fear the Most —"Standard Lines," "Screaming Infidelities,""Saints and Sailors." All I had with me that first year was an acoustic, so I really immersed myself in that record.  

I don't think we initially appreciated just how big [this festival] was going to be. We knew it would be big, but it just went to another level. Seeing the initial reaction and how viral the announcement went really put it into perspective. There are so many iconic bands on the bill, and as a younger band who didn't really come from that era, we're just stoked to be here — and to add our style into the crazy melting pot that will no doubt make this one of the best festival experiences of the year. 

Jimmy Eat World — Jim Adkins, singer/guitarist 

Photo: Jimi Giannatti

When someone brings up "emo," I think of the beginnings of our band. About the 1994 to 2002 time period. That was also my 18 to 25, growing-up period. Well, I guess you never really stop growing up, but that was when things were new. That was pre-internet as we know it today. So there is nostalgia for me on a personal level of experiencing things for the first time, and the special nostalgia of knowing how I experienced it, that way, was the last time anyone will. 

I feel like the entire period is a core memory. To be involved at all in the scene meant to take on a work ethic of self-dependence. But you had to take on an equal amount of contribution. As motivated or self-contained as you may be, you weren't going anywhere without help. We were shown when we matched our appetite for adventure with the willingness to contribute, there were lifelong friends to be made. 

There was also a ceiling on how personal you should take any of this. It felt like no one outside of our group of friends actually cared. If you weren't in it for the sake of personal reward in creating music, then you were in the wrong place. It turns out everything we simply just did back then was exactly what you need to make playing music a long-term endeavor.  

There were a lot of thoughts I had when we were asked. Like I said, when I think about the beginnings of the band, there were not many people cheerleading. There was a dedicated, hardcore network of like-minded people around the country working together just to make it happen for the sake of it happening. To think what we were up to would be"seen" on the level it is today would have been insane. 

None of us got into playing music because it was cool. Or because we thought it could be a career. We did it because there was something inside telling us we had to. We put a lot into what we've done so far. Everything we have, really. And the festival coming around when it did to ask us feels like recognition in a way. A warm fuzzy blanket.

jxdn

Photo: Hunter Moreno

It felt almost funny that I was [on the same lineup] with all these legends. But f— that, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. So, I remember verbally saying, "I can't wait to show people that I'm not just supposed to be here, I am supposed to show people that this is just the beginning."

Silverstein and Taking Back Sunday are my meccas. I took so much inspiration from them, both vocally and energy-wise, for my first album, that I'm positive I will be bricked up watching them live for the first time.

[The early aughts] were the first nine years of my life, so honestly, I just lived. And it's really funny how now, more than 10 years later, I'm doing the same thing — just with music. Living, and trying to stay as true to myself as I can.

The Linda Lindas

Photo: Zen Sekiwaza

Lucia de la Garza, guitar & vocals: We were very, very young or maybe not even born when emo and hardcore and pop-punk were at their peaks. But it's so special how much fondness and joy you see when people talk about the music of their childhood. One of the reasons music is so cool is because it emulates emotions and conveys them so specifically. I know as I grow older, the music I'm listening to now will bring that same kind of feeling and nostalgia. And there are definitely some bands on the bill that I'll carry with me as I grow up.

I've been looking forward to seeing Wolf Alice, because I think their music is so cool and I love all their albums. It was playing a lot of the time when we had online school, and listening to it just makes me really happy.

Eloise Wong, bass & vocals: I read about Meet Me @ the Altar in Razorcake and look forward to checking them out live!

Mila de la Garza, drums & vocals: I had been wanting to play with Paramore, who are one of my favorite bands, for a long time, and this was just a real opportunity to do it. It's cool because we've known them for a while.

Bela Salazar, guitar & vocals: Zac [Farro, Paramore's drummer] took photos of us for press early this year. They've all come out to see us play, but this is the first time we get to play together! Paramore was my first real concert, and I can't believe we know them now and are playing the same fest!

Lucia de la Garza: [Playing When We Were Young] kind of felt like a challenge that we all wanted to accept….The energy is going to be so fun because it's about youth, and one of our vibes is youthful energy!

Mayday Parade — Jeremy Lenzo, bassist

Photo: Jordan Kelsey Knight

I feel like this time period wasn't just special for emo/pop punk/hardcore, but really every subgenre. With music streaming just starting to take off, it seemed people were starting to stumble on new genres of music they didn't know existed.

I used to sit in computer class in high school with another classmate, and we would search the internet to see what new bands we could find. That's how I found a lot of my favorite bands. When Avril Lavigne started having radio hits, I think that opened a lot of peoples eyes to the pop rock/pop-punk genre, and ultimately made it more accessible for new people to get into the genre. 

There are so many memories I have where I can't remember the larger context of the memoir, but just have a small snapshot. Listening to Saves The Day in the car with my mom, and her saying she liked the melodies but couldn't stand the lyrics. Aimlessly driving at night with our guitarist, Alex, listening to Sparta just to listen to the whole record in one sitting. Being at my girlfriend's house when her roommate put on The Get Up Kids, which became one of my favorite bands of the time. I have tons of these little memories. It's funny how music can bring you back to a certain place in your life. 

Most of these bands we have toured with before and became good friends with, so I'm a fan of most of the artists playing. Some in particular that stand out are Taking Back Sunday (Tell All Your Friends) because we took a lot of inspiration from them in the beginning. The Used (The Used) is another artist I was really into. I remember when I first heard them, I was blown away by the songwriting and how good Bert's voice was. 

Also Jimmy Eat World (Clarity) always blew me away with their songwriting, and helped shape parts of our band as well. Oh, I almost forgot My Chemical Romance! I didn't really get into them until The Black Parade, but damn if that isn't a killer album. Honestly every time I finished writing a sentence, I remembered another album I like [from an] artist at the festival — this could go on for a while, so I'm just going to end it here.

Meet Me @ the Altar

Photo: Jonathan Weiner

Edith Victoria, singer: [This music] gave me a community of people that were like me that I couldn't find anywhere else. I found music, went to shows, and met my best friends.

Téa Campbell, guitarist/bassist: [When we were asked to play WWWY], we were shaking in our boots! 

Ada Juarez, drummer: Literally all we were told was that My Chemical Romance was playing this festival and that's all we needed to know.

Campbell: But then we saw the full lineup when it was announced and we were like whaaaaaaaaaaaat!

Victoria: I'm excited to see Kittie because they're so iconic. And to be an all-girl band touring with Slipknot at that time?! Plus, they're fashion icons to me. 

Juarez: I have more than one [band I'm excited to see], but mainly Bring Me the Horizon. I've been following them for so long. Every album they put out gets better and better, but Sempiternal is one of my favorites. It's so influential to me and the scene in general. I feel they're one of those bands that made such a name for themselves. They can do so many genres and still nail it. It's so hard to find a band like that. 

Campbell: My favorite is Paramore. They're the reason I'm in this band. I think Brand New Eyes is my favorite album. My favorite memory is when I was 14 and I got to see them live in Florida. It made me realize that's what I wanted to do, too.

Nessa Barrett

Photo: P Mastro

That generation of music means so much to me. Avril [Lavigne], Blink [182], Paramore — music I grew up listening to and all have shaped who I am today musically. I even got the opportunity to work with Travis Barker on my song "la di die," and being in the studio with him really helped me understand myself as an artist even more. He is an icon of the generation within himself. It all feels so surreal to be a part of.

There are so many cool artists that are involved [in the fest], but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Avril. She is just such an icon, and she paved the way for herself to have a long-lasting career. I think her first album came out the year I was born, so 20 years of Avril is insane.

Everyone was talking about [the festival when it was announced], so I knew what an amazing opportunity it was to be a part of it. I also love that this is the first time the festival is happening — honored to be [part of] the debut of it.

Pierce the Veil — Jaime Preciado, bassist

Photo: Fearless Records

It was a special period of time where certain artists and bands didn't have to confound themselves to the typical mainstream radio. It was a time when you could be an outcast and still be heard. It made the music we liked special, unique, and felt more like a smaller community we could connect to.

When Thrice put out the album The Illusion of Safety, that was the first album I heard that was everything I wanted to do in music. They paved the way for that. It was heavy, happy, sad — all the things you want in a record. It drew me into this style of music and helped me discover many other bands in the genre.

When I first listened to My Chemical Romance, it was the first time I ever felt the lyrics of another band and created a connection to the music as a whole. It is another band that paved the way for artists like us. I'm pretty sure I used their lyrics in my yearbook for my senior quote!

The amount of legends on this bill is unreal and I can't believe we get to share the stage with so many of them over the course of three shows.

Senses Fail — Buddy Nielsen, singer

Photo: Cameron Gile

When I really realized that what was happening was pretty significant was Warped Tour 2006. The shows were just massive — almost every venue was completely full; it was at times impossible to make your way through the crowds. A lot of the bands we were friends with had to start bringing security in order to keep signings and basic operations safe.

I once skipped school to see [Thursday] play. I went by myself and just sort of lost my mind in the show, and it was one of the best experiences I have had in my life. Their album Full Collapse changed my life.

[This period of time] was my youth. Instead of going to college, I ended up in a band touring the world. My twenties were the boom of emo music, and along with that, our band.

All my old friends came out of the woodwork to ask for tickets [to When We Were Young]. I would definitely be making the trip to Vegas even if we weren't on the bill.

Silverstein — Shane Told, singer

Photo: Wyatt Clough

It was amazing that we all came together, bands from all over, and really started an entire new music scene. I loved the punk rock scene — I still do — but this meant more. We weren't afraid to express ourselves and our emotions in the music. And that really resonated with the fans. It became about more than just the music and the energy. It dug deeper.

And at the same time the internet and social media was just starting out, so not only did we have our own exciting breed of music, we also had an entire movement on the internet talking about it, interacting with each other. That had never happened before on that scale.  

When we released Discovering The Waterfront in 2005, it just exploded overnight. It wasn't the radio or MTV, it was real fans sharing it on AIM and MSN, putting"My Heroine" on their MySpace profiles, and of course coming out to shows like Warped Tour and Taste of Chaos. People were illegally downloading the music all over the world where they couldn't buy a CD.  

We played in Mexico City — a place we had no distribution — and sold out the show, with the crowd singing every word. It was at that point I knew just how special what was happening with us — and the scene — was.

Armor For Sleep were one of our favorite new bands when we started touring. We would listen to their first album over and over and over in the van. Eventually we met them at Furnace Fest in 2003, and hit it off right away. We did tons of tours and they became close friends. I kept in touch with Ben [Jorgensen, Armor For Sleep's singer] over the years, and I'm so happy they're back at it! Can't wait to watch them.  

Sleeping With Sirens — Kellin Quinn, singer

Photo: Nick Stafford

Warped Tour definitely stands out [as a core memory from this time]! Watching my favorite bands as a kid play the festival, and then come full circle and be invited back as many times as we did. I'll remember those summers forever.

When you're in it, it's difficult to see it with perspective… I think all I can say is that "the scene" is just accessible enough without being your parents' music, ya know? We're truly humbled to be a part of this festival and to have helped shape the scene in whatever capacity. [Jimmy Eat World's] Bleed American was a huge album for me! Very excited to watch them play! I'll be singing every word.

State Champs — Ryan Scott Graham, bassist

Photo: Alex McDonell

When I found emo music, it was obviously at a very pivotal time in my life. I was an insecure kid in middle school looking for myself in a number of ways. I didn't know the first thing about this style of music until a friend invited me to a local show. On a whim, I went, and it changed everything for me. The weird, rejected kids like me became the cool kids on stage with guitars, singing about their confusion and angst.

The nostalgia of this scene takes me back to those years that I began to look so fondly upon. It became the career trajectory I followed because I wanted to write songs to make other people feel less alone. Despite some of the corniness that came along with those years of early pop-punk and emo, it is deeply emotional to me in a sort of salvation-like way.

So many artists I love and respect are playing this festival, but one I'm most excited to see is Dashboard Confessional. I've never seen Chris [Carrabba] play live after all these years listening and being a fan.

DC was and is so important to me personally as a songwriter. I remember sitting in the backseat on long drives listening to burnt CDs of Dashboard songs, just dissecting the lyrics and falling in love with the acoustic guitar. It's one of the reasons I started my career as an acoustic artist — Dashboard really showed me the beauty in the simplicity of just a guitar and a voice. The fact that his song arrangements were so interesting without massive production was inspiring and pushed me to start making songs of my own following that recipe. As long as he plays something from Swiss Army Romance, I'll be good!

My initial reaction to getting the offer to play was bliss! It's funny, because we've been doing State Champs for a long time and have had the opportunity to do a lot of really cool things — travel the world, [play] main stages at big festivals, support arena bands, etc. But WWWY Fest, for whatever reason, encouraged a lot of people that I went to middle and high school with — and haven't talked to in ages — to reach out and say,"Holy s—! I can't believe you guys are playing with Paramore, that's so cool!"

I'm like,"Out of everything we've been doing for the last 8-10 years, this is the first time you've taken notice?" In a way it's encouraging, because it feels like we're still breaking new ground as a band. I couldn't be more stoked!

Story of the Year — Ryan Phillips, guitarist

Photo: Ryan Phillips

This was a very important time for us, because we played an undeniable role in bringing "screamo" to the mainstream. We were one of the first of a small number of bands in the genre that had a platinum record and legitimate success on mainstream radio. The scene was exploding, and we were right there, bringing it to the masses.

2002 is a year that completely changed the trajectory of my life. Everyone in the band grew up in St. Louis, all products of working-class families, all playing in bands together, and laying the foundations of what would become Story of the Year. That year, we left everything and everyone we knew, and moved to Southern California to be closer to the music industry and chase teenage dreams of record deals and touring the world. We had no money, and knew like three people in CA, but our band was our life. 

That move (and year) is actually one of my fondest memories, because we were so hungry, but also incredibly unaware to the point of total naivety. But, there can be immense power in being young and not knowing s—. If we would have known that the odds of leaving your mom's basement, moving to CA with no money, and getting a major-label record deal and a platinum record were about 1 in 10 million, we would have never left. I would be a fireman or something. 

You get older and stop taking shots, because you are too aware of the odds of failure. You have perspective, less willing to risk. In 2002, we were innocent, but total savages, and no force of nature could have stopped us. It didn't even occur to us that we could fail. We were that driven, and, yes, that naive. Somehow it worked out! 

Glassjaw was and is one of my favorite bands of all time. I remember doing Warped Tour with them, and it was part of my daily routine to go watch their set. I feel like half of the bands playing Warped would go watch their set. They were that band. They set the bar for honest, hyper-credible music with understated musicianship — in my mind, anyway. 

I completely understood why so many people initially thought [this festival] was fake. Seeing the promo for it was like looking at my entire CD book in 2006! Literally every band from the genre. Of course we were flattered, and supremely stoked to be on a bill with so many of our friends. Unreal!

The Used — Bert McCracken, singer

Photo: Anthony Tran

The bands around that time wrote in a different way than before, bands in the '90s. I think the reason why it's called emo is because it was so close to the heart and from personal experience. That's what made it so special.

It was just an exciting time. There were lots of bands coming up. Lots of really cool experiences, lots of opportunities for bands — the Warped Tour was still huge.

Our record had just come out, and we were playing on the small Volcom stage at Warped Tour. All the power went out during "The Taste of Ink," and the whole crowd sang it a cappella. We were all like, "Holy s—. Something's happening." They immediately moved us to the main stage, which was pretty crazy.

Clarity from Jimmy Eat World was really a big [album] for me growing up. It kind of introduced me to a different side of this post-hardcore that I was into. I loved the early-on emo bands, Texas Is The Reason, Casket Lottery — a lot of those bands that are kind of obscure and nobody's heard of them, but they really started this whole scene. And Jimmy Eat World was around during that time, just they were just a lot more melodic and melodically friendly. It was really, really cool to hear that.

Black Sails in the Sunset by AFI was also really special to me. I have a picture of me and Davey Havok from when I was like 14. They were playing with Good Riddance, and I waited after the show to meet him and got a picture. And then on Warped Tour, I went up to him, under his little umbrella, and I was like, "Hey, check this out, a picture of me and you like 15 years ago." He thought it was awesome. He's a nice guy.

This is all the big bands from that time. [On] Warped Tour, you'd maybe have one or two, but this is a serious ordeal. We're more than excited to be part of the early emo scene. We're so grateful, and we're so lucky to still be doing this 22 years later.

We're all older and a little more fragile. But it's still a thrashing emo show. I'm ready for it.

We The Kings — Travis Clark, singer/guitarist

Photo: Lee Cherry

I was a freshman in high school when this era was really starting to hit. I used to sneak into Warped Tour, because I couldn't afford a ticket, and watch as many bands as I could. There are probably only a handful of bands that I haven't seen play, and even less that we haven't done a show with.

I feel lucky just being a kid in that musical era, because it was really the one thing that made me feel like I was part of something. Ultimately, it led to me starting We The Kings.

Our first record was released on Oct. 2nd, 2007, and that week we were taking our song "Check Yes Juliet" to Top 40 radio. It ended up charting and playing on every radio station in the country. Hearing it on the radio for the first time is something that I will never forget. 

I was at the beach in my hometown, Anna Maria Island, [Florida,] and as I started my Jeep, I heard, "Check yes Juliet, are you with me, rain is falling down on the sidewalk…" I remember thinking that it was weird, because I didn't have our CD in the CD player. After about 20 seconds, I realized that it was playing on the biggest radio station in Florida and I lost my mind. The song ended up taking off and selling around 2 million singles worldwide. That to me will always seem crazy, and for us, it really was the biggest thing that put us on the musical map.

I thought [this festival] was fake. As I was reading the artist lineup, I just kept thinking, No way. Nope. Absolutely no way this is real. There are just so many amazing bands playing on the same day. This is literally going to go down as the greatest musical festival ever — and in my opinion, I'm not exaggerating. We feel really grateful to have been invited. 

There are too many bands on the lineup that I have seen before and have a memory of, but if I had to choose one, it would be Jimmy Eat World. They were one of the very first bands that I saw in concert. At the time they were opening for Blink-182 and Green Day (such a crazy lineup!). As soon as Jimmy Eat World played their first note, I was absolutely hooked. For 40 minutes I saw them absolutely shred their set. I went home after seeing that concert and started We The Kings. 

Fast forward a few years, I met Jim Atkins at the Bamboozle Festival we were both playing and I was introduced to him by our mutual publicist. I got the chance to tell him that his band was the reason that I started WTK. The coolest thing was right after I said that, he goes, "Oh that's awesome, I really like that 'Juliet' song, it's super catchy." I basically died in that moment.

I was so inspired by the festival that I went into the studio a few weeks after we received our invite and I wrote a song called "When We Were Young" with the same nostalgic sound that We The Kings is known for. We've been asked to play just about every festival in the world and I have never done that before, so am I excited? The answer "YES" is an incredible understatement.

Why 2002 Was The Year That Made Pop-Punk: Simple Plan, Good Charlotte & More On How "Messing Around And Being Ourselves" Became Mainstream

Punk was punk before punk had a name and, as such, has many great epicenters. From the Ramones, who rocketed out of New York City to London's sneering and spitting Sex Pistols, and Detroit rockers such as the MC5 and the Stooges who set the attitudinal tone for the genre, punk is often considered an east-of-the-Mississippi (and across the pond) phenomenon. 

But that thinking negates the very prolific West Coast, and generations of California uber alles. The San Francisco Bay Area, specifically, is home to a multitude of punk bands — as well as crucial venues like 924 Gilman and the Mabuhay Gardens, and revered pubs including Search and Destroy, Cometbus and Maximum Rocknroll, as well as festivals like Mosswood Meltdown — whose music helped define the genre from the late '70s onward. Detractors best take warning: From pioneers the Nuns, Crime and Flipper, to MDC, Pinhead Gunpowder and Capitalist Casualties, the Donnas, Ceremony and Scary Scare, the Bay's multifarious scene holds its own against any other punk epicenter. 

In honor of a new album from hometown heroes Green Day and major anniversaries of the group's seminal LPs Dookie (1994) and American Idiot (2004), press play and get in the pit with these 10 essential Bay Area punk bands. Welcome to paradise.

The Avengers

Crucial Album:The Avengers a.k.a. The Pink Album

Formed in 1977, San Francisco's the Avengers were among the first wave of Bay Area punk bands and remain legendary for their raw, anthemic tracks (see "Summer of Hate" and "We Are The One") and distinct vocals of Penelope Houston. They hold the distinguished honor of having opened for the Sex Pistols at their final performance at SF's Winterland Ballroom.

The quartet of Houston, Greg Ingraham (guitar), Jimmy Wisley (bass) and Danny Furious (drums) were "by far the coolest and youngest sounding" of Bay punks wrote music critic Byron Coley. "They roared without irony." 

The Avengers first and only release in their original lineup was a three-song EP from 1977, We Are the One. Released in 1983, four years after the Avengers broke up, The Pink Album compiles demos, tracks cut with new members, and takes from sessions recorded with the Pistols' Steve Jones. 

Dead Kennedys

Crucial album: Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables

Perhaps the early punk band most synonymous with San Francisco, the Dead Kennedys formed in 1978 as a quartet with Jello Biafra on vocals. The group was a staple at Mabuhay Gardens and other local venues, performing in a more "traditional" style before veering into hardcore and thrash in later years. 

As their name might infer, Dead Kennedys' music was often political and provocative — filled with satire about authority, national politics and the scene itself. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen panned the group in a 1978 column, writing "Just when you think tastelessness has reached its nadir, along comes a punk rock group called The Dead Kennedys which will play at Mabuhay Gardens on Nov. 22, the 15th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination." Some stores refused to sell the Kennedys' albums and, in the mid '80s, the band's Frankenchrist album became the center of an obscenity trial (which resulted in a hung jury).

Dead Kennedys released four albums and an EP before breaking up in 1986, and each release sounds a bit different. While your preference may vary based on your affinity for hardcore, their 1980 debut album Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables is a classic. Featuring their best-known tunes "Holiday In Cambodia," "California Über Alles" and "Too Drunk To F—," Fresh Fruit embodies a spirit of tongue-in-cheek brutal hookiness that flows through the Kennedys' entire discography. 

After multiple credit and royalty-based legal battles, Dead Kennedys reformed and performed without Biafria in the early 2000s. Biafria remains a musician, spoken word artist, and political activist.  Drummer D.H. Peligro — who joined the Kennedys in 1981 and was featured on three albums, later reuniting with the group in 2001 — passed away in 2023.

Crimpshrine

Crucial box set: Free box

Pioneers of the East Bay punk scene centered in Berkeley around the venue 924 Gilman, Crimpshrine was the brainchild of (pre)teens Aaron Cometbus — who also founded a popular, eponymous zine and would play with Pinhead Gunpowder — and future Op Ivy vocalist Jesse Michaels. The friends named their band after a girl with blonde, crimped hair. 

In a brief period, Crimpshrine would lay the groundwork for the East Bay punk sound typified by Green Day, Operation Ivy and others; as record label Numero Group eloquently put it, Crimpshrine sounded "melodic but full of feedback, and a singer who sounded like he gargled glass." 

Although the band first formed in 1982, Crimpshrine cut their first demo in '87 and released their debut EP, Sleep, What's That?, on the local Lookout Records. That and other releases — several split EPs, a second solo EP titled Quit Talkin' Claude…, and a single full-length, 1989's Lame Gig Contest — weren't as political as the Bay's punk forefathers tended to be. Rather, Crimpshrine penned fast, personal tracks that touched on friendship, romance, loneliness, homelessness, and drugs.  

Operation Ivy

Crucial album: Energy

Operation Ivy's ska-infused punk sound and raucous performances (mostly at 924 Gilman) led them to become one of the East Bay's most influential punk bands. Named for a nuclear weapons testing program code name and featuring Crimpshrine's Michaels on vocals alongside Tim Armstrong (also on guitar), Op Ivy quickly developed a cult following.

"The kind of ska Operation Ivy played was totally new territory. It went way beyond having punk elements," Aaron Carnes wrote in In Defense Of Ska. "Some Op Ivy songs were power-chord punk blasters; others were upbeat-driven ska songs. But it wasn’t a dance party. It was unleashed, unapologetic punk-rock fury." 

Op Ivy were only together for two years, but played 185 shows, recorded 32 songs and even more demos. More than 30 years later, the band's sole studio album, 1989's Energy, is still a vibrant and resonant record of how punks constantly turn it around. Op Ivy's final show — fittingly at 924 Gilman, months after being offered a major label deal that they ultimately turned down — was also Green Day's first performance. 

Green Day

Crucial album: Dookie

Perhaps the biggest punk band to come out of the Bay, Green Day requires very little in the way of introduction. The four-time GRAMMY winners (and 17-time nominees) have been rockin' since 1987 when they were students at Pinole Valley High School. Originally performing as Blood Rage and then Sweet Children, Green Day first debuted under their new name during a show with Operation Ivy at 924 Gilman. 

Although OGs and Gilman devotees would certainly know the band's 1990 debut album 39/Smooth and the following year's Kerplunk, Green Day's third album was their first true crest into the mainstream. Released in February 1994, Dookie nearly topped the Billboard 200 and netted now-canonical hits "Longview," "Welcome To Paradise," and "Basket Case." The album also netted the trio of  Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool a GRAMMY Award for Best Alternative Music Performance. Today, it's sold over 15 million copies.

For the next 30 years, Green Day wormed their way into punk and not-so-punk earholes. The band's slew of hit singles and resonant albums further mainstreamed the genre, but consistently kept their unique sound. The band made their GRAMMY stage debut in 2005, performing "American Idiot" (which celebrates its 20th birthday in 2024) and the following year took home the golden gramophone for Record Of The Year for the thoughtful "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." That wasn't Green Day's final win at Music's Biggest Night: 2009's 21st Century Breakdown won Best Rock Album at that year's GRAMMYs. 

Although a lesser group could easily rest on their laurels, Green Day continues to put out new music. Their most recent release — and fourteenth studio album — Saviors offers 15 tracks of pop-punk goodness that prove the band are nowhere past their prime. They're also still true to their roots: Armstrong and Dirnt still live in the Bay and invested in local businesses (Dirnt was co-owner of Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe and Armstrong was one of the co-owners of local shop Broken Guitars (now Oakland Guitars).

Rancid

Crucial album: …And Out Come The Wolves

Op Ivy's Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman formed Rancid in 1991. They brought on Lars Frederiksen a few years later and, with a few lineup changes in the interim, are still going strong 30-plus years later. The group released their 10th album, Tomorrow Never Comes, in June 2023 and performed during that year's Punk Rock Bowling.

A cornerstone of the East Bay scene, Rancid picked up where Op Ivy left off, further fusing ska and punk with Armstrong's gravy talk-sing vocals at center. The band's lyrical themes followed suit as well, dealing in introspection, anti-authoritarianism and politics, with plenty of spotlight given to the Bay Area's scene. 

While there's plenty to choose from over a three-decade, double-digit album career, the output from Rancid's early years remains the most resonant. Sophomore album Let's Go and 1995's …And Out Come The Wolves are ska-punk masterpieces, with the latter's "Time Bomb," "Ruby Soho" and the musical chronicle "Journey To The End Of The East Bay" are a resonant salad years soundtrack. Released further into their career, Indestructible and Let The Dominoes Fall bring a bit more pop-punk into the game. 

Multiple members of Rancid have ventured into solo projects and new groups, including Frederiksen's eponymous Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards, Armstong's A Poet's Life project with L.A. reggae outfit the Aggrolites, brief project with Billie Joe Armstrong the Armstrongs, and punk/rap-rock supergroup the Transplants, which featured Travis Barker, Rob Aston, Armstrong and current Interrupters guitarist Kevin Bivona.

Frightwig

Crucial album: Faster, Frightwig, Kill! Kill!

Precursors to the riot grrrl movement, all-female group Frightwig left a lasting mark on both San Francisco and early '90s alt-rock/punk. (In fact, Kurt Cobain is wearing a Frightwig t-shirt during Nirvana's "MTV's Unplugged" sessions.) Founded in the early '80s by teen San Franciscians, Frightwig spent over a decade "screaming and shredding their way through glass ceilings and unapologetically leaving behind a pile of shards," according to their website.

Expectedly, the trio and sometimes quartet received a fair amount of attention for simply being young women in punk. They were known to turn the tables by inviting male fans onstage to dance and be ridiculed while playing "A Man's Gotta Do What A Man's Gotta Do."

"We really wanted to play with what the status quo of womanhood was supposed to be visually and also sonically. That’s part of our mission, to really challenge what people think about what a woman is supposed to look like and to do," guitarist/vocalist Mia d’Bruzzi later told SFGate.

The group — which experienced a number of lineup changes in its initial 12-year run — played many of San Francisco's major punk venues and toured with locals Flipper and Dead Kennedys, as well as Butthole Surfers, Sonic Youth, and Bikini Kill. Raw, noisy, feminist and tongue-in-cheek, the trio recorded two full albums — 1984's Cat Farm Faboo and Faster, Frightwig, Kill! Kill! two years later — and several EPs before disbanding in 1994.

In 2023, a reconstituted Frightwig (with the expectation of long-time drummer Cecilia Kuhn, who died in 2019), released We Need To Talk. The 11-track album is a more polished, rollicking zip through the life of a 60-something empowered punk, with defiant tracks like "Aging Sux"  and "Ride My Bike," political takes such as "War On Women," and a re-recording of their popular "A Man's Gotta Do."

Jawbreaker

Crucial album: 24 Hour Revenge Therapy

Although formed in 1986 at NYU and briefly relocating to L.A., San Francisco’s Mission District is Jawbreaker’s spiritual home. (The band were even on two Bay Area labels: San Rafael-based Shredder and San Francisco’s Tupelo/Communion.) Despite often being labeled “emo punk," Jawbreaker has been always been so much more; the band's clever, personal and relatable lyrics courtesy of guitarist/vocalist Blake Schwarzenbach and their superb rhythm section with drummer Adam Pfahler and bassist Chris Bauermeister resonated with audiences throughout the West Coast. 

After moving to the Bay in 1991, Jawbreaker released Bivouac (1992) followed by fan-favorite 24 Hour Revenge Therapy (1994). The group were invited by Nirvana to open six shows on their 1993 In Utero tour, after which rabid fans and the underground music press were wary of Jawbreaker "selling out" and signing to a major like Green Day. Jawbreaker vehemently denied the possibility of signing to a major label in print interviews and even from the stage.

But by 1994, the group had signed to DGC and the backlash was immediate. Former fans would buy tickets to their shows just to turn their backs to the band while flipping them off. Their major label debut, Dear You, was a much slicker production and sold poorly. Despite a messy breakup in 1996, Jawbreaker remained underground legends and their 24 Hour a touchstone for generations of punks (emo and otherwise). In 2017, Jawbreaker reunited with a seven-song unannounced set at East Bay venue the Ivy Room and have been performing regularly ever since.

AFI

Crucial album: The Art Of Drowning

Today considered a pop-punk or emo group, East Bay outfit AFI have masterfully shifted between punk subgenres for three decades. Founded in the Northern California city of Ukiah before relocating to Berkeley in 1993, the (current) quintet of Davey Havok, Jade Puget, Hunter Burgan and Adam Carson were fixtures at Gilman and elsewhere in the East Bay, initially leaning into a hardcore sound. 

There's a little something for everyone over the course of AFI's 11 albums. Mid-'90s releases Answer That and Stay Fashionable, Very Proud of Ya and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes are snotty, speedy and cheeky punk, exemplified by songs like "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)" and "He Who Laughs Last." Black Sails In The Sunset marked a move to darker sounds and melodic vocals, while 2000's The Art Of Drowning is dripping in horrorpunk themes and could be considered the group's take on the Misfits. Their commercial high point at the time, Drowning provided a dark counterweight for listeners coming of age in the early aughts world of pop-punk.

Future releases leaned into post-hardcore and emo: Sing the Sorrow, Decemberunderground and Crash Love, ushering the band further into the mainstream. AFI's last release came in the form of Bodies, an album of typically poetic lyrics, gothic imagery and attempts at a new wave sound. 

Shannon and the Clams

Crucial album: Sleep Talk

Less straight-ahead punks than the majority of this list, Shannon and the Clams are proof that punk isn't a specific sound so much as an attitude. Fronted by powerful vocalist Shannon Shaw, the quartet released their first album in 2009 and soon gained attention in the Bay and beyond for their meld of punk, garage, R&B and doo-wop.

Their sophomore record, Sleep Talk, is filled with Ronettes-eque yips, surf guitar and memorable chanting choruses. Throughout, the record oscillates between whining early '60s style ballads ("Done With You"), snotty vocalized bops ("The Cult Song") and fuzzed-out ragers ("Toxic Revenge") reminiscent of early Ramones — an excellent showcase of the band's range of interest and ability. 

The expansion of punk and garage continued through Shannon and the Clams' well-titled further releases: Dreams in the Rat House (2013), Gone by the Dawn (2015), Onion (2018), and Year of the Spider (2021). True to prolific form, Shaw is involved in several other projects, most notably Hunx and His Punx and a magnificent solo project steeped in country and blues produced by Dan Auerbach.

5 Women Essential To Punk: Exene Cervenka, Poly Styrene, Alice Bag, Kathleen Hanna & The Linda Lindas

Back in the early aughts, pop-punk was largely homogenous: a sea of predominantly white men who took over the stages of Warped Tour in their black Converse, lamenting their ex-girlfriend or small-town existence with few exceptions. But 20 years later, the genre has shape-shifted and redefined itself — and it may be more omnipresent than ever. 

While pop-punk isn't necessarily at the forefront of mainstream music the way it was in the mid-2000s, it's undoubtedly permeating culture. Two of the biggest artists in 2023 — Olivia Rodrigo and SZA — incorporated the pop-punk playbook into their songs; Travis Barker has become a go-to collaborator for a slew of rising acts blurring genre lines; pop-punk stalwarts like blink-182, Fall Out Boy and Sum 41 are returning to the genre with massive albums and tours; and When We Were Young Fest continued leaning into the nostalgia of it all, while celebrating both legendary acts and newcomers. 

One of the most remarkable aspects of the new wave of pop-punk popularity is that it's no longer defined by white cisgender males. The genre has become a more inclusive place than ever, with some of the most interesting and impressive music coming from women or people of color. Bands like Meet Me @ The Altar, Magnolia Park and Pinkshift have been pivotal to making the scene more inclusive.

As pop-punk continues to evolve, what will it look like? How will it continue to take steps toward diversity and inclusion? GRAMMY.com invited several leaders and luminaries of the industry to discuss its current state, how it infiltrated the mainstream, and the genre's ever-growing community. 

Quotes from these interviews have been edited for brevity and clarity.

What has 2023 meant for pop-punk?

Ada Juarez, Meet Me @ The Altar drummer: 2023 has been a great discovery year for pop-punk. Lots of pop-punk bands have been touring and playing festivals and getting their names put out there for new people to hear!

Sean Mackin, Yellowcard violinist: 2023 is maybe the biggest year for the genre. There are new bands that are inspiring and changing what music means to them – and it was strong enough to bring Yellowcard back from the afterlife, so for me personally it means a lot!

Joe Horsham, Magnolia Park drummer: 2023 is a pretty good year for pop-punk because it's officially getting mainstream recognition, and I keep seeing more and more pop-punk bands getting on rock festivals. So the demand is high.

Louis Posen, Hopeless Records founder: Pop-punk continues to be an important sub-genre in our community. In the 2000s, the community broke into the mainstream which expanded the community to a level where you can see now, in the most full circle way, the impact it had on fans then.

Morgan Freed, Emo Nite co-founder: Who would have thought that 2023 meant anything for pop-punk 10 years ago? The fact that it's alive and well, growing and thriving with younger artists who've turned what their version of pop-punk is into their own, as well as bands we've loved forever either making a comeback, reuniting or throwing together new tours with newer artists, is remarkable and meaningful. It says a lot about where we are as a country, as a community and as people that are going through their teens now or have been alive long enough to see its return.

Ben Barlow, Neck Deep singer: 2023 was a great year to revitalize the genre and give it a platform for even more in 2024. We saw the return of blink-182, Green Day and Sum 41 releasing new music, as well as a whole bunch of smaller, up-and-coming artists doing good things, too.

Jon Foreman, Switchfoot singer: [It] feels like every decade or so a younger generation discovers the beautifully dissonant energy that we all loved when we were young — and pop-punk returns from the grave like a phoenix reborn. 2023 has felt like the crest of that wave, with guitars and drums finally ringing out loud and proud once again. 

In 2023 pop-punk seemed to reach an even more ubiquitous level. How have you seen the genre regain relevance in recent years?

Juarez: Pop-punk has been a genre that tends to come and go in mainstream society. These past few years I've seen pop-punk get really popular once again — especially with blink-182 having their comeback and festivals like Adjacent Fest, Riot Fest, and When We Were Young having such pop-punk-filled lineups. Not only that, but trailblazers like Travis Barker collaborating with artists outside of the pop-punk realm and introducing their listeners to a whole new sound bring a whole new generation of pop-punkers.

Tristan Torres, Magnolia Park guitarist: Pop-punk has been bubbling since 2020, especially because of Travis Barker collaborating with new artists like KennyHoopla. But now pop-punk is pretty much synonymous with rock/alternative. It seems to be the go-to move for even pop artists when they do a rock song, such as Demi Lovato.

Mackin: 2023 is really a culmination of listeners showcasing their passion and love for music. I think it's a time of celebration and healing after a couple of sheltered and dark years.

Johnny Minardi, Head of Fueled By Ramen: Bands are having fun again and I think that's contagious. The tours are selling more tickets than ever even without gigantic mainstream hits.

Fefe Dobson, singer/songwriter: I saw that pop-punk was being championed and celebrated much more. It wasn't only musically through charting, but through fashion and culture.

John Feldmann, singer/songwriter and producer: Hearing Fall Out Boy on Sirius[XM] Hits 1, selling out the When We Were Young Festival, watching the Punk Rock Museum blow up, seeing both blink-182, and Green Day have bigger live numbers than ever. it's undeniable!

Dayna Ghiraldi-Travers, Big Picture Media founder: For me personally, it never went away. I have been working with New Found Glory since 2014's Resurrection and with Neck Deep since 2012's Rain in July EP, and haven't stopped since. I do think the return of Tom [DeLonge] in blink-182 did a lot for the genre, but overall the genre has held its ground quite nicely over the last decade.

Barlow: Nostalgia and youthful exuberance will always be a part of pop-punk. It's a broad spectrum in terms of the sound, the message and the subject matter, and so it appeals to people on a number of levels. [It] also maybe [has] something to do with rap, pop and electronic music taking inspiration from the genre allowing it to slowly filter into the mainstream. 

Why do you think this music — whether old or new — is resonating so strongly again?

Juarez: Old pop-punk never truly "died" or "got old." We hear the iconic pop-punk songs we all loved growing up constantly in today's day and age! Personally, I spend a lot of my time listening to older pop-punk, such as blink-182, Green Day, and Simple Plan; even newer than those, like The Story So Far, Knuckle Puck, and Neck Deep. It never fails to send me through a whirlwind of emotions, happiness, angst, nostalgia. It's a great genre to feel different emotions, and that's why it'll never truly get old.

Mackin: Music does go through cycles, and we are in a really refreshing time where the energy and the angsty sort of nature just collide, and it feels new again.

KennyHoopla, musician: History always repeats itself. On top of that, the world is going through a lot right now and pop-punk/emo music has resembled that. People are naturally in an emotional state right now.

Dobson: For myself, I crave songs that I can sing at the top of my lungs and let all my emotions hang out unapologetically. I think we just needed that release, and pop-punk has that rebellious and raw, honest quality to it.  

Vince Ernst, Magnolia Park keyboardist: I think this style of music is pretty relevant because it just has a youthful energy. The messages of those songs such as heartbreak, feeling like you don't fit in and wanting to be your own person will always resonate with the younger generations. Also, the classic songs of the past like "Misery Business," "Sugar, We're Going Down" and "All The Small Things" are just great songs. And great music will always stand the test of time.

Minardi: Lyrically, the genre has always been relatable for any mood. I don't think other genres do that as much, especially for younger fan bases.

Foreman: Sometimes it's helpful to step back and look at the broad strokes of adolescent development or even to associate a Jungian archetype to a specific age demographic. Post-pubescent humans are challengers, dreamers: questioning the established rules, pushing back on boundaries and societal norms. Punk music provides a perfect venue for these doubts and questions. Punk thrives when society is riddled with hypocrisy, greed and injustice. Punk rock is an organism that feeds on the dark, ugly, shameful parts of our culture, exposing these social ills to the light. Punk rock asks questions and challenges the status quo. Fortunately for punk-rock, (and unfortunately for humans) these dark times provide ample fodder for punk songs. 

Freed: I think we're going through a time where the world is so f—ed, and the information we receive is so quick and vile that we yearn for something like nostalgia (I wish there was a better term). There are also always going to be teenagers, and teenagers need something to listen to that speaks to them in a way they can understand and relate to. They're smart and see through manufactured, overly-produced s—. And that time is now. The teens have discovered emo and pop-punk, and that rocks. 

Ghiraldi-Travers: I think this music brings an energy that other genres do not. After a worldwide pandemic and the political climate, we need that high-energy and politically charged anti-establishment inspiration that we get out of pop-punk to keep pushing us along. 

Barlow: There's a realness and an honesty to pop-punk, as well as energy. Something undeniably fun and catchy, the soundtrack to your best times and the arm round the shoulder in your worst times. 

Feldmann: I think people want to have fun again at shows, and now that the pandemic is over people are actually going out and living their lives! I think the indie bedroom thing, (i.e. music to do homework to) is still super relevant, but people want to see live instruments being played and actually have an experience.

Posen: Pop-punk has a very close connection between artist and fan. They're almost one and the same and they are in it together. That makes for an incredibly connected community that wants to help and promote each other.

How can pop-punk make more space for marginalized artists?

Dobson: When my first album came out, I remember feeling like I didn't quite fit in, which I was already kind of used to growing up. I didn't really know where my space was at first but I did find a sense of community in the genre with a few other artists. I think it was because we celebrated each other's individuality. We shopped from similar stores, we enjoyed similar influences and we just wanted to be truly seen and heard — some of us for the first time ever.

Foreman: If punk rock is the definition of anti-establishment, then the genre has an obligation to be leading the way forward in making room for the marginalized and championing the causes of the ones who don't fit in.

Juarez: Pop-punk can always make more space for marginalized artists by just being open-minded with show lineups, festivals and even with communities! The more we talk about the bands around us, the more those bands get opportunities, too. Many people and artists from various walks of life listen to and/or play pop-punk — we all deserve these opportunities.

KennyHoopla: By doing it in the places that really matter. Helping local bands and giving your support to local scenes.  I've seen fundraisers for dying venues, free shows, collaboration within the scene [help].

Josh Roberts, Magnolia Park singer: Pop-punk, as we all know, has been dominated by mostly white guys, so it's been a little difficult for marginalized artists to have a space. For example, we get a lot of racist comments. But I think we can make the space safer by just taking the time to educate ourselves and being open to the messages that these artists bring to the table, even if it makes you uncomfortable. 

Barlow: With pop-punk being part of the alternative scene, it's very inclusive and welcoming. Everyone is bound by the shared love of something that often feels like more than music. However, it's historically been pretty white and we can always do better, so, no matter who you are, who you love, the color of your skin, welcome, you'll love it here. Start a band, get involved in your local scene in whatever way you can [and] know that this is a world where everyone can thrive and have a voice. 

Posen: We can be more aware of artists and fans who share the same passions, interests and values but find themselves outside the community. If we raise awareness, both those in the community would reach out and those outside would feel more welcome. At Hopeless, we make it part of all our conversations about signings, hiring and other decisions to make sure we aren't unconsciously leaving anyone out. One of the results is a current artist roster where front people are more than 50% female or non-binary identifying artists.

Ghiraldi-Travers: If the most established artists take younger bands out on the road with them, it is the best way for the marginalized bands to gain new fans. It would also be great for the more popular artists to give a space for features on songs they are releasing that connect directly to that new band's Spotify account. 

Freed: I feel lucky that this scene is the most accepting community I've ever encountered. My wish is that as new generations of artists emerge into the scene and create new spaces within the pop-punk community, [so] inclusivity will be so ingrained into the scene that it won't even be a question.

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How has When We Were Young helped give pop-punk a more mainstream boost?

Juarez: A festival as exclusive and influential as When We Were Young was a huge boost for pop-punk in the mainstream — it's a great opportunity for such a community of people to come together and listen to their favorite artists in the same place and create memories. Everyone talks about it, everyone posts about it, people who missed out wish they were able to be there.

Posen: The When We Were Young Festival has played a significant role in the rise in popularity and excitement around iconic artists from our community and the connection they have to the newer generation of artists.

Mackin: Yellowcard grew up dreaming to one day be on the Vans Warped Tour, and in our career we were included in their lineup nine separate times. So playing WWWYF really felt nostalgic, and getting to share the stage with so many of our friends in one place, I think it showed other people and listeners (who may not have already been familiar with the scene) how many people love this sub-culture of music. 

Minardi: Beyond the 85,000 [people] in attendance each day, the social media presence that goes viral with announcements covers a lot of ground that standard roll out plans for music don't always hit.

Feldmann: When my band Goldfinger played When We Were Young, we had close to 50,000 people watching us. I would say 80% of them had never seen our band. I think it was a great place for young people to see some of the legacy acts and also see some of the new current pop-punk bands. That festival was huge.

Foreman: I love to see a lot of my friends on the bill, bands that haven't really toured for years are getting back together to play the festival. And I love that the world is getting to hear their songs again. 

Ghiraldi-Travers I was lucky enough to attend When We Were Young in 2022 and was hired to run the press room at the 2023 festival and the energy of this festival is palpable. You walk the grounds and see ages of fans who are small enough to be on their parents shoulders and fans in their sixties. It has brought together all types of music lovers and is incredible to witness a sea of emo/pop-punk/rock fans flood the streets of Las Vegas. 

Freed: I think When We Were Young took all the best bands and brought them back into the spotlight. I hope that people who have been hooked back into the scene by WWWY's nostalgia focus are also able to check out the passionate and heartfelt work that other artists/creatives are doing to push the needle forward on emo.

Which artists do you believe are bringing pop-punk into the future and why?

Juarez: There are many artists out there bringing the genre into the future and some of them are us, Olivia Rodrigo, Anxious, Willow Smith, KennyHoopla, Daisy Grenade, Pool Kids, Pollyanna, and Citizen! The list goes on and on. All these artists are bringing something new to the table, whether it be a new sound or merging pop-punk with other genres. It's refreshing and new — as it should be.

KennyHoopla: Neck Deep, Hot Mulligan, Magnolia Park, Knuckle Puck are taking pop-punk into the future.

Freddie Criales, Magnolia Park guitarist: TX2 is someone who is bringing pop-punk to the future. Not only is his music good, but he also makes it a point to make his shows a safe space for marginalized groups. He speaks out against a lot of the injustices that are put on people in the LGBTQIA+ community, and I think that's pretty important. Stand Atlantic is another band that comes to mind. They are really good at infusing a lot of futuristic sounds into their music, and I think that's important because that keeps the music modern, fresh and inspiring to the next gen.

Minardi: Games We Play, jxdn, Meet Me @ The Altar, Hot Mulligan and Anxious are all doing it in their own authentic way and kicking ass.

Feldmann: Turnstile, Hot Mulligan, Heart Attack Man, KennyHoopla, Alexsucks, 408...there's too many to mention here!

Ghiraldi-Travers: I see incredible potential in House Parties, NOAHFINNCE, Greyson Zane, Hot Mulligan, Felicity, Action/Adventure, Magnolia Park, Spanish Love Songs, and of course, Meet Me @ The Altar. 

Dobson: I think Avril [Lavigne] continues to bring the genre into the future. I love that she's always been herself and stuck to her vision, which is something that isn't always easy to do in this industry.

Freed: Title Fight, Meet Me @ The Altar, Noelle Sucks, Pile of Love, Captain Jazz, Home is Where, charmer, Egbert the nerd, Petey, awake but still in bed, Heart Attack Man, Alien Boy, Carly Cosgrove, Dogleg, Hot Mulligan and tons of already popular artists switching their styles to pop-punk/emo.

Barlow: I think KennyHoopla, for sure. To see a Black-fronted pop-punk band — shout-out Magnolia Park — is hugely inspiring and nothing but a good thing for the scene. [Josh Roberts] has insane energy and a captivating stage presence. He writes from the heart and takes little drops from other genres which will absolutely push the genre forward. 

Posen: From the Hopeless roster, artists like Scene Queen, NOAHFINNCE, TX2, LOLO, Pinkshift, phem, and others are leading us into the new chapter of our scene. They are not stuck on sounding a certain way, looking a certain way or saying a specific thing. They represent how young people feel today.

Where do you think the genre is headed in 2024 and beyond?

Dobson: Pop-punk, though [it] wasn't in the spotlight or "mainstream" for a minute, never really went anywhere. It's always been there. 

KennyHoopla: It's either going to blow up, or show that it was truly just a just a moment that paired well with the world's events. Only time can tell, but there will always be a space for those who grew up listening to pop-punk and just never grew out of it.

Juarez: I think pop-punk will continue to mold itself into a genre that many different people want to be a part of. It's more than a genre — it's also a community. The pop-punk community is vast and should be accepting and open-minded.

Minardi: Hopefully it's headed to a place that can help launch the next batch of great artists versus only supporting the legacy.

Roberts: I think pop-punk will be something that people use to infuse into their sound — like a hyper-pop artist who uses a pop-punk vocal cadence. Or, a pop artist using a pop-punk guitar riff. At this point, artists aren't really making one type of genre. They infuse a bunch of different genres together to make something new. So I think pop-punk will be more of an integration than a standalone genre. But of course, there's still gonna be a few artists just doing the classic sound.

Posen: The newer pop-punk and other related genres in our community are becoming more diverse with less boundaries [in terms of] sounds, look, historical culture and other differences. It's so cool to see the melting pot of people, sounds and ideas create music and a scene with far less limitations creatively and otherwise.

Ghiraldi-Travers: The genre is more solidified than ever and is only going to continue to grow. The established talent is cranking out some of the best albums of their career which is only going to inspire up-and-coming musicians to keep playing and keep growing. They see longevity, and it is inspiring. 

Barlow: The current crop of bands are the best they've ever been, and the heavy hitters are still very active which makes for a healthy scene. The scene is strong enough right now to keep making waves and growing, old fans rediscovering and new fans being made. Plus, it's only a matter of time before the next blink-182 are found in the mountains of California, farting and laughing at dick jokes. 

Why 2002 Was The Year That Made Pop-Punk: Simple Plan, Good Charlotte & More On How "Messing Around And Being Ourselves" Became Mainstream

These days, what happens in Vegas, slays in Vegas when it comes to the harder side of music.

It might have seemed unthinkable a decade ago, but as Fat Mike of NOFX and Fat Wreck Chords has been putting out there for a while now, Sin City is basically "the most punk city in the U.S." at the moment. Some might find this statement debatable, but Vegas has long attracted subculture-driven gatherings, from Viva Las Vegas rockabilly weekend to the all-metal Psycho Las Vegas to the mixed bag that was Las Rageous. The latest slate of huge punk and punk-adjacent music events (from Punk Rock Bowling and When We Were Young to the just-announced new lineup of Sick New World 2024) back his claim even further. 

Mike’s own Punk Rock Museum, which opened in April of this year, has cemented the city’s alternative music cred — even as it’s still best known for gambling, clubbing, and gorging at buffets. 

In fact, A lot of the audacious new activity is centered away from the big casinos and in the downtown area and arts district of what is known as "old Vegas." Just outside of the tourist-trappy, Times Square-like Fremont Experience, there’s a vibrant live music scene anchored by a few key clubs, and an ever-growing slate of fests.

*Attendees at 2022's When We Were Young Festival┃Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/FilmMagic*

Live Nation’s second annual When We Were Young Festival brought out a largely Millennial crowd to see headliners Green Day and blink-182 this past weekend, alongside over two dozen more recognizable openers from emo/pop-punk's heyday. Tickets sold so well when it was first announced, that a second day was added to the schedule.

Green Day didn’t stop with their fest gigs; the band played a "not-so-secret" pop-up show last Thursday night at one of the most popular venues in town for punk, alternative and heavy music: Fremont Country Club, just blocks from festival grounds. The show served as a warm-up gig as well as an announcement by Billie Joe Armstrong: His band will join Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, and others for a 2024 stadium tour. The band also debuted a timely new track, "The American Dream Is Killing Me."  

Read More: Why 2002 Was The Year That Made Pop-Punk: Simple Plan, Good Charlotte & More On How "Messing Around And Being Ourselves" Became Mainstream

"People who like punk and other heavy music want to be in a club environment like ours, not a big casino," says Carlos "Big Daddy" Adley, owner of Fremont Country Club and its adjacent music space Backstage Bar & Grill. Both have become live music hotspots not unlike the ones Adley and his wife/partner Ava Berman ran in Los Angeles before they moved to Vegas over a decade ago. 

"Fremont East," as the neighborhood is called, will soon see a boutique hotel from the pair. Like everything they do, it will have a rock n’ roll edge that hopes to draw both visitors and locals.

*Outside Fremont Country Club┃Photo: Fred Morledge*

The duo told GRAMMY.com that a visit to Double Down Saloon, Sin City’s widely-recognized original punk bar and music dive was what first inspired them to come to Vegas and get into the nightlife business there. Double Down has been slinging booze (like Bacon Martinis and "Ass Juice" served in a ceramic toilet bowl mug) and booking live punk sounds since it opened back in 1992.

"It's kind of a stepping stone for a lot of bands," says Cameron Morat, a punk musician and photographer, who also works with the Punk Rock Museum as curator of its rockstar-led tour guide program. "People always assume that Vegas is just the strip, but that's only like four miles long. There's a lot more of the ‘‘other city.’ There are people who are just into music and into going to local shows who don't ever go to the main strip."

In addition to the Double Down, Morat says Vegas has always had a history of throwing local punk shows at spaces like the Huntridge Theater, which is currently being remodeled and set to re-open soon for local live music. He also points to The Usual Place as a venue popular with local punk and rock bands now, and The Dive Bar — a favorite with the mohawk, patched-up battle vest scene, featuring heavy music seven nights a week, including a night promoted by his partner Masuimi Max called Vegas Chaos.  

*Cameron Morat┃Photo: Kristina Markovich*

While glitzy stage shows from legacy artists and mega-pop hit makers like Usher, Elton John, Katy Perry, Carrie Underwood, Gwen Stefani and Lady Gaga still get the most media attention, raucous local shows are starting to factor into a new generation’s vacation planning, too.

"There’s a really good scene here," Morat proclaims. "It's funny because a lot of people, the sort of gatekeepers of punk, ask ‘why is the punk museum in Vegas?’ But it is a punk city, and not just because you've got all the local bands and the venues."

Read More: City On Fire: X's Explosive Debut Album Los Angeles At 40

Morat, whose own band Soldiers of Destruction, plays around town on occasion, also notes other acts such as Gob Patrol, Suburban Resistance, and Inframundo as having fierce local followings. He says there’s a certain voracious vibe in Vegas that lends itself to punk rock creation, performance and attitude. "A lot of the anger from punk rock — like the disparity of wealth, for instance, is here," he says. "Five minutes down the road, you've got people throwing away a million on the roll of a dice. But you've also got people who are doing like three jobs just trying to pay their rent." 

Over at the Punk Rock Museum, Morat, who moved from Los Angeles to Vegas about seven  years ago, is keeping busy booking big-name guests to share inspirations and war stories, both weekly, and specifically timed with whatever big festival or event happens to be in town. He says he wants to feature artists that might not be thought of as traditional punk rock, but who have relevant backgrounds and stories to share. 

"A lot of these people have punk history the public doesn’t know about," he says. "I think if we just stick to a very small well of people, it's going to get pretty boring. So I'm trying to open it up for a bigger cross-section." 

*Imagery from "Black Punk Now" | Ed Marshall*

The museum is already showing the breadth of punk rock’s influence on music in general. During WWWY, the museum held events tied to its new exhibit "Black Punk Now," curated by James Spooner, director of the 2003 documentary Afro-Punk. As Spooner spoke about the film’s 20th anniversary and his new book of Black punk authors, musicians playing the weekend’s festivities from Sum 41, MxPx, Bayside, Less Than Jake came through to talk too. Warped Tour’s Kevin Lyman and Fat Mike himself also took part in the museum’s new after-dark guided tour series.

Bringing in a wider audience and a new generation of rebellious kids who seek to channel their angst and energy into music is part of what the museum — and, it seems, the myriad of events in Las Vegas these days — is all about. Despite what some punk rock purists and gatekeepers might say, the inclusion of tangent bands and scenes is in the original punk spirit. He’ll be booking guests tied to next year’s Sick New World, the Viva Las Vegas rockabilly bash and even EDC in the future (electronic bangers are not unlike hardcore ones and even Moby was a punk before he became a DJ). 

"I think that the museum is great for the punk scene here," he adds. "People will literally come to town just to see the museum, and then if there's a band playing in town in the evening, they'll go. So it's broadening the support for all the bands, local and touring. Some punk bands used to skip Vegas completely on their tours, but not anymore." 

Remembering When We Were Young: Avril Lavigne, Jimmy Eat World & More Bands Reflect On The Peak Of Emo & Hardcore Ahead Of Vegas Fest

For the second year in a row, pop-punk is taking over Las Vegas. The When We Were Young Festival is bringing another slew of emo and pop-punk acts from the mid/late aughts to the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on Oct. 21 and 22, from Yellowcard to Rise Against to Green Day.

"Fat Lip" rockers Sum 41 are one of the 55 artists playing this year's iteration of WWWY, which will mark two of the Canadian group's final shows (in May, they announced they'll be disbanding after their current tour commitments). Though they've been touring for nearly 30 years, frontman Deryck Whibley tells GRAMMY.com that the front row "looks the same as it did in 2001."

"This music speaks to a younger generation, and the new generation always gets into it," he says. "There's just something about this kind of music that is youthful and exciting, and there's energy there. I think it's always going to be here."

In celebration of the 2023 iteration of When We Were Young Fest, Whibley put together a playlist of 15 songs by his fellow performers, including the Offspring, Blink-182 and the Ataris. Whether or not you're headed to Las Vegas, get your dose of pop-punk nostalgia on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, or Pandora.

Remembering When We Were Young: Avril Lavigne, Jimmy Eat World & More Bands Reflect On The Peak Of Emo & Hardcore Ahead Of Vegas Fest