The Rise Of The Planet of Pop Punk

They say that everything comes back into fashion at some point, be it shoulder pads, crop tops or Noel Edmonds. But right now it’s the turn of pop punk. There is no denying that since the return of pop punk titans Blink 182, the genre has experienced a sudden surge in popularity. From Jimmy Eat World’s triumphant album shows which saw fans singing along to every single word of 2001’s smash hit ‘Bleed American’ to New Found Glory’s packed out Reading & Leeds warm up gigs championing their new T-Shirt slogan ‘Pop Punk’s Not Dead’, it is clear that these 90s icons are as popular as ever.

And talking of Reading & Leeds, this year’s line-up is scattered with more pop punk bands than ever before. Gone are the days when pop punk’s finest were restricted to Slam Dunk Festival alone. With New Found Glory, Jimmy Eat World, Panic! At The Disco, The Offspring and Decedents popping up across the weekend, 2011 seems to be the year pop punk creeps back into the mainstream. Even headline act My Chemical Romance could be considered inductees into the realm of pop punk with their latest, more upbeat, release Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys.

This year has also seen an unashamedly summery pop punk record from the sugary Simple Plan, featuring collaborations from Rivers Cuomo and Natasha Bedingfield no less, and a packed out tent for ‘popcore’ pioneers Four Year Strong’s headline performance at this year’s Sonisphere Festival. And it’s not just the old stuff making a comeback, with the relatively new kids on the block All Time Low and You Me At Six playing bigger and bigger shows across the world, its certain that there is room for fresh faced pop punkers on our stages too. You don’t even need a pair of Dickies and a blonde mohawk to listen to them either.

Why pop punk ever went out of fashion still remains one of life’s unanswered questions. Much like ‘why do Jedward exist?’ We’ll just never know.

But ‘why has pop punk suddenly wormed its way back into our hearts and onto our iPods?’ is slightly easier to consider. It could be that warm and fuzzy ‘getting drunk down the skate park’ nostalgia that listing back to classic records like Blink’s ‘Enema Of the State’ or Sum 41’s ‘All Killer No Filler’ brings? Or it could be that the genre is just generally a big ol’ barrel of fun? And who, apart from Alan Sugar, doesn’t like fun? Whatever the answer, let’s hope that the infectious hooks, huge sing-a-longs and teenage angst of pop punk continues to park its behind in the world’s festival lineups and iPod playlists for a while longer. New Found Glory for Glastonbury 2013! Just me? Okay…