Rock music plays well with teens. It has just the right attitude to pair well with hormonal changes and a newfound need for freedom. The conflation between teenagers and rock music has been proven throughout the decades. Below, find three rock albums from different eras that will instantly transport you back to your childhood bedroom.
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Enema of the State – Blink-182
Late 90s/early ’00s rock fans will know the experience of holing yourself up in your room and listening to Blink-182′s Enema of the State on an endless loop.
Few albums encapsulated rock’s turn from brooding ’90s diatribes to the next decade’s romping, irreverent anthems better than this one. Blink delivered an era-defining, time-stamped album with Enema of the State. Moreover, they earned two of the biggest hits of their career in one fell swoop, “What’s My Age Again?” and “All the Small Things.” Though later rock albums in the ’00s would perfect this era’s motif, Blink laid the groundwork for what rock should sound like moving forward—much to the excitement of teens everywhere.
Nevermind – Nirvana
Flashing back a little bit from Blink-182, the early ’90s saw grunge take hold of the rock movement. Leading the charge was Nirvana, the poster children for moody, mad-at-the-world songwriting. They matched their brooding lyricism with attitude-filled performances. Unsurprisingly, the teens of the time took note. Many now-adults can remember sinking their teeth into Nirvana’s Nevermind as if it were a roadmap to finding their voice.
Nirvana had several albums that soundtracked the lives of ’90s teens, but Nevermind is the one that earned them recognition. It became one of the most pervasive grunge albums of the era. Even listeners who wouldn’t typically be into that sort of thing found themselves headbanging along.
Riot! – Paramore
Flashing forward, the last entry on our list of rock albums that will instantly transport you back to your childhood bedroom is Paramore‘s Riot! Mid-’00s rock took the alternative scene and gave it a pop-rock makeover. This brand of rock, though still angst-filled, was more accessible to the masses, as is evidenced by Paramore’s success in 2007 with this album.
If you ever tried (miserably) to keep up with Hayley Williams’ incomparable vocals in the comfort of your bedroom while listening to this album, then we can relate.
(Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/WireImage)
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