Pop-punk is alive and well, and it lives in Chicago. While the most well-known Chicago pop-punk band is probably Fall Out Boy, many other great bands hailing from the Windy City deserve some love as well. Here are five Chicago pop-punk bands keeping the scene alive and thriving.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: Why Pop Punk Will Never Die: 5 Songs That Still Rule the Airwaves]
Knuckle Puck
Knuckle Puck is a pop-punk band with a classic sound reminiscent of the early 2000s but updated for modern times. Their most recent album, Losing What We Love from 2023, has that clean, tight pop-punk sound in its instrumentals and distinct vocals. Knuckle Puck is ultimately a prime example of the perfect pop-punk band—loud and energetic with emotional, catchy lyrics and hooks. If you’re looking for more of the sound of All Time Low, The Academy Is…, or even Taking Back Sunday but are loyal to Chicago, give Knuckle Puck a listen.
The Bombats
The Bombats lean on the punk side of pop-punk, spinning messier phrases and incorporating audio clips from movies into the tracks from their 2017 album We Are the Bombats. They’re a little more theatrical than your standard pop-punk bands, referencing themselves and creating somewhat of a narrative for The Bombats. They’re rough-and-tumble rowdy boys from Chicago, and their brand of pop-punk is delightfully brash and loud. If you want a more Dead Kennedys-leaning band—”Bombat Holiday” reminds me of “Too Drunk To F–k”—then The Bombats are definitely for you.
Belmont
Belmont delves into more of a math rock feel in their brand of Chicago pop-punk. They’re fast-paced and energetic to a completely new level, such as on the opening track “SSX Trickmont” from their 2024 album Liminal. They also dabble in hardcore as well, expertly blending genres into a melting pot of a unique album. Liminal employs its rough edges well as it transitions from hardcore to soft-spoken vocals to the classic pop-punk yelling. Overall, Belmont’s most recent album combines many different elements that play well off of each other to create a cohesive project.
Zombie Schoolboy
Zombie Schoolboy’s 2018 EP Flashlights in a Dark Place employs looser vocals but tight instrumentals, a contrast that works well for the Chicago pop-punk band. They also have that classic sound from the early 2000s but with a modern edge, bringing a new generation into the scene. Zombie Schoolboy has lyrics that land like a punch, such as on “I Don’t Care.” I don’t care / If you were trapped inside a burning house / I don’t care / I’ll be the smoke that chokes you out, goes the chorus, and there’s something to not being overly literate, to just saying it the way it is and letting the words hit like an audible thud.
Meat Wave
Meat Wave is definitely more hardcore in their brand of pop-punk, opening their 2022 album Malign Hex with a thumping, steady beat and edgy vocals. They lean more Rage Against the Machine than Fall Out Boy in terms of style, but that’s the beauty of pop-punk—it may be pop, but it’s also punk, and Meat Wave takes their punk roots seriously. Following the opening track, “Disney,” Meat Wave transitions into more of that pop style but still hangs onto their messy phrases and aggressive, energetic vocals. This is the band for you if you want to thrash around a little and get some energy out.
Featured Image by Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.