Rebellious Music: Make a Scene

In the words of Biafra, former lead singer of Dead Kennedy’s, “Punk is not dead. Punk will only die when corporations can exploit, and mass produce it.” I want to expand the sub-genre of pop-punk and how it can be viewed through the four interdisciplinary lenses. The punk music scene “has two components. The music and then the mindset.” (The Orbital) Looking at the pop-punk sub-genre’s evolvement within society from a personal and historical perspective it is possible to explore the music’s impact on culture.

Under my existing knowledge, I will elaborate on specifically why this music drew my teenage self to the genre with personal experience anecdotes. Under my historical lens, I will discuss how pop-punk music evolved over time. More specifically, bands that were popular versus the ones I listened to in the sub-genre. Under the humanities lens how this played out in the music’s larger cultural influence. Under the natural and applied science lens, I would like to discuss how this genre improves lives. In addition, I will discuss the instrumentation used then and now. Under the social lens, I will explore the cause and effect the sub-genre has on society. It is also important to look at how the music is marketed, and how the music is shared.

Describing my existing knowledge of the music genre pop-punk is an adolescent growing up listening to pop-punk music in the 2000s. My assumptions are that genre itself was new when I was a teenager. Other categories of rock anthems have harsher baselines and vocals. In contrast, pop-punk rock sounds softer in terms of pitch and tone than other types of subcategories of rock n’ roll.

Next, applying a historical lens, according to the article by Master Class, “In the 1970s, a new, raw style of music rose through small clubs and underground radio. Known as punk-rock this genre shifted the course of pop music.” The music scene in the early 2000s was no longer underground. In 2005, Fallout Boy’s label told the iconic band that their song “Sugar We’re Going Down” would never be on the radio. The label experts reasoned that the guitars were too heavy, and the chorus was just too wordy. Despite the disagreement, this song was the band’s first top single.

My daughter is familiar with this pop-punk band by the song, “Immortals,” from the movie Big Hero 6 that came out in 2014. Two years before the lead singer of Green Day, Billie Jo Armstrong, called for the death of the term pop-punk. In a 2016 tweet, his mission was to destroy the phrase. “When you’re punk, you just want to be punk. You don’t want to be that in between.” This response sums up Armstrong’s tweet said by a non-millennial in the YouTube video “DO TEENS KNOW 2000s POP-PUNK MUSIC?” Personally, listening to their take on this made me think critically about what makes this genre unique.

Finally, applying the humanities lens, the genre was a societal movement for inclusion. The pop-punk genre itself is “working class orientated with left-wing politics and it champions equality and inclusiveness.” (The Orbital) I would say that songs like “The Anthem” by Good Charlotte and “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World gave marginalized groups a voice. I would say that the stereotypical pop-punk rocker of the 2000s would be a studded belt, arm bands, and razoring our own holes in jeans and thick eyeliner. This is a significant shift with time from Patti Smith to punk princess Avril Lavigne. Regardless, pop-punk music is influential in pop culture today through activism.

As far as the social science aspect, I had my daughter introduce me to a current song, a pop-punk song, called “Punk Tactics” by Joey Valence & Brae that came out in 2022. I felt the song had a similar feel to the bands Good Charlotte and Green Day with the use of a repetitive refrain. My ten-year old’s commentary included: “generation of pop-punk music has a different beat.” She feels her generation’s music is better and talks about things that are important to kids nowadays.” I think by looking at this genre of music through all these lenses, I can see how music has changed, impacted society, and evolved culturally. Perhaps by the time my daughter graduates in 2030, the pop-punk music scene will have completely shifted into something unrecognizable from a 2000’s punk rocker.

Under my historical lens, the article, An Idiot’s Guide to Pop-Punk, by E.W. Hemings demonstrates how pop-punk music has evolved over time. Hemings breaks down the pop-punk music scene by first wave, second, and third. In the first wave, which I am unfamiliar with, are the 1982, Descendants, Milo Goes to College album and the 1994, Green Day, Dookie album. However, in 1994, in The Offspring Smash album with vocals by Holland and Wasserman, I am familiar with the song “Self-Esteem” as the song was repeatedly played on the radio. As the Offspring’s bassline by bassist Krisel caught my attention, and the drumming by Welty is iconic in that track.

During my interview with a 1984 high school graduate, I asked a series of questions to determine if this person was familiar with the sub-genre. I asked if she had heard of the popular bands The Ramones, Misfits, or Descendants? The first question about the difference between Punk and pop-punk was met with: What is the difference? With the second question, she was familiar with the band, The Ramones, but only because they made a movie titled Rock and Roll High School. She said, “she and her husband attended a costume party that was Punk Rocker themed. So, she ratted her hair, and he spiked his up. They wore trash bags with symbolism on them.” My daughter said, “Just play a song and I will probably recognize them. Descendants like the Disney movie?” While I appreciated her willingness to listen to bands, she may not have heard of it. I could not help but laugh at her pop culture reference to Descendants being a Disney movie.

The specific bands that were popular Sum 41 and New Found Glory did not catch my hear. I listened to bands in the sub-genre like Blink 182 and Good Charlotte. Now like any teen in the late 2000’s, The Young and Hopeless album by Good Charlotte features songs like “The Anthem” and No Pads, no helmets...just balls album by Simple Plans features “Perfect” were my go-to songs for releasing all my teen angst. The sub-genre was just different enough to annoy my parents.

In the article, Seven Ages of Pop-Punk, Ciara Maloney defends of how the sub-genre influence has improved our lives stating, “Today’s pop-punks might go to therapy, but pop-punk has always been about being depressed.” I think talking about mental health issues through music helps bring more awareness. According to Maloney, the new millennium, “is in a transitionary period in its history.” Examining the pop-punk subgenre under the humanities lens allows the analyst to see how this musical stimulus plays out as a larger cultural influence. I would go as far as to say that this genre of music helped promote skater culture. As well as defining the aesthetics of both a skater and punk-rocker. I would say that many punk rocker teens shopped at the well-known mall chain store Hot Topic with the devil gate entrance, pitch black mood lighting, and My Chemical Romance on the overhead speakers playing “I’m Not Okay.” The band tees were in a small aisle in the back, and chain wallets, and wristbands near the register. To say the least, it was my mom’s least favorite store. In 2022, I took my daughter to Hot Topic for some gothic clothing excited to show her the dark vibe of the store. Only to be greeted with Anime, Disney, crop tops, and a fully lit storefront. I exclaimed, “What happened to this store?” It appears there was a cultural trend shift.

The cause and effects the sub-genre have on society are evident under the social lens. The genre has a social impact that effects community activism and societal beliefs. “Punk dwells loudly on the urban streets of anti-fascist, anti-establishment, and anti-consumerist action – the core values in which its anarchy is borne.” (The Orbital) In the pop-punk subgenre, the artists wanted to release music their way, with a unique sound. This approach led to a rise in independent labels.

Interestingly, in 2000, Biafra former lead singer of Dead Kennedy’s, was involved in a nonpayment of royalties’ scandal, “a jury found Biafra liable for fraud and malice, and he was ordered to pay $200,000 to the band members.” (Borges) To date he has not paid up. His actions go against what punk rockers and their music style fundamentally represent. Biafra creates this rift despite, the first line of his quote, “Punk is not dead” being engrained in pop culture.

In the article, An Idiot’s Guide to Pop-Punk, E.W. Hemings mentions how labels such as Brett Gurewitz's Epitaph Records and Fat Mike's Fat Wreck Chords were founded to help release music for themselves; music they made in-house. Nowadays, there are so many streaming services, music is marketed through reality television contests and social media platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram. Lastly, Maloney says, “We are in the midst of an improbable pop-punk revival.” Based on what I have been introduced to by my daughter music-wise, I would agree with this assessment. I believe there will be a new wave of pop-punk subgenre sooner rather than later. The pop-punk aesthetic society would brand punk rockers as unconventional to an outsider. The sub-genre had “major impacts on the creation of a DIY mindset in a world that had started to pull away from the pride of craftsmanship.” (TheArtifice) There is a new wave of punk aesthetics on Tik Tok.

The movement of Indie punk rockers being challenged by followers to take a country song and turn into a pop-punk rock ballad. An example of this would be Rascal Flat's “What Hurts the Most” cover by Unsafe and Unsound went viral. I believe this is to change the misconceptions of what of the genre's image. So, artists could make pop-punk rock songs appeal more to a wider audience. Another example is a variation of Papa Roach, “Cut My Life into Pieces” into an adaptation cut my jeans into pieces these are my homemade shorts which brought a resurgence of this subgenre into the mainstream social media platform Tik Tok pop culture.

It is important to look at how to broaden an outsider’s understanding of sub-genre pop-punk. It would be valuable to not see the genre as just for outcasts or the misunderstood, but as a type of music that allows the listeners to release emotions. According to Tom, “new groups were fan-created and were analogous to the political pamphlets that were circulated during the centuries.” This D.I.Y. ideology engaged listeners to participate with the new waves of punk.

Realizing that at the core of this movement is self-expression; this would contribute to a deeper understanding of the genre. In the article, Craft-Mageddon: The Explosion of DIY Culture, “Punk DIY came from a place of necessity and craftiness.” (TheArtifice)The subculture was not a part of the mainstream music scene. By leaning on the traditions of artisans, the subculture found success through “independent means.” This means to demonstrate how “a dominant culture says this is how it is, it in fact does not have to be their way.” (The Artifice) In other words, this movement is challenging the status quo. This approach is a belief held by many members of this community. Overall, the punk music scene uses bricolage to transform an everyday object with a new purpose. One example of this can be seen in the use of safety pins as earrings. These pieces of metal may seem “impractical to most of society,” An average person, who does not immerse in the culture, might wonder the purpose for deconstructing a useful household item into a fashion accessory. Though just like most of the sub-genre illustrates their social defiance attitude, “safety pin earrings directly showed defiance of the norm and a celebration of innovation.” (TheArtifice) There is so much innovation that is involved throughout the sub-culture of this pop-punk music stylistically, politically, socially, and influentially. Furthermore, Chris stressed that the political outfit is a large part of the punk subculture according to a study. So, to engage further with this D.I.Y. ideology an outsider would have to accept that distributing and supporting this type of music is a political statement.

In Psychology Today article, Punk Music Isn’t Bad, a study found that “music could increase physiologic arousal (a component associated with an emotional response such as anger) while others concluded that listening to extreme music was a reflection of emotional vulnerability and a mechanism for emotion regulation.” This acceptance of how music engages with innermost feelings changes the representation of negative outlooks on the genre. In the Personal Narrative, “Punk is the Loneliest Crowd,” Patel writes on how she engaged with her peers and felt part of a community as she listened to and attended punk concerts. She listed the Bay Area as the place for the Punk scene. The graphics that she included throughout her essay are how I would like to engage with my readership when I create a post. Or how my writing could be used in different advertisements or self-promotions of my creative pursuits.

Developing the skill of critical analysis, one must self-reflect. I had to consider what was important to include research-wise. In addition to the ratio of personal anecdotes throughout. I would say that by conducting research into the music itself, I broke my own stereotypes and biases. I knew that there was a reason there was activism, but I did not really have a good understanding of why as a teenager. I knew that punk rock-style clothing and music influenced my taste and other perceptions of me.

I had no idea the emotional impact of listening to this music helped my teenage self-regulate my own emotions. I did not know how many of the artists I listened to fall under this sub-genre even now. I was unaware that artists like the lead singer of Green Day wanted to change this term to pop-punk. I think how I will interact with this music will be different from now on. I will listen to the current events alluded to in all the lyrics. I will pay attention more to the instrumentation. I will embrace the social aspect of not only sharing music with my child, but also listening to her pop-punk generations riffs. I listen to music as I write so it’s always a part of my writing processes. I believe I will be able to produce lyrical and ballad poetic forms that will evoke more emotion. Now that I am aware, I am actively listening for form and structure.

Viewing this genre of music through all these lenses, it is possible to see how much change and impact this sub-genre has had on society. After creating a music timeline in a previous activity, I am aware of how the movement has evolved culturally and which city is at the heart of the punk scene. Perhaps by the time my daughter graduates in 2030, the pop-punk music scene will have completely shifted into something unrecognizable from a 2000’s punk rocker. However, I hope that the foundations that this music sub-genre remains prominent and all-inclusive. So that punk-rock lovers like me and future generations will have iconic magazines, posters, and independent labels they support. That the mission of inclusion, D.I.Y., and activism never fades into white noise.

Awareness helps to develop the skill of critical analysis by self-reflecting. How one approaches a question or project is informed by an array of perspectives known as “lenses.” The overview of the four lenses goes into more depth. By looking through multiple lenses and examining one lens more closely, one can see how some are more predominant lens than others. Research frames arguments to support the analysis overall.

Over these past six weeks looking through the sub-genre of pop-punk I have rediscovered cultural artifacts in the form of albums in this genre, posters, and comics. In 2022, the pop-punk subgenre had a “massive resurgence for the music style.” (Sheffield) The talents of singers like Oliva Rodrigo and Machine Gun Kelly breathe new anticipation into the sub-genre.

The punk scene emerged, and society examines the impact of its evolution through historical and social lenses. In 1992, Rage Against the Machine grew followers with its “unique rap/metal and alternative sound, thanks in large part to the genius guitar playing of Tom Morello.” (Mezydlo) If I had not done this paper from an interdisciplinary perspective, I would not have realized, Rage Against the Machine sub-pop-punk genre lyrical expression “constructively challenged authority, addressing issues such as police brutality in "Killing in the Name" and systemic racism.” (Mezydlo) I would not have discovered Rage Against the Machine’s leftist views attack the U.S. government and regularly question foreign policy as heard in “Bulls on Parade.” The political significance of my analysis may have included different articles, journals, and essays. I may have left out a few more personal anecdotes. Rise Against “Ready to Fall “is one of my favorites. It “tackles environmental issues, and the band endorsed Barack Obama during his first presidential run in 2008.” (Mezydlo) Without this in-depth analysis, I may have told a completely different story about how I relate to the music sub-genre.

Critically analyzing this pop culture phenomenon that has been evolving since the 70s helps in how I interact with people around me who enjoy the pop-punk genre too. According to an article in Rolling Stone,” In 2022, pop-punk is back from the dead, more popular and influential than ever — suddenly, it’s the Teenager of the Year.” (Sheffield) I can hear the subtle differences in the cadence between my wave of pop-punk versus my daughter's generation. I have gained a greater awareness of pop culture subject matter and what is means to understand the ideologies as well as the self-expression involved. The sub-genre has “evolved into a ubiquitous music language, especially as female audiences and performers have claimed this voice as their own.” (Sheffield) Political significance is the core of this musical revolution.

The ongoing prominence of the subgenre’s foundation can be crucial in preserving the ethos, soul, and psyche of the punk-rock music scene for future generations. In 2022, the pop-punk subgenre had a “massive resurgence for the music style.” (Sheffield) I hope to challenge the pop-punk subgenre conversation in a more positive light. The current arguments happening in society surrounding what’s authentic or original in pop-punk does nothing to forward the significant messages within the genre. Instead of focusing on the negative perceptions surrounding the music scene, fans and artists should look for the deeper meaning and examine the society’s emotional response. The audacity of genre gatekeepers and authenticity cops is contrary to the original messaging and an odd societal perspective to hold in this modern day.

In conclusion, Punk has evolved into an umbrella defining social impact and rebellion. Through analysis I discovered what it means to be a pop-punk rocker in modern society. Pop-punk transforms into a standard for the rest of society to follow. Pop-punks have risen up to stand against the establishment, capitalism, and modern culture in the name of inclusivity. I am proud to be counted in their numbers.

Cited:

“Craft-Mageddon: The Explosion of DIY Culture.” The Artifice, the-artifice.com/diy-culture/#:~:text=Though%20the%20punk%20movement%20is,which%20is%20made%20already%201. Accessed 16 June 2023.

Do teens know 2000s pop punk music? (react: Do they know it?). (2017, June 04). Retrieved May 7, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAEc1k0pVtc

Punk Rock Music Guide: History and bands of punk rock - 2023. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2023, from https://www.masterclass.com/articles/punk-rock-music-guide

Moloney, C. (2022). Seven Ages of Pop punk. Retrieved from https://thesundae.net/2022/04/24/seven-ages-of-pop-punk/

(Hemmings 2023.). Retrieved from https://vocal.media/beat/an-idiot-s-guide-to-pop-punk

(Savage 2023). Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/art/punk

Buechele, Tom. “DIY Masculinity: Masculine Identity in DIY Punk Subculture.” Natural Sciences Student Symposium, SUNY Purchase. 2005.

Petel, L. (2015, May 6). “Punk: The loneliest crowd.” Medium. https://medium.com/the-secret-history-of-america/punk-the-loneliest-crowd-1b974684a0c8