Special: Emo Meme Review #1

What's up everybody. For this special I'm doing a new segment inspired by a youtuber that is also a great mate... Nate the mate. On his channel Nate has a segment called "Emo Meme Review" where he discusses various "scene music" memes. Now perhaps in the future we will do a written word version of that but for now I want to discuss one meme in particular that comes to us from @allpunkedup on twitter.

Now this is an interesting exercise as I can't actually off the top of my head decide three bands so I figure if I take this in stages I can figure it out. So firstly I'll remove the bands that I either do not like or have not listened to.

So not much to go over here. My apologies to Stand Atlantic for not giving them a shot to this point I plan on correcting that. I also didn't give Moose Blood much of a shot either though they obviously don't deserve it. Twenty One Pilots and Angels & Airwaves I just can't really get into. They have some good songs but others that miss so they come off here as well. Next up we'll remove the bands I may like but don't love.

Trash Boat and Boston Manor are newer bands with only 2 full lengths but I have not given them as much attention as I'd like to. Weezer is legendary but they are touch and go for me. I wouldn't buy any Weezer records honestly. Against The Current probably wouldn't be here if their new album was better but alas they've fallen a bit in my eyes. Next up we'll remove the bands that I don't like their earlier music.

Blink and Green Day are legendary but they both required an album or two before they hit their stride. I mean realistically even though I like these bands they probably wouldn't be final 3 bands so no harm removing them now. Pierce The Veil is likely a controversial one since their old stuff doesn't sound much different then the big albums that followed but I just can't get into it. Waterparks is well expected. Even the band doesn't like anything prior to the Crave EP and even that one is touch and go. Now we'll remove the bands that have an album/era that I didn't like.

In fairness to these bands they've been around for a very long time. Unfortunately I hated Pretty Odd era P!ATD. I never got into Senses Fail Hardcore era. Sum 41 went downhill after Underclass Hero before bouncing back recently. AAR hasn't been good since When The World Comes Down. Next up we'll take a couple more off that had an album that didn't measure up to their other work.

Yet again punishing bands that have been around a while. Fall Out Boy, Paramore and The Wonder Years newest albums weren't up to snuff compared to their previous releases. Mayday Parade on the other rebounded after a few middling albums, especially Monsters In The Closet. Let's give the vets a break. Let's remove some younger bands that don't have as much material as the others.

Not much explanation is needed here. Sleep On It has 1 full length and an EP. With Confidence and Knuckle Puck have 2 full lengths and a handful of EP's and As It is has 3 full lengths, as do others on the list but they're the lowest on my preference list. Alright one last round of bands that had albums/eras I didn't like to get down to 8.

I feel bad taking The Maine off but I really just couldn't super enjoy the Pioneer/Forever Halloween era's. The Story So Far's EP was not good and the self-titled record doesn't have much staying power for me. Good Charlotte's pre hiatus work wasn't great and Set It Off's pre Duality work wasn't either. And then there were 8 so now let's just eliminate the 4 I like the least.

Honestly I'm shocked Real Friends made it this far. Had you of told me it would be final 8 I would've laughed but here they are. Simple Plan almost got knocked off last round but they squeaked in here so that made them expendable here. I love Seaway but given their "newer band" status it was hard to carry them any other further. All Time Low was the tougher cut but they have some misses in their catalog overall even if I enjoy each album mostly.

So that leaves 4: Neck Deep, A Day To Remember, State Champs and New Found Glory. NFG and State Champs were easy picks for the final but now the question is do we keep Neck Deep and their amazing Life's Not Out To Get You album and the still excellent The Peace And The Panic. Or ADTR's extensive catalog. I tend to lead ADTR especially since I have the pop punk covered with the other 2. So there you go. My pick 3: New Found Glory, State Champs, A Day To Remember.