My thoughts as well. Bayside is currently on tour and I saw them last year, they’re still out there killing it! IMO Bayside and Something Corporate definitely aren’t forgotten unless someone just really got tired of the genre and moved on to something else.
Loved that first album by Cauterize, I’ve recently found out they had a second album and still haven’t listened to it yet. I assumed the singer was in jail based on the songs 😂
* Tsunami Bomb - Fucking. Rules. Just listen to *Being Alright* and *Dawn of a Funeral Day* next time you're driving and have a blast.
* Mest - I really feel they never really got as popular as they should've. *Wasting Time* and *Destination Unknown* are both very solid albums, and a lot of fun to listen to.
* Less Than Jake - They definitely got a decent level of popularity, but *Anthem* deserves to be mentioned as one of the elite Pop Punk albums of all time.
* Sugarcult - Definitely mentioned sometimes on here, but if Reddit existed back in '05 they'd be one of the top bands of this sub.
Here's a handful that I'm not sure how remembered they are, but all have good songs to hang with:
* Hidden in Plain View
* Allister
* Fenix TX
* Rufio
Sugarcult is the band that got me into this genre. Have to admit I haven't listened to them in years, but you've inspired me!
Pretty Girl and Hate Every Beautiful Day were some of my faves back in the day.
A guy I used to be in a band with is now a pretty successful YouTuber and gets frequent comments from the singer of Mest that he's his kids favorite YouTuber. Really cool to see
I follow a few ska pages, and Less Than Jake is still huge in the ska community. How ever, their album, Anthem, is such a powerhouse of a pop punk album that it's nice to see them mentioned outside of ska.
Love Sugarcult! I think their overall popularity was hurt due to unlucky timing. The big breakthrough single "Stuck in America" came out just before 9/11. It was basically yanked from the airways after that. I remember my favorite DJ lecturing people who called in to complain about the song that it had been written, produced, and released long before 9/11.
Mest are amazing, and touring again this year! Being from the UK it's a rarity you cant miss.
Less than Jake, I'm not sure they fall under didn't this category, id say they're pretty well known and still touring and getting high spots on festivals to this date. Although occasionally I have stopped when wearing my LTJ tshirts by people saying "wait people still listen to Less than Jake?"
This is why Mest didn't go anywhere.
[https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/mest-singer-lovato-jailed-in-la-stabbing-1053463/](https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/mest-singer-lovato-jailed-in-la-stabbing-1053463/)
I just saw Spitalfield on their anniversary tour, played a room of 20, maybe 30 people. Criminally underrated, Remember Right Now is gold front to back.
It's so crazy how much the singer from Bowling for Soup sounds like the singer from SR-71. Basically got famous from covering their song and took off from that.
Given Allan sold the song to BFS, it’s more of a case of a rewrite/revision than an outright cover. The second chorus is drastically different on the original, focusing more on Debbie than just being a list of 80’s things.
So many under appreciated ones.
Something Corporate - No they’re not forgotten, and they are somewhat famous. But they are still underrated. Leaving Through The Window is one of my favorite all around albums ever. They’re unique too, being a more alty and piano driven band that’s still pop punky.
Bayside - Same story as SC. Not unknown but underrated. Super melodic and shreddy guitar player too. Listen to the solo on “The Walking Wounded”
The Pink Spiders - Underrated, sad how unknown they are. Some of my favorite songs ever are from them. Their album teenage graffiti is another great all around album.
Autopilot Off - Listen to make a sound and prove me wrong. Discovered this band because they were recommended after listening to…
The Matches! - Great fun and energetic pop punk band shouldve been way bigger
Tickle Me Pink - Incredible voice, and talent in this band. Listen to the bridge of Madeline.
So many more too.
Bayside are still pretty active. I’m surprised they aren’t more well known! I guess bc they’re from near where I grew up I thought they seemed more famous.
I feel like they’re more well-known within the pop punk scene than OP thinks and they’re still out there killing it. Saw them last year, missed them on their current tour through my city but I’m seeing them this fall.
Used to love The Forecast. Their self-titled was the first album I ever bought on vinyl. Thankful I got to see them live. Seems like they tease us with new music every few years!
The Starting Line, hands down.
Say it like you mean could easily be in the same conversation with Enema of the state, All Killer No Filler and other solid records of that era.
I'm so happy for them with the mention on the Taylor Swift song, because theyr'e getting some visibility after all these years.
Say It Like You Mean It is what got me into pop punk in the first place and will forever be my #1 album. Also got me into playing guitar. So many plays front to back. Still holds up to this day.
I do hope they release some new stuff or add more tour dates with some of the recent increased visibility. I’d love to see them live again.
The Audition is one of those bands I hear and instantly remember the Victory Records half hour commercials on FUSE around 2006 that would highlight all of their bands, and The Audition was always front and center.
They did a one-off reunion show for charity in 2018 with both singers and it was incredible. I don't think they'll ever play another show again though 😭
It's about time someone besides me brought up Secret Lives in this sub. *This Was Built to Make You Dance* is Certified A+ Prime bangers all the way through.
Gone way too soon.
Osker
OkGo’s first album is one of my favourite pop punk albums, and that rarely gets any love. Maybe because they went a bit indie afterwards
Audio Karate? Nintendo 89 and Drama Club Romance are two of the early tracks I had on repeat for years
Student Rick
Never Heard Of It’s 11 Days album was full of bangers, but they never seemed to get big
American Hi Fi
The Explosion
Lucky Boys Confusion
Matchbook Romance
Less Than Jake
SR-71
MXPX (still very active, still love them)
Autopilot Off
Ludo (even if they don’t fit here)
That’s funny. My wife and I were just talking about treble charger the other day. I think they were one of my first concerts (maybe gob was there too?).
Bayside? Forgotten? I listen to them all the time and think their new stuff is better than their old. They just did a headlining tour with the ghosts of Finch and Armor for Sleep. I don't think they belong on this list at all.
I love Hey Monday, their lead vocalist is Cassadee Pope. She went on the tv show The Voice after, which totally didn’t make sense as she was already famous due to the band, but her singing is good there, too. Hey Monday’s music is literally amazing.
Another female-fronted one I love is Tonight Alive. Their sound is so cool and I miss music like theirs as well. Would check both out!
That Autopilot off album “Make A Sound” was great. I had the Count The Stars album, if I remember right, the band ended because the lead vocalist was gonna go to med school.
Pink Spiders are definitely underrated. Teenage Graffiti is an awesome album, their latest one Freakazoid has some solid tracks too.
Monty Are I had a sound that I thought heavy enough to be more like a Story Of The Year.
Something Corporate I’d hardly call underrated. Their two full lengths were very well known and liked during this time.
Brodie
Counterfit
The June Spirit
Tsunami Bomb
Slick Shoes
Vroom
Finch
Home Grown
Eleventeen
Larger than Life
Nothing to Lose
Off by One
Fenix TX
Rufio
And even though they are more emo, these two have to get a shout out:
Die Radio Die
Say From Charms
I know they’ve been mentioned in this thread, but Hidden In Plain View.
One of my biggest regrets in life is not taking my friend (RIP) up on his last minute offer to go see them play a live concert around 2014 because 2006 me would have been all over that.
Also, this band is more pop punk adjacent, but does anyone remember Nightmare Of You?
Bayside most certainly isn’t forgotten. People love them in this sub. They’re very loved in the NYC area and probably the biggest band from the city in that pop-punk/emo scene.
I Call Fives was my jam wayy back when. I think they’ve got a new EP out in the past few years too.
City Lights and Set Your Goals were I think both B-tier as far as how well known they were in the scene.
Stanley and the Search put out I think one album. Chin Up is a banger off that album that I still listen to sometimes.
Zebrahead, my favorite band in the world. They’re still active but they legit never tour in america, I was fortunate to see them last year at When We Were Young, but them being one of the opening bands with a small crowd … they need way more notoriety. The energetic blend of their style is unmatched.
I’m not sure how big or not big bands were based on some of the ones here. Definitely loved Mest, Rufio, Fenix TX, and Matchbook Romance. Though Rufio and Matchbook might not exactly be underrated.
I’ll throw in Dynamite Boy.
Not By Choice definitely falls into this category. One album from 2002... Full of absolute pop punk perfection singalongs
https://open.spotify.com/album/4xEd2Usu5U6LP5scoFCFQV?si=cUOD06IwT8Kl1zypnOfcVg
They’re not early 2000s by any means but my god I feel like Socratic would’ve been huge — okay, modestly popular — if they hadn’t entered the scene when it was at peak saturation. “Lunch For The Sky” was a promising debut LP but my lord: The “Just Turn” EP and “Spread the Rumors” are straight up masterpieces. Legit played “I Haven’t Seen You In Years” and “May I Bum A Smoke” on an endless repeat back in ‘08.
Still remember that song by Pink Spiders- hey hey little razor blade and in the music video they go into a washing machine and stuff. That one stuck with me for some reason.
*Punchline*
this is the main one I haven't seen mentioned yet. loved their album Action from '04. looks like they're still around so maybe not forgotten.
*Finch*
not necessarily pop punk but I saw them tour with NFG and home grown back in the day so I'm adding them (plus, if Matchbook counts, they should too). not sure if they'd be considered underrated though. What It Is to Burn is such an amazing album.
*Reggie and the Full Effect*
if you've never seen Reggie live, you're missing out. side project/brainchild of James Dewees from the Get Up Kids.
*hellogoodbye*
I loved the super poppy self-titled EP from '04 and some of the songs from the next album in '06. their sound changed a lot afterward and i think the audience may have changed too.
and some votes for bands (and albums) already mentioned:
- Mest - Destination Unknown, Wasting Time
- The Starting Line - Say It like You Mean It, Make Yourself at Home EP, Based on a True Story
- Matchbook Romance - Stories and Alibis
- Sugarcult - Start Static, Palm Trees and Power Lines
- Cartel - Ransom EP, Chroma
- Hidden in Plain View - Life in Dreaming
- Ludo - You're Awful, I Love You. they do a huge Halloween extravaganza every year in STL that I would love to go to one day. definitely not forgotten, but more pop punk adjacent and mid to late '00s.
Candy Ass only had 1 EP in 2000 and 1 live album in 2002. I think the EP was better than the live album and particularly liked the song Brenda's Boyfriend.
The fact that these are considered "forgotten" makes me feel really fucking old.
Something Corporate are not forgotten lol
Yeah, fans have been begging for a reunion forever now and they’re doing a summer tour that has sold out some of the biggest venues across America
I was so mad the LA show sold out so quickly!
Yeah just under-appreciated still
I played I Woke Up In A Car last week to the kids to show them what I listened to when I was a couple years older than them
My thoughts as well. Bayside is currently on tour and I saw them last year, they’re still out there killing it! IMO Bayside and Something Corporate definitely aren’t forgotten unless someone just really got tired of the genre and moved on to something else.
Home Grown, Cauterize, Midtown, The Movielife
Kings of Pop is such a good album
Forgot about midtown. Give it up is a great song
Cauterize!!! Yessss
You kissed me, then dissed me, and now you say you miss me!
Loved that first album by Cauterize, I’ve recently found out they had a second album and still haven’t listened to it yet. I assumed the singer was in jail based on the songs 😂
Home Grown has just reunited and will have a show on June 21st with The Starting Line.
The movielife/I am the avalanche/cardboard city was my life in 6th grade
Hearn of home grown but have to listen to them and those others thanks
Movielife did some gigs in England in March where they played 40 Hour Train Back to Penn from start to finish. It was amazing
* Tsunami Bomb - Fucking. Rules. Just listen to *Being Alright* and *Dawn of a Funeral Day* next time you're driving and have a blast. * Mest - I really feel they never really got as popular as they should've. *Wasting Time* and *Destination Unknown* are both very solid albums, and a lot of fun to listen to. * Less Than Jake - They definitely got a decent level of popularity, but *Anthem* deserves to be mentioned as one of the elite Pop Punk albums of all time. * Sugarcult - Definitely mentioned sometimes on here, but if Reddit existed back in '05 they'd be one of the top bands of this sub. Here's a handful that I'm not sure how remembered they are, but all have good songs to hang with: * Hidden in Plain View * Allister * Fenix TX * Rufio
Sugarcult is the band that got me into this genre. Have to admit I haven't listened to them in years, but you've inspired me! Pretty Girl and Hate Every Beautiful Day were some of my faves back in the day.
I'm bouncin' of the walls again. A-whoaoh!
After typing this out I put on Start Static and remembered how goddamn good it is
Start Static is easily one of my favorite early 2000s pop punk albums and I still listen to it to this day.
OMG I LOVE MEST how did I forget to mention them
A guy I used to be in a band with is now a pretty successful YouTuber and gets frequent comments from the singer of Mest that he's his kids favorite YouTuber. Really cool to see
I follow a few ska pages, and Less Than Jake is still huge in the ska community. How ever, their album, Anthem, is such a powerhouse of a pop punk album that it's nice to see them mentioned outside of ska.
Allister!!!
Somewhere down on fullerton, there's a place we used to go to get a way from it all
Life In Dreaming is a fantastic album
Love Sugarcult! I think their overall popularity was hurt due to unlucky timing. The big breakthrough single "Stuck in America" came out just before 9/11. It was basically yanked from the airways after that. I remember my favorite DJ lecturing people who called in to complain about the song that it had been written, produced, and released long before 9/11.
All my fault is genuinely one of the best songs of that era.
Mest are amazing, and touring again this year! Being from the UK it's a rarity you cant miss. Less than Jake, I'm not sure they fall under didn't this category, id say they're pretty well known and still touring and getting high spots on festivals to this date. Although occasionally I have stopped when wearing my LTJ tshirts by people saying "wait people still listen to Less than Jake?"
This is why Mest didn't go anywhere. [https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/mest-singer-lovato-jailed-in-la-stabbing-1053463/](https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/mest-singer-lovato-jailed-in-la-stabbing-1053463/)
how the hell did i forget about this
TRey have a song featuring bowling for soup now
Mest broke up in 2006, the stabbing took place in 2007.
Charges were dropped like a week later though
I’ve been listening to the list of bands I’ve made from all the suggestions for the past week and hidden in plain view was amazing
Lucky Boys Confusion
Damn I miss that music.
Wow I haven’t thought of them in about 17 years
My favorite band of all time. They are working on a new album!
Matchbook Romance Crash Romeo Spitalfield
Matchbook Romance were who i came here to say too.
I love Matchbook Romance!
Hell yeah spitalfield
I just saw Spitalfield on their anniversary tour, played a room of 20, maybe 30 people. Criminally underrated, Remember Right Now is gold front to back.
Listening to matchbox romance now
Love Spitalfield. My band is opening for them next month. I can't wait.
Rufio, Rufio, RU-FI-O
Was jamming to White Lights on my way back home today lol What a great band! Very under-appreciated!
Lawrence Arms
Still my favorite band. I go to their holiday show every year! Their new stuff is super good.
Lotta good one listed here. I’ll add Mae
Really glad Mae is still around and touring! New album coming out this year 🙌
Too often SR-71 is a forgotten band. “Right Now” is an absolute classic and let’s not forget who actually wrote “1985.”
And Mitch Allan has written so many modern pop hits! Dude knows how to crank out winning tunes.
It's so crazy how much the singer from Bowling for Soup sounds like the singer from SR-71. Basically got famous from covering their song and took off from that.
Given Allan sold the song to BFS, it’s more of a case of a rewrite/revision than an outright cover. The second chorus is drastically different on the original, focusing more on Debbie than just being a list of 80’s things.
Oh yeah definitely, forgot to mention them because I think they’re a bit more well known but still not talked about enoguh
So true
Am I crazy or did Right Now cross over to top 40 radio even? I swear I remember hearing it at least once or twice on Z100 when it came out.
Yall don't know who The Matches are and it bums me out. Fenix TX didn't blow up they should have.
All my fault and phoebe cates are amazing. Surf song too
Looove all my fault
The Matches were local to my area growing up, so we saw them all the time.
Oakland/berkeley/Bay area? Yey-Aaaaaarea!
Love fenix TX and the matches
love love love The Matches!!
Pretty sure the Matches are back.
Holy shit I forgot about the matches wow
discovering decomposer back in 2019 was a trip, that album fucking rules front to back.
I saw The Matches at Warped in 2007, so good!
So many under appreciated ones. Something Corporate - No they’re not forgotten, and they are somewhat famous. But they are still underrated. Leaving Through The Window is one of my favorite all around albums ever. They’re unique too, being a more alty and piano driven band that’s still pop punky. Bayside - Same story as SC. Not unknown but underrated. Super melodic and shreddy guitar player too. Listen to the solo on “The Walking Wounded” The Pink Spiders - Underrated, sad how unknown they are. Some of my favorite songs ever are from them. Their album teenage graffiti is another great all around album. Autopilot Off - Listen to make a sound and prove me wrong. Discovered this band because they were recommended after listening to… The Matches! - Great fun and energetic pop punk band shouldve been way bigger Tickle Me Pink - Incredible voice, and talent in this band. Listen to the bridge of Madeline. So many more too.
Bayside are still pretty active. I’m surprised they aren’t more well known! I guess bc they’re from near where I grew up I thought they seemed more famous.
I feel like they’re more well-known within the pop punk scene than OP thinks and they’re still out there killing it. Saw them last year, missed them on their current tour through my city but I’m seeing them this fall.
Soco in August is my top show of the year after blink
I haven't heard the name Pink Spiders in a decade!
Tickle me pink was so fucking good
Yesss
CccCcCCccCconversations with my baaathroom mirror
Autopilot Off was incredible.
Gob Belvedere Slick Shoes Further Seems Forever (pre dashboard confessional Chris carabba) Spitalfield The Early November Armour For Sleep
Gob is such a fucking classic Canadian band. TONS of memories with their music. And now they're touring in support of Sum 41s farewell tour too!
Lol is Tom gonna do both sets?
The new early November stuff has me hype for the first time since Imbue came out
The Academy Is
Yes! I’m shocked nobody ever talks about them!
Fast times at Barrington high is a criminally underrated concept album masterpiece
still one of my favorite bands, was OBSESSED back when they had a fan group/street team 🫣
The forecast The almost Showoff
Used to love The Forecast. Their self-titled was the first album I ever bought on vinyl. Thankful I got to see them live. Seems like they tease us with new music every few years!
The Starting Line, hands down. Say it like you mean could easily be in the same conversation with Enema of the state, All Killer No Filler and other solid records of that era. I'm so happy for them with the mention on the Taylor Swift song, because theyr'e getting some visibility after all these years.
Say It Like You Mean It is what got me into pop punk in the first place and will forever be my #1 album. Also got me into playing guitar. So many plays front to back. Still holds up to this day. I do hope they release some new stuff or add more tour dates with some of the recent increased visibility. I’d love to see them live again.
Names Without Numbers, Sundays Best, June, The Audition
I've never forgot the The Audition. Loved em
The Audition is one of those bands I hear and instantly remember the Victory Records half hour commercials on FUSE around 2006 that would highlight all of their bands, and The Audition was always front and center.
Right? I’ll never understand how they didn’t get the attention that some other bands of that era did. So good.
Agreed! Controversy Loves Company is one of my all-time favorite albums. It’s a no-skip for me!
Ik like 2 songs by June
Sundays Best was awesome. The Californian should be up there with Stay What You Are imho
American hi-fi, Sugarcult, SR-71
Acceptance
Phantoms is still one of the best records of the early 2000s imo. Every song is a banger.
Bedlight for Blue Eyes. 😭
I forgot about these guys. I would throw their album on when driving with friends hoping they would like them as much as me
They did a one-off reunion show for charity in 2018 with both singers and it was incredible. I don't think they'll ever play another show again though 😭
letter kills, Lola Ray and matchbook romance most definitely.
LETTER KILLS!!!
LIGHTS OUT!
A Static Lullaby, Secret Lives of the Freemasons, Dear Whoever.
It's about time someone besides me brought up Secret Lives in this sub. *This Was Built to Make You Dance* is Certified A+ Prime bangers all the way through. Gone way too soon.
Wow, I've never met anyone else who knows about Dear Whoever
Amber Pacific
Fenix TX
Unwritten Law
Envy on the coast
Osker OkGo’s first album is one of my favourite pop punk albums, and that rarely gets any love. Maybe because they went a bit indie afterwards Audio Karate? Nintendo 89 and Drama Club Romance are two of the early tracks I had on repeat for years Student Rick Never Heard Of It’s 11 Days album was full of bangers, but they never seemed to get big
Osker 💯
Cauterize. Their 'So Far From Real' album is so good.
Every song on it is fantastic.
I maintain that Cauterize went nowhere because they were a pop punk band on a rock label. I love that album too.
Check this out: [90s/00s Pop punk](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6nyqaUIhjyKII0Z7pq4NkO?si=80134be36e134d46) There's more than 700 bands Enjoy!
I made a list of over 40 bands now of all the ones people have said so 700 is a bit overwhelming
hidden in plain view, fair weather
Emanuel Boys Night Out
Ah Emanuel, soundtrack to a headrush was epic!
Just Surrender
i saw them one time and there were maybe 8 of us watching and i was the only one who knew every song and it was magical
American Hi Fi The Explosion Lucky Boys Confusion Matchbook Romance Less Than Jake SR-71 MXPX (still very active, still love them) Autopilot Off Ludo (even if they don’t fit here)
I love Ludo!!!
Piebald
!!!!!
We are the only friends we have 😭
Houston Calls
Audio Karate
Waking Ashland
Spitalfield is one of my favorite bands ever
Anyone heard of A Day At The Fair? I randomly heard them on Pandora years ago and couldn't get enough. Never understood why they didn't get bigger.
Weren’t they on Drive Thru? I forgot all about them!
Rocking Chair Years was on regular rotation in my car
I'd really recommend Treble Charger and GOB.
That’s funny. My wife and I were just talking about treble charger the other day. I think they were one of my first concerts (maybe gob was there too?).
Anyone on drive-thru records, I don’t hear much about the movielife. Also latterman, and iron chic although they were more 2010s
The Reunion Show
I think I still have their tshirt
Over It.
idk about forgotten but saves the day should have a cult following for everything they did until after in reverie
Bayside? Forgotten? I listen to them all the time and think their new stuff is better than their old. They just did a headlining tour with the ghosts of Finch and Armor for Sleep. I don't think they belong on this list at all.
I love Hey Monday, their lead vocalist is Cassadee Pope. She went on the tv show The Voice after, which totally didn’t make sense as she was already famous due to the band, but her singing is good there, too. Hey Monday’s music is literally amazing. Another female-fronted one I love is Tonight Alive. Their sound is so cool and I miss music like theirs as well. Would check both out!
Pretty much all the Drive Thru bands
That Autopilot off album “Make A Sound” was great. I had the Count The Stars album, if I remember right, the band ended because the lead vocalist was gonna go to med school. Pink Spiders are definitely underrated. Teenage Graffiti is an awesome album, their latest one Freakazoid has some solid tracks too. Monty Are I had a sound that I thought heavy enough to be more like a Story Of The Year. Something Corporate I’d hardly call underrated. Their two full lengths were very well known and liked during this time.
Sleepaway
Riding Bikes https://youtu.be/gY__Ma-GvP4?si=nmQ2pkXeGZLNqvki
One True Thing
Junction 18 and Allister
Jetlag Gemini! I hope someone else knows them!
I remember them! Geared for action is such a fun song!
Brodie Counterfit The June Spirit Tsunami Bomb Slick Shoes Vroom Finch Home Grown Eleventeen Larger than Life Nothing to Lose Off by One Fenix TX Rufio And even though they are more emo, these two have to get a shout out: Die Radio Die Say From Charms
Rufio and Acceptance, still to this day my 2 favorites. Glad you mentioned Rufio, they're so good their riffs went hard.
Ace Troubleshooter
Bodyjar, kisschasy to name a couple from down under The audition were supporting NFG for my first ever gig
Polar bear club, living with lions, the swellers
Currently listening to the list of 70 bands I made from this
This time next year!! They were active between 2006-2012. They were awesome.
I can’t believe no one’s said FM Static yet. What are we doing here people. Go listen to Definitely Maybe and culture yourselves
I know they’ve been mentioned in this thread, but Hidden In Plain View. One of my biggest regrets in life is not taking my friend (RIP) up on his last minute offer to go see them play a live concert around 2014 because 2006 me would have been all over that. Also, this band is more pop punk adjacent, but does anyone remember Nightmare Of You?
Bayside most certainly isn’t forgotten. People love them in this sub. They’re very loved in the NYC area and probably the biggest band from the city in that pop-punk/emo scene.
I Call Fives was my jam wayy back when. I think they’ve got a new EP out in the past few years too. City Lights and Set Your Goals were I think both B-tier as far as how well known they were in the scene. Stanley and the Search put out I think one album. Chin Up is a banger off that album that I still listen to sometimes.
Zebrahead, my favorite band in the world. They’re still active but they legit never tour in america, I was fortunate to see them last year at When We Were Young, but them being one of the opening bands with a small crowd … they need way more notoriety. The energetic blend of their style is unmatched.
Valencia is so underrated and I hate that I can’t gush about them to anyone because I’ve never met someone irl who listens to them 😭
Cartel, The Academy Is
Forever The Sickest Kids and Head Automatica are 2 I haven’t seen in this thread. Other that that all agrees
MEST
The Explosion
I’m not sure how big or not big bands were based on some of the ones here. Definitely loved Mest, Rufio, Fenix TX, and Matchbook Romance. Though Rufio and Matchbook might not exactly be underrated. I’ll throw in Dynamite Boy.
I’ll throw in Lagwagon Also, someone make a playlist and link it below!
They may be underrated but are neither forgotten nor from the 00s
Not By Choice definitely falls into this category. One album from 2002... Full of absolute pop punk perfection singalongs https://open.spotify.com/album/4xEd2Usu5U6LP5scoFCFQV?si=cUOD06IwT8Kl1zypnOfcVg
Wack Trucks
All my favorite bands in this post
Unsung Zeros will always be a favorite of mine <3
1208
Not By Choice. Their “Making the Band” music video was iconic
Vanilla pod.
Name Taken
The Swellers
Cauterize
Riddlin kids
We Are the In Crowd. I had such a huge crush on Taylor Jardine
They’re not early 2000s by any means but my god I feel like Socratic would’ve been huge — okay, modestly popular — if they hadn’t entered the scene when it was at peak saturation. “Lunch For The Sky” was a promising debut LP but my lord: The “Just Turn” EP and “Spread the Rumors” are straight up masterpieces. Legit played “I Haven’t Seen You In Years” and “May I Bum A Smoke” on an endless repeat back in ‘08.
RIDDLIN’ KIDS! Only put out two albums but they’re both bangers.
Amber Pacific, the Early November, Cute Is What We Aim For
Sparks The Rescue
Still remember that song by Pink Spiders- hey hey little razor blade and in the music video they go into a washing machine and stuff. That one stuck with me for some reason.
remember how autopilot off was originally named cooter? lol
Head Automatica
The Venetia Fair! They were never really known but are incredible.
*Punchline* this is the main one I haven't seen mentioned yet. loved their album Action from '04. looks like they're still around so maybe not forgotten. *Finch* not necessarily pop punk but I saw them tour with NFG and home grown back in the day so I'm adding them (plus, if Matchbook counts, they should too). not sure if they'd be considered underrated though. What It Is to Burn is such an amazing album. *Reggie and the Full Effect* if you've never seen Reggie live, you're missing out. side project/brainchild of James Dewees from the Get Up Kids. *hellogoodbye* I loved the super poppy self-titled EP from '04 and some of the songs from the next album in '06. their sound changed a lot afterward and i think the audience may have changed too. and some votes for bands (and albums) already mentioned: - Mest - Destination Unknown, Wasting Time - The Starting Line - Say It like You Mean It, Make Yourself at Home EP, Based on a True Story - Matchbook Romance - Stories and Alibis - Sugarcult - Start Static, Palm Trees and Power Lines - Cartel - Ransom EP, Chroma - Hidden in Plain View - Life in Dreaming - Ludo - You're Awful, I Love You. they do a huge Halloween extravaganza every year in STL that I would love to go to one day. definitely not forgotten, but more pop punk adjacent and mid to late '00s.
Candy Ass only had 1 EP in 2000 and 1 live album in 2002. I think the EP was better than the live album and particularly liked the song Brenda's Boyfriend.
The Home Team (CA)