Remember your emo phase? Well, of course you do, because everyone has had one at some point in their lives. I think mine definitely shaped me into the person I am today and continues to do so.

One thing I remember during this totally awkward time was me and my friends listening to a lot of Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic! At The Disco, Linkin Park, Paramore, and more bands than I can name right now. We bonded over the magical sounds of these musicians speaking to our souls.

Nowadays, if you're like me, you probably still listen to these bands often. I technically still haven't grown out of my emo phase, but I'd like to describe this part of my life as "refined emo". Just like I've grown up and began to find where I best fit in (or not, because fitting in is boring anyway), so have many of these bands.

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Fall Out Boy, one of my all-time favorite bands, has considerably changed their sound since their return from their four-year hiatus. Formerly kings of angsty guyliner-wearing 2000s emo, their music currently takes on a more pop and EDM-oriented approach. My personal opinion on this is kind of complicated, but that's not the point of this article.

Paramore, on the other hand, stuck with their original pop-punk sound from their conception until the end of their self-titled era in 2015. Since "After Laughter" dropped in 2017, their music is more new-wave and indie pop-inspired with more brutally honest and relatable lyrics about how terrible the world can be.

While many still associate them with the pop-punk sound, Panic! At The Disco has changed their sound quite frequently throughout their career; their latest projects leaning toward a theatrical rock variety. And for those of you that know me and my love for this band, you know I'm personally all for their new direction!

Linkin Park's nu-metal sound seems to have remained generally stagnant even after Chester Bennington's passing (and as Freddie Mercury said, the show must go on). My Chemical Romance stayed true to their emo sound until the very end (and no, I'm still not over their breakup).

With the trend of many of our pop-punk favorites going in new directions with their music, it begs the question: what does it all mean?

I think, in my opinion, the answer to this question is simple: everyone grows up. You can't expect someone to be the same person they were five years ago because people change! Events change people, and people change people. As you get older, you'll learn more about yourself and what makes you tick and what doesn't, you'll find new interests, meet new people, and discover new things.

Growing up is a complex process, and no process is perfectly linear, nor are they all the same. It's easy to apply this concept to pop-punk because some artists and bands are still finding where they fit best, and some are already there.

With that being said, pop-punk didn't go anywhere! It's just manifesting itself under new genres. Maybe you'd call it alternative rock, or maybe you'd call it indie pop. Whatever it sounds like to you, pop punk's not dead and still lives on to this day.