Pop-Punk: A genre that has been pegged as a fad. Something that had gone mainstream in the early 2000s and is now regarded as the music of emo 15-year olds with spiked hair and black clothing. Some might say that this genre is generally aimed at a niche audience, but can it really be fairly associated with rebellious attitudes and raging lyrics? My opinion lies in the negative.

Most people are familiar with Green Day and Blink-182, bands that had scored successful album chartings and sold millions of records, representing the mainstream peak of the genre with their loud electric guitars, speedy tempos, and upbeat pop elements. I think it is safe to say that this was music that was loved by everyone; in the era of commercial success it could do no wrong in the eyes of the people. Let’s not forget Avril Lavigne peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Girlfriend” in 2007, or Green Day’s "American Idiot" becoming the most successful pop-punk album of the decade. Fall Out Boy, Simple Plan, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, New Found Glory and, of course, The All-American Rejects, among many many other bands – it is impossible to remember the decade of the 2000s without appreciating this music and its presence across all types of media. To this day, it's still heard on the radio, at various social events, and is probably in more than one of your playlists, too.

Recently, I have rediscovered the severely underrated pop-punk genre and newer bands that it consists of. Because I am just a casual fan of the music, I never realized the deeper meaning it carries for its loyal followers. From basement shows to sold-out anniversary tours, these fans have been supporting the bands without missing a beat (no pun intended). The general consensus is that if you are a fan of the genre, you are very much into self-expression, use the music to define an alternative sense of style, and can identify with the lyrics or band members. You may come across something that will stick with you and truly redefine a part of your life forever. And while I would say this is more or less true with any other genre of music, I will say that I have personally experienced it with The Wonder Years.

Without delving into the history of the band, it needs to be said that The Wonder Years are most definitely one of the defining artists of the new wave of bands that have emerged in the recent decade of the pop-punk genre. I haven’t been following them since their conception, but in the past few months of being introduced to their music, I have strangely been able to relate to everything about them in the most non apparent way. From their album art to song lyrics, the band does an incredible job of inspiring and resonating with the “early twenties soul-searching and tales of strife,” as Dan Campbell sings about in The Upsides (2010). I am continuously impressed by the consistency and progression in Campbell’s style of writing, and the creative struggles he talks about, noting how they were in fact the catalyst for their latest album, "No Closer To Heaven." I could keep going, but it would be hard to stop, so instead I will leave you with a list of five songs (because if I didn’t have this constraint I would tell you to listen to all of their albums) that should be listened to in no particular order:

1. "Cigarettes & Saints"

2. "Hostels & Brothels"

3. "And Now I’m Nothing"

4. "I Wanted So Badly to be Brave"

5. "Came Out Swinging"