A few weeks ago, the festival “When We Were Young” was announced with a bunch of bands we used to listen to a lot like 15 years ago. Well: bands we started to listen to 15 years ago but we all know that. Emo was not just a phase! So we thought it would be fun to see which records will celebrate their 15th birthday in 2022!
ALL TIME LOW – SO WRONG IT’S RIGHT
This second album is what makes All Time Low the huge band they are still now. Thanks to famous hits like Dear Maria Count Me In and Come One Come All! Like most of the artists on this list, their singles are timeless and are sung at any party as if they were the hit of the year!
ANGELS & AIRWAVES – I EMPIRE
In 2005, the members of Blink 182 created some side projects. Mark and Travis joined their forces to make +44 with one nice album released in 2006, “When Your Heart Stops Beating”. But not a lot of people still remember their songs in 2022 which sucks because they wrote a few very good songs. But not as famous as what Angels & Airwaves did with their first album with hits like Everything’s Magic and Secret Crowds.
AVRIL LAVIGNE – THE BEST DAMN THING
The pop-punk queen was back with a new album. After “Let Go” and “Under My Skin” with tons of famous singles, we were expecting some new hits once again. And we got them! But a bit different. Avril is older, she has changed a bit, the punk-rock influences from the first albums are gone and she’s now in a more sweety style. Who forgot Girlfriend and When You’re Gone? Hopefully nobody! This album was definitely a pivotal moment in her career.
FALL OUT BOY – INFINITY ON HIGH
This third album was a shock for many fans. Some liked it. Some didn’t: Fall Out Boy became mainstream. Well, their new sound was definitely less punk-rock than before but they were aware of it and the opening track of Thriller (not a Michael Jackson’s cover): “Crowds are won and lost and won again but our hearts beat for the die-hards”. And 15 years later, we still listen to Thanks for the Mmrs.
MAYDAY PARADE – A LESSON IN ROMANTICS
Their first record and their first success. And what a success! The band wouldn’t be the same today if they didn’t release this one. One of the classic albums for every emo’s out there. Black Cat was made available for streaming through MySpace… another time. Better? Let’s say different. Jamie All Over, and When I Get Home You’re So Dead are 2 other big hits from this lovely album! If you’re experiencing a hard time, a breakup or any thought of an emotional time right now – which wouldn’t be a surprise with pandemic worldwide, war in Ukraine, etc -, this is the album you need.
PARAMORE – RIOT!
The biggest album of the band. One of the biggest albums of this year 2007 in the scene. One of the biggest albums of all time in the scene. Whenever you attend a party like Emo Night, whenever you listen to a playlist on Spotify, whenever you listen to random emo songs on Youtube, you will always get songs from this album. That’s What You Get, Misery Business, Crushcrushcrush, For A Pessimist I’m Pretty Optimistic, Born For This… this album is a masterpiece.
SUM 41 – UNDERCLASS HERO
When we think about the Canadians, we think “All Killer No Filler” (2001), “Does This Look Infected?” (2002) and “Chuck” (2004): their first 3 albums. But “Underclass Hero” released in 2007 was a perfect mix between their first punk-rock vibes and their more pop-punk sound. Once again, all songs have been composed and written by the genius mind of Deryck Whibley.
THE USED – LIES FOR THE LIARS
This third album from Bert McCracken is a bit different, more rock, more punchy but still awesome. The whole album could be a best-off. From the opening track The Ripper to the beautiful Smoother Me, the level is so high that we dream about an anniversary tour later this year. Or, at least, a set-list focused on the 3 first albums like we had when they headlined the “Taste Of Chaos Tour” (R.I.P) in 2007 with an insane line-up below them: Rise Against, Aiden, The Blackout, Gallows…
Of course, many more albums have been released in 2007. We couldn’t list them all! One thing for sure: they’re all still stuck in our head and we almost had an heart attack when we hear about this When We Were Young Festival… If only they made the same in Europe!
