Pop Punk Thesis

Pop Punk. A recent surge in this genre of music, liked by many people who find themselves not being typical, mainstream teens. However, Pop Punk is an oxymoron in itself. Pop is very mainstream, it is constantly being overplayed on every radio station, yet liking Pop Punk music is considered to be not mainstream. As any kind of music, it can help people diminish their emotions or help strengthen them. Whichever the case, Pop Punk music is always put on the back burner for popular tastes. The people who like it are viewed in society as scene kids in the 90s-- classic rebellious kids. But in the words of Brian Sella, lead singer for a pop punk band called The Front Bottoms, he sings, “I wanna contribute to the chaos, I don't wanna watch and then

complain.” He does not want to sit around while things happen in the world around him. Instead of staying still and complaining that situations are not changing, he wants to be involved in the world’s chaos. He wants to live, not just be alive, which is what every kid wants to do. It is what I want to do.
No kid grew up with this kind of music blaring through their parents’ radio. This kind of music has developed through the hardcore versions of punk, with the negative feelings, and deep regrets. But balances the distressing views by keeping a soft melody that can touch the deepest parts of the someone’s soul. Pop Punk music has a speciality in providing sweet, dulcet tones in any situation or setting. Part of being alive is dealing with all the troubles that the world faces, coming into contact with some of the world’s troubles are inevitable. This kind of music has helped people cope. It has helped provide an understanding of why things happen the way that they do. This music provides a sense of comfort for me, singing lines like “Everything you’re feeling is common even though you’ve never felt so alone.” There are constant heartaches in the world, but a reason why I go to this music for comfort and understanding is because it does not hide the fact that issues exist in this world. It does not cover up the problems and only sing about money and girls, which is the majority of the music on the radio. Pop Punk music gets stamped as the idea of self-deprecating teenagers, only complaining about their problems. Yet, it can help anyone who decides to listen to it.
As far as violence in the world and situations around me go, constantly listening to this music has helped grasp a real life view of the world.

I began to realize how many people acquire some form of hurting and abuse in their life. I began to realize what troubles at home actually meant. Because of listening to music that gets categorized as Pop Punk, I became more relatable to situations that no one wants to talk about. With phrases like “I am scared I am going to die as lonely as I feel” is how a vast majority of people feel. Granted no one is comfortable with talking about that at social gatherings, it is frowned upon. This aids as a catharsis for my feelings, as well as for anyone’s

feelings.
In high school everyone goes through some dramatic change of attempting to find their true inner self. Junior year I found this kind of music while attempting to find my own true inner self. Eventually people started hearing me play this kind of music, they did not shun me, but looked at me in a different way. They saw a different side to me, hearing lyrics like “you gotta promise not to break no matter how far you are bent,” I appeared to have a deeper layer. Quotes in this genre always allow for multiple analyses-- being allowed to view it in whichever way was the most pleasing. Listening to this music on repeat allowed me to always be analyzing, to be thinking. I did not fill my empty headspace with music about drugs and money. When I started to read books with heavy symbolism, I could understand it, all because of this music. From constantly analyzing the lyrics and applying them to people and situations, it made me feel like I was partaking in the world. I felt more than mediocre.
Ever since I started to understand myself more, I began to understand other people as well. I noticed myself starting to branch out to other people I would not normally talk to. The human race did not scare me as much as it used to. I found myself talking to strangers when I needed help--especially for directions. What I found out was that people are just people, there is no reason to be afraid of them. This music gave me the understanding that underneath the exteriors, everybody is the same.
My infatuation for this music taste started Junior year, and I have learned a lot from it.

Nobody would ever think that there could lessons learned while listening to something so arbitrary as Pop Punk music. One of my favorite lines that can be applied in copious situations: “Sometimes you gotta close your eyes to fully see the light,” another lyric taken from Brian Sella. What I take from it is that sometimes the place where happiness is found, is not always there. Sometimes it is hiding in places normally nobody would expect to find it. That is what I did with this music, I found happiness within it. Even more, I was able to contribute to the

chaos.