Pop-punk is almost irresistible. Whether you're an ardent fan or revisiting the genre as a guilty pleasure from your teen years, its fast-paced infectious hooks and relatable choruses are undeniable. 

More than 20 years in, demand for pop-punk remains and its influence heard in a variety of genres. Established pop-punk bands such as Green Day and blink-182 continue to sell out large venues, attract new fans, and put out new music. Meanwhile, Machine Gun Kelly, YUNGBLUD, and All Time Low are making waves while earning acclaim for their contemporary take on pop-punk. Elsewhere, festivals such as When We Were Young and Sad Summer draw legions of fans with a taste for both nostalgia and new hits.

Today’s pop-punk bands aren’t mired by the trappings of what others say it is to be "punk" or bound by conventions of genre. Rather, they find inspiration in a multitude of styles, bending and redefining the beloved genre. Today, pop-punk is a little bit punk, a little bit rap, a little bit pop, a little bit electronic, and a lotta bit whatever the hell it wants to be. 

Contemporary pop-punk acts are proving that the genre is anything but a nostalgia fest — read on for 11 up-and-coming pop-punk acts who are carrying the rebellious torch.

Neck Deep

When you think of pop-punk, Wales isn’t the first place that comes to mind. But Neck Deep's  classic pop-punk sound and high energy shows fall right in line with any SoCal group from the '90s or aughts — so it's no surprise that they supported blink-182 during their 2019 tour.

Neck Deep have steadily built a strong reputation since forming in 2012, earning a Best British Newcomer award from Kerrang! in 2014 and a Best Single award in 2018 for "In Bloom" (from their third studio album, The Peace and the Panic). The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 4 and peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s Independent and Top Rock Albums categories. The band recently announced a self-titled album, due in January 2024.

Sueco

What do you get when an artist starts making beats at 17 years old and cites Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd and Green Day as his biggest influences? That would be Sueco, an artist who leans into his expansive tastes and incorporates them to make something entirely his own.

Sueco made a name for himself by making beats for eccentric viral videos (with over 370 million views on TikTok). His songs feel both uncannily familiar and unique, pivoting effortlessly from synth and screamo, to rap and straight-ahead pop-punk to piano ballads. In an increasingly genre-less landscape, Sueco is refreshingly at home with being an outsider who acknowledges a bit of many styles. 

Girlfriends

Travis Mills and Nick Gross make up this dynamic, high-octane duo who’ve only been playing together in earnest for a few years.

Girlfriends eschews the heavy weight of emo without shying away from serious issues. On "Where Were You," the duo explores all the masks we wear and hardships we endure but are afraid to share, managing to be sincere and playful without being slapstick. 

There’s a fullness and maturity to Girlfriends' energetic songs that make you feel seen. And while the duo definitely employ nostalgic undertones, they offer a fresh and optimistic take on pop-punk.

Hot Milk

This powerful English pop group follows the lineage of My Chemical Romance and the weighty ethereal music of Evanescence, mingled with a touch of the vaudevillian presentation of Panic! At the Disco and Fall Out Boy. They heavily incorporate synths and other elements of electronic music, creating a big sound that's only buoyed by fearless lyrics.

Co-lead vocalist Hannah "Han" Mee holds a masters in politics, and her studies are reflected in her songwriting. The group often sings about relevant social issues, from mental health to climate change. Check out their most recent album, A Call to the Void, released this last August.

Royal & the Serpent

In a genre made up of black sheep, Ryan Santiago aka Royal & The Serpent stands out, skirting the fringes of alternative and pop-punk. For their standout efforts, the group have already collaborated with Rivers Cuomo on a track for The Knocks, and opened for Demi Lovato and Fall Out Boy. 

Royal & the Serpent vigorously embrace messiness, melding genres and eschewing being put into any one box. This embrace is on full display in songs like "Better," which seamlessly blends drum and bass with strong pop-punk guitar riffs. On tracks like "Temperance," Ryan Santiago’s ethereal vocals recall Joanna Newsom.

Royal & the Serpent's "Overwhelmed," hit No. 6 in 2020 on Billboard’s Alternative charts and was also certified gold.Their latest album, How to Grow a Rat, is a compilation of two previous EPs.

American Teeth

American Teeth create pop-punk fit for a dance club, but that doesn’t keep frontman Elisha Noll and producer Colin Brittail from moving from acoustic guitars to string, instrumentals to ballads.

There’s a contemplative vulnerability to many of his songs, which reflect the early loss of his father and a heart surgery he went through as a child. But don’t think that means he doesn’t know how to have fun; songs like "Tongue" can also get you up and bouncing with its irresistible zeal for life.

Magnolia Park

Despite the many contributions from artists of color in the punk genre in general, and the undeniable influence of hip-hop on this new generation of artists, punk and pop punk has always struggled a bit with representation. Outside of icons like Bad Brains, it can be hard finding notable bands within the genre fronted by artists of color. Magnolia Park is here to change that.

Heavy and dark, with sounds and stylings reminiscent of Linkin Park, this stadium pop-punk band uses aggressive licks and an unrelenting pace to get your blood rushing. The energy coursing through their songs is undeniably big. 

Formed in 2019, Magnolia Park has already signed with industry heavyweights, Epitaph Records. Their latest track, "Animal," featuring Ethan Ross of TikTok fame, already has over a million and a half plays on Spotify, and may just become your Halloween song of choice this year. 

Loveless

Former pop-punk cover artist Julian Comeau got their start from TikTok before teaming up with guitarist Dylan Tirapelli-Jamail to form Loveless. The duo have quickly gained an international following, selling out shows in the UK and touring throughout Europe.

Their songs are genuine and vulnerable, while simultaneously feeling vast, wide open, and public — perhaps echoing Comeau’s TikTok stardom. Loveless’ anthemic songs feel built to fill a stadium, and their feverish fans accommodate them accordingly.

True to their TikTok roots, they have been steadily releasing songs and videos over the past year, three in the last few months alone. Their most recent offering, Picasso, meditates on navigating creativity in the midst of their newfound fame. Coupled with a catchy guitar riff and clever wordplay, it’ll have you head bobbing in no time.

Mod Sun

Mod Sun, born Derek Ryan Smith, has had a long career, starting from back in 2004 as a pop-punk drummer. Since then, he’s continued working, steadily growing his fan base and performing with some of the biggest names in pop punk, including forays into hip-hop and hardcore. 

While Mod Sun’s 2015 debut studio album, Look Up hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Album list, it employed more of an alternative hip-hop influence than a pop-punk one. However, highlighted by tracks like "Avril’s Song" — from his latest album, God Save the Teen — it’s clear he’s made a strong return to his pop-punk roots.

Pop-punk royalty such as Avril Lavigne and Machine Gun Kelly have featured on Mod Son's songs, further lending to this cred. Whether the song is about heartache or partying, there’s an underlying good-vibes energy flowing through Mod Son's music, and you can’t help but find yourself swept up in it.

Charlotte Sands

With over 200 million global streams across her catalog, a Best Breakthrough Album award from the Heavy Music Awards, and write ups in everything from Forbes to allure, Charlotte Sands is making the kind of international noise that seems destined for massive stardom. And all this before the debut of her first studio album (coming in January).

Sands' music is a force to be reckoned with: a powerful voice backed by brash, rebellious, and honest lyrics. "Love You A Little," a collaboration with The Main and Taking Back Sunday mixes synth beats with hard-hitting punk guitar riffs.

Taylor Acorn

Often described as "genre fluid," Taylor Acorn’s music is a little bit country, a little bit pop, a little bit punk, and fully rocks. With powerful vocals that invoke Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne, Acorn approaches pop-punk from a fresh yet uncannily familiar view.

Acorn’s 2022 single "Psycho" has amassed over11 million streams on Spotify. Her latest EP, Certified Depressant, was released this last September and navigates heartache, mental health struggles, and loss. The vulnerability in Acorn’s songwriting, coupled with her powerful voice, makes her songs deeply engaging and meaningful. 

10 Pop-Punk Albums Turning 20 In 2023: Fall Out Boy, Blink-182, The Ataris & More