The year was 2006. Music was at its peak, if you were a rock, emo or punk fan. There were new bands popping up almost every single week. Myspace was in its prime. What was Facebook? None of us were old enough to really know. But music was one thing we knew well. We would take our battery operated mp3 players, disc walkmen and giant iPods on the school bus, blaring the songs that had our emotions all figured out. Here are five of those bands. The mention of their name will take you down memory lane.
1. Simple Plan
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When your parents didn't get you and your heart was broken, Simple Plan was there. Famous for tracks such as "I'm Just A Kid" and "Perfect," Simple Plan provided the perfect degree of angst. The band's latest release is "Taking One For the Team," which came out earlier this year. They are also still active and currently touring.
2. Cobra Starship
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Cobra Starship never truly fit into the emo, punk or rock scene. Yet, we couldn't help but adopt them into our music library. They were dancy and fun. Their pop style couldn't be matched. Maybe we accepted them because one of our kings of emo, Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, endorsed them. Maybe it was their lovable personalities. Either way, songs like "Good Girls Go Bad" and "Guilty Pleasure" have earned their place on the charts. Cobra Starship disbanded in 2015, and we have missed them ever since.
3. AFI
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AFI brought the goth out of all of us. Whenever we were angry at the world, we could count on tracks such as "Silver and Cold" and "Miss Murder" to make us feel good again. Davey Havok's unique vocals have taken us through decades. Thankfully, AFI is currently working on their newest album. It's been too long.
4. The Academy Is...
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The boys in The Academy Is... built a bond with both Cobra Starship AND Fall Out Boy. Sharing a place on Fueled By Ramen records, we were happily introduced to them. "About A Girl" and "The Phrase That Pays" both had the perfect measurement of punk and pop. Their story is perhaps the most confusing. After two members left in 2011, The Academy Is... had initially said they would work on music without them. However, several months later, they announced an official breakup. When all hope was lost, The Academy Is... reunited with most of their original lineup in 2015, embarking on a tour celebrating the tenth anniversary of their hit album, Almost Here. However, since the end of that tour, there has not been an announcement of new music nor a breakup.
5. Saosin
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Saosin is known for songs such as "Voices" and "Seven Years." They have that perfect emo sound. Again, they are known for a wild history, in regard to band members, makeups and breakups. Singer Anthony Green headed the band in 2003, but left in 2004. Singer Cove Reber took over, but was soon asked to leave for personal reasons in 2010. The next few years brought no new music, but the band would not break up. Thankfully, Green returned in 2014.
Take a walk down memory lane, and crank your iPods to full blast. Honoring these bands of our past makes for a great soundtrack.
