25 Bands Similar to Blink 182

After taking the billboards by storm in the late 90s and early 2000s, pop-punk/rock band Blink 182 has written its name into musical folklore, influencing countless bands worldwide to replicate their style. So if you’re feeling nostalgic and would like to find more bands like Blink 182, here are 15 bands that could quench your thirst for more hooky, high-energy songs.

Blink 182 was formed in the early 1990s, in the suburbs of San Diego, by Tom De Longe (guitarist and vocals), Mark Hoppus (bassist and vocals), and Scott Raynor (drums).

Their debut album, Buddha, released in 1994, featured their first major hit, Carousel. It was followed by Cheshire Cat, which included their next big hit, M+Ms. The catchy, humorous lyrics, speedy guitar riffs, and the unique sound, at the time, described by Rolling Stone as “slapped together lilting melodies and racing beats in an attempt to connect emo and skate punk, a sort of pop hardcore.”

However, the 1997 Dude Ranch truly put Blink 182 on the map, with the album going platinum. The chart-topping song, Dammit, is considered a teen anthem to this day and convinced MCA to offer the band a record deal.

While on tour in 1998, Raynor left the band, and Travis Barker replaced him on the drums before the band took another step forward with Enema of the State (1999), which featured fondly remembered hits like What’s My Age Again?, Adam’s Song, and All the Small Things – it sold four million copies. They followed up with a variation on Enema, featuring live performances and the new song Man Overboard, called The Mark, Tom and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back) in 2000.

Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) was the first Blink 182 album to be the number one sold album in the US, featuring hits like The Rock Show, Stay Together For The Kids, and First Date. However, the self-titled album released in 2003 is where the band truly matured, most fans would argue. I Miss You, in particular, was very well received by fans, critics, and fellow musicians alike, while Feeling This and Always also made it to the top of the charts.

However, the self-titled spelled the end of Blink 182’s resounding success after internal issues led the band to unexpectedly announce in 2005 that they would be on an “indefinite hiatus”. In 2009, however, they announced that they would be touring with Weezer, and this led to the creation of their 2011 album, Neighbourhoods, the first album that they had recorded in eight years.

Ghosts on the Dancefloor, Up All Night, and Heart’s All Gone were well received by fans, but all-in-all the album will be considered a failure, despite selling 151,000 copies within the first week of release, but failed to take off because the band was unable to reconnect with the fans.

However, the band could not stay together, focusing on side-projects, such as De Longe’s new band, Angels & Airwaves. Their seventh LP, California, was released in 2016, but did not feature De Longe, with Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba replacing him on the guitar. Bored to Death debuted at number one, but the album will not be considered a success.

With the band seemingly going their separate ways, but not before releasing Nine, an album with a far more somber tone, featuring well-received tracks such as Blame It on My Youth and Happy Days.

With a discography that dates back almost 30 years, Blink 182 seems to be one of those bands that defines a generation. They set the tone for pop-punk rock music in the 00s and will be remembered for years to come, with their 50 million albums sold worldwide still stirring up feelings of nostalgia after all of this time. And not only has the band been tremendously successful, but they’ve been inspiring bands and artists to create similar music.

Here are 15 bands like Blink 182 that you should look out for.

+44

+44 was the pop-punk band that was formed in 2005, consisting of both Travis Barker (drums) and Mark Hoppus (vocalist and bassist), as well as The Nervous Return’s Shane Gallagher (lead guitarist) and Mercy Killer’s Craig Fairbaugh (rhythm guitarist).

The band was formed during Blink 182’s hiatus. However, they only made one album, When Your Heart Stops Beating (released in January 2006). It debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200 and received mixed reviews. By 2011, the album had sold over 274,000 copies. However, a second studio album was canceled, following a plane crash, from which Travis Barker and his collaborator DJ AM were the only two survivors. Barker’s injuries, which resulted in 16 surgeries and 48-hour blood transfusions, led to the band’s hiatus.

While +44 fell into obscurity and is not likely to reunite, Mark Hoppus has said that When Your Heart Stops Beating holds a lot of sentimental value. And if you’re a Blink 182 fan, you’ll enjoy the album and its familiar sound.

Box Car Racer

Another band similar to Blink 182 is the band consisting of Travis Barker and Tom De Longe, formed in 2001, Box Car Racer. David Kennedy, who would later become the lead guitarist for Angels & Airwaves, was featured as the band’s lead guitarist.

Box Car Racer was intended to be a pop-punk side-project with an emo/post-hardcore twist that served as an additional creative outlet for De Longe when the Blink 182 tour was canceled due to the 9/11 attacks. They also only ever released one self-titled album (2002), which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 in 2002, with the tracks I Feel So, and There Is particularly popular among fans. It received largely positive reviews and had sold 244,000 copies within the first three months of its release, peaking at number eight on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks.

However, the project was shelved in mid-2003 because it ended up causing a lot of tension with Mark Hoppus and eventually led to Blink 182’s breakup. The unfinished material would be used for De Longe’s next band, Angels & Airwaves.

Angels & Airwaves

Tom De Longe’s next pop-punk band was formed in 2005 out of a new project that followed Blink 182’s hiatus announcement.

The band features DeLonge (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), David Kennedy (guitars, keyboards), Ilan Rubin (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), and Matt Rubano (bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals). Ryan Sinn (bass guitar, backing vocals – 2005-2007), Adam “Atom” Willard (drums – 2005-2011), Matt Wachter (bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals – 2007-2014 & 2018-2019), and Eddie Breckenridge (bass guitar – 2014) have all been part of the band in the past as well.

They have released six albums to date, including We Don’t Need to Whisper (2006), I-Empire (2007), Love (2010), Love: Part Two (2011), The Dream Walker (2014), and Lifeforms (2021). I Empire debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200, selling more than 66,000 copies in its first week, while Love was downloaded nearly 500,000 times within the first 48 hours of its release.

Simple Creatures

Mark Hoppus formed an 80s style synth-pop styled pop-punk band with All Time Low’s Alex Gaskarthin in 2019. Their debut EP, Strange Love featured their first single Drug, followed by a second EP, Everything Opposite, and a debut album to be released in the near future.

Paramore

Formed in 2004, Paramore is a pop-punk/alternative rock band consisting of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro. Josh Farro (2004-2010), Jason Bynum (2004-2005), Hunter Lamb (2005-2007), Jeremy Davis (2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2007-2015) are also former members of the band.

They have released five studio albums to date, including All We Know Is Falling (2005), Riot! (2007), Brand New Eyes (2009), Paramore (2013), and After Laughter (2017). Riot! was their most impressive album, receiving  Platinum certification in the United States(1,000,000+ copies), while the rest sold over 500,000 (gold). They have sold over 7 million albums worldwide.

Like Blink-182, the speedy guitar riffs, high-pitched vocals, and alternative/emo blend are what you can expect from Paramore, which has been a remarkably successful band in its own right.

Sum 41

Another pop-punk band that has a similar sound to Blink 182 is Sum 41. Formed in 1996, originally known as Kaspir, the Canadian band rose to prominence in the early 2000s with their debut album All Killer No Filler (2001), which peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200 and earned them a place on tour with both Blink 182 and The Offspring.

The band currently features Deryck Whibley (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), Dave Baksh (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jason “Cone” McCaslin (bass, backing vocals), Tom Thacker (guitars, keyboards, backing vocals), and Frank Zummo (drums, occasional backing vocals). Steve Jocz (1996-2013), Jon Marshall (1996-1997), Richard Roy (1996-1998), and Mark Spicoluk are some of the former members of the band.

The band’s second album, Does This Look Infected? Peaked at 32 on the Billboard 200, while Chuck (2004) peaked at number 10. Underclass Hero (2007) debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Billboard Rock Albums chart. They later released Screaming Bloody Murder (2011), 13 Voices (2016), and Order in Decline. In total, Sum 41 has sold over 3.5 million albums combined worldwide.

Green Day

If any band on this list can compete with Blink 182 in terms of the legacy they’re creating or have left behind, it would undoubtedly be Green Day. They not only have influenced just about every pop-punk band out there but have left an everlasting legacy on every style of the more generalized Punk Rock genre that is almost unmatched.

Formed way back in 1987, the band, made up of Billie Joe Armstrong (lead guitarist and vocalist), Mike Dirnt (bassist), and Tré Cool (drummer), previously featured Sean Hughes (1987), Raj Punjabi (1987), John Kiffmeyer (1987-1990) and Jason White (2012-2016).

Like Blink 182, Green Day pretty much defined the pop-punk genre with their unique sound that has stood the test of time, they have consistently produced music for the better part of 40 years, and they are still considered iconic. Between 1990 and 2020, they have released 16 albums, which have sold more than 22 million copies in the US and more than 80 million worldwide. American Idiot (2004) was their most successful, selling almost 50 million copies, while Dookie (1994) was their next best record, selling over 20 million copies.

Simple Plan

Simple Plan was another big pop-punk band that rose to prominence in the 2000s. Formed in 1999, the band consists of Pierre Bouvier (lead vocals and bass), Chuck Comeau (drums), Jeff Stinco (lead guitar), and Sébastien Lefebvre (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), with David Desrosiers (2000-2020) is the only former band member.

Like Blink 182, they offer a unique twist on pop-punk music, but with an Indie twist. Among the bands, albums are No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls (2002), Still Not Getting Any… (2004), Simple Plan (2008), Get Your Heart On! (2011), and Taking One for the Team (2016). The band has sold more than 40 million album copies worldwide, with Still Not Getting Any… going platinum.

Good Charlotte

Sticking with pop-punk bands that rose to prominence in the early 2000s, Good Charlottewill be considered by many as one of those that defined the era.

Formed in 1995, Good Charlotte’s first and self-titled album didn’t make much of a splash before they rose to prominence with their second album, The Young and The Hopeless (2002), with The Anthem and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous topping the singles charts. The Young and the Helpless debuted at number seven on the Billboard 100, selling over 100,000 copies in its first week and eventually 3.5 million copies in the US alone. They released a further five albums, The Chronicles of Life and Death (2004), Good Morning Revival (2007), Cardiology (2010), Youth Authority (2016), and Generation Rx (2018).

New Found Glory

Formed in 1997, pop-punk band New Found Glory consists of Jordan Pundik (lead vocals), Ian Grushka (bass guitar), Chad Gilbert (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Cyrus Bolooki (drums), with Steve Klein (1997-2013)and Joe Marino (1997)making up the former band members.

The group has a very similar sound to Blink 182, blending alternative rock, hardcore rock, punk rock, and easy core styles, and released ten albums between 1999 and 2020, including Nothing Gold Can Stay (1999), New Found Glory (2000), Sticks and Stones (2002), Catalyst (2004), Coming Home (2006), Not Without a Fight (2009), Radiosurgery (2011), Resurrection (2014), Makes Me Sick (2017), and Forever + Ever x Infinity (2020).

Their second self-titled album was jostling with Blink 182’s Enema of the State and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket at the top of the Billboard 200 charts in the early 2000s, leading the way forward for the pop-punk genre. However, Catalyst was their most successful album, which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and sold 146,000 copies in its first week, later being certified gold, selling more than 600,000 copies in total.

The All American Rejects

One of the top acts of the early 2000s, although they don’t fit into the pop-punk category, was The All American Rejects. The pop/rock band sported an alternative/indie rock and emo-pop style remarkably similar to Blink 182’s self-titled album.

Formed in 1999, The All American Rejects consists of lead vocalist and bassist Tyson Ritter, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Nick Wheeler, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Mike Kennerty, and drummer Chris Gaylor. Jesse Tabish (199-2001) and Tim Campbell (2001-2002) are also former band members.

They have released four albums, The All American Rejects (2002), Move Along (2005), When the World Comes Down (2008), and Kids in the Street (2012). Their self-titled album went platinum in the US and Canada and peaked at 25 on the Billboard 200. Move Along debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, with the album selling over 2.3 million copies in total.

When the World Comes Down sold over 622,000 copies, and Kids in the Street debuted at 18 on the Billboard 200, selling over 18,000 copies in the first week of its release.

Yellowcard

Another band that has a similar sound to Blink 182, Yellowcard, was formed in 1997 and features Ryan Key (vocalist/guitarist), Sean Mackin (violinist), Ryan Mendez (guitarist), and Josh Portman (bassist). Longineu W. Parsons III (1997-2014), Ben Harper (1997-2005), Peter Mosely (2004-2007), Sean O’Donnell (2010-2012), Tod Clary (1997-2000), Warren Cooke (1997-2002), Ben Dobson (1997-1999) and Alex Lweis (2003-2004) are also former members of the band.

Yellowcard released ten studio albums between 2001 and 2016, receiving multi-platinum sales. While Blink 182 created their unique sound that would define the pop-punk genre, Yellowcard was doing the same, with their unique incorporation of the violin into their music. Between their ten studio albums, eleven singles, two live albums, a video album, and two compilation albums, Yellowcard has sold more than 2.8 million albums worldwide.

The Offspring

Like Green Day, The Offspring has been around for quite some time, formed way back in 1984 under the name Manic Subsidal. The Offspring‘s lineup consists of Bryan “Dexter” Holland (lead vocalist and guitarist), Todd Morse (bassist), Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman (guitarist), and Pete Parada (drummer).

Former band members include Greg K. (1984-2018), Dough Thompson (1984), Jim Benton (1984), James Lija (1984-1987), Marcus Parrish (1985), Ron Welty (1987-2003), and Atom Willard (2003-2007). The band has undergone multiple changes, particularly on the drums, but it has helped their sound evolve, which has elevated them to iconic status.

For almost 40 years, The Offspring has released ten studio albums. These include The Offspring (1989), Ignition (1992), Smash (1994), Ixnay on the Hombre (1997), Americana (1998), Conspiracy of One (2000), Splinter (2003),  Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace (2008),  Days Go By (2012),  Let the Bad Times Roll (2021). In total, The Offspring has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.

Like Blink 182 defined pop-punk, The Offspring were one of the most influential bands in the Punk Rock genre and, over the years, adapted their style to incorporate pop-punk, receiving critical acclaim at every turn.

A Day To Remember

Founded in 2003, A Day To Remember (ADTR), while part of the pop-punk genre, has a hybrid sound that incorporates several genres, including emo, hardcore, and heavy metal. Some of their tracks may remind you of some of Blink 182’s best songs, like Stay Together For The Kids or Obvious. The blended styles were referred to as “pop mosh” by fans. A Day To Remember has even cited Blink 182 as an influence on their musical style.

The band, founded by former members Bobby Scruggs (2003-2006) and Tom Denney (2003-2009), now consists of ​​Jeremy McKinnon (vocalist), Neil Westfall (rhythm guitarist), Joshua Woodard (bassist), Alex Shelnutt (drummer), and Kevin Skaff (lead guitarist)

The band has released seven studio albums throughout the years, including And Their Name Was Treason (2005),  For Those Who Have Heart (2007), Homesick (2009), What Separates Me from You (2010), Common Courtesy (2013),  Bad Vibrations (2016), and You’re Welcome (2021) while receiving gold certification for the singles The Downfall of Us All and It Means a Lot to You. They have sold more than 1.8 million copies of their albums worldwide.

Neck Deep

Neck Deep, founded in 2012, has been at the forefront of the post-2010s pop-punk revival, listing Blink 182, New Found Glory, Green Day, A Day To Remember,and Sum 41 among their greeted musical influences. They bring back the sounds that fans brought up listening to Blink 182 have been longing for ever since the band’s first hiatus.

The band is currently made up of Ben Barlow (vocalist), Dani Washington (drummer), Matt West (rhythm guitarist), Sam Bowden – lead guitarist), Seb Barlow (bassist). Lloyd Roberts (2012-2015), Fil Thorpe-Evans (2012-2018), and Joshua Halling (2019) are former band members.

They have released four studio albums, including Wishful Thinking (2014), Life’s Not Out To Get You (2015), The Peace and Panic (2017), and All Distortions Are Intentional (2020). They have sold more than 170,000 album copies worldwide.

The Descendents

Like Blink 182, The Descendents emerged from Southern California, but way back in 1977, where they stood at the forefront of the American underground Punk Rock movement.

Throughout four separate stints of actively touring and recording albums, The Descendents is currently made up of Bill Stevenson (drums, vocals), Milo Aukerman (vocals), Karl Alvarez (bass), and Stephen Egerton (guitar), while Tony Lombardo (1978-2002), Frank Navetta  (1977-1980), Ray Cooper (1982-1986), Doug Carrion (1985-1986), and David Nolte (1977-1979) have all formed part of the band in the past. They have released seven studio albums.

Although they were not a huge commercial success, the Descendents left a lasting legacy on the music scene, influencing Blink 182 and many of the bands on this list.

Nirvana

Any band formed in the early 90s will have been influenced by Nirvana and the late, great Kurt Cobain –the Grunge band that took the world by storm with their rejection of popular culture. Their grunge style, which was seen as the defining sound of an entire generation, brought in sales of around 75 million album copies worldwide between just three albums, Bleach (1989), Nevermind (1991), and In Utero (1993) before Cobain’s suicide in 1994, which led to the band’s breakup.

The band made up of Cobain (lead vocals, lead guitar), Krist Novoselic (bass), and Dave Grohl (drums, backing vocals), in its final line-up, also featured Aaron Burckhard (1987–1988), Dale Crover (1988 – 1990), Dave Foster (1988), Chad Channing (1988–1990), Dan Peters (1990), and Jason Everman (1989).

Panic! At The Disco

Pop/Rock band Panic! At The Disco was formed in 2004, releasing four albums as a group between 2005 and 2013, while two more albums were released as a solo artist. Their debut album, A Fever You Can’t Sweaat Out (2005), sold more than 2.2 million copies and went multi-platinum with Pretty Odd (2008), Too Weird to Live, Too Weird to Die! (2013), as well solo albums Death of a Bachelor (2016) and Pray for the Wicked (2018) also selling over a million copies at least worldwide.

They were part of the Pop-Punk, Alternative/Indie rock movement that followed Blink 182’s hiatus, producing a similar sound.

Brendon Urie (lead vocals, guitar, keyboard, percussion, bass guitar, and drums), Ryan Ross (guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocals), Spencer Smith (drums, percussion), and Brent Wilson (bass guitar) all formed the band at various times, but it has been converted into a solo project, with Urie now the only member of the band that’s still active since 2015.

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

If you’re looking for an Emo-Pop blend with the Punk-Pop flavor of music that resembles Blink 182, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus may be the answer, with their Alternative/Indie Rock style that was also taking the world by storm in the mid-2000s.

Formed in 2003, their five studio albums, Don’t You Fake It (2006), Lonely Road (2009), Am I The Enemy (2011), 4 (2014), and The Awakening (2018), have all achieved relative levels of success. Still, their debut album Don’t You Fake It is by far their most successful album to date, going quadruple platinum with hits like Face Down and Your Guardian Angel all topping the charts.

The band is made up of Ronnie Winter, Joey Westwood, Randy Winter (lead vocals), Josh Burke (lead guitar), John Espy (drums), and Daniel Resnick (keyboards). Dan Wagler (2003-2005), Thomas Wurth (2003-2005), Thomas Amason (2003-2005), Elias Reidy (2005-2008), Duke Kitchens (2003-2011), Jon Wilkes (2005-2011), Matt Carter (2008-2015), andJohn Hartman (2012-2015) have all formed part of the band in the past.

Plain White T’s

Alternative/Indie Rock, Pop-Punk outfit Plain White T’s took the charts by storm with their number one single Hey There Delilah in 2007, earning two Grammy nominations for the platinum status single. The band, formed in 1997, plays in an acoustic style that might remind you of I Miss You and other Blink 182 songs that make use of acoustic instrumentals for an Indie-like sound.

Their complete discography boasts eight studio albums, including Come on Over (2000), Stop (2002),  All That We Needed (2005), Every Second Counts (2006), Big Bad World (2008),  Wonders of the Younger (2010), American Nights (2015), and Parallel Universe (2018), which have all sold a combined total of over 14 million albums worldwide.

Fall Out Boy

Pop/Punk chart-toppers, Fall Out Boy broke through in 2005 due to the success of From Under the Cork Tree’s hit singles, Sugar We’re Going Down and Dance, Dance, which elevated the band to double-platinum status. Infinity on a High ((2007), Folie a Deux (2008), Save Rock and Roll (2013), American Beauty/American Psycho (2015), and Mania (2018) followed, all of which sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

They were also flagbearers for the Pop-Punk music scene in the mid-2000s,, and the band is made up of Patrick Stump (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Joe Trohman (lead guitar), Pete Wentz (bass), and Andy Hurley (drums). Former band members include Ben Rose (2001), Mike Pareskuwicz (2001-2002), Brandon Hamm (2002), and Mike Pareskiwicz (2001-2003).

Machine Gun Kelly

While Machine Gun Kelly (Colson Baker, born 1990)doesn’t exactly fall into the category of Pop-Punk artists, the hardcore rapper, who produces a blend of alternative Hip-Hop music with Rock, has collaborated with Blink 182’s Travis Barker on several occasions. The Midwestern rapper has released five studio albums, Lace Up (2012), General Admission (2015), Bloom (2017)

Hotel Diablo (2019), and Tickets to My Downfall (2020). Tickets to My Downfall saw the rapper officially migrate into the Pop-Punk genre. Machine Gun Kelly claims to have sold over 20 million albums worldwide.

Alkaline Trio

Formed in 1996, Pop/Rock legends, Alkaline Trio, are fronted by Blink 182’s own Matt Skiba (guitar, lead and backing vocals, bass), Dan Andriano (bass, lead and backing vocals, guitar), and Derek Grant (drums, backing, and occasional lead vocals, acoustic guitar). They were another band at the heart of the mid-90s Punk Revival, releasing nine studio albums between 1998 and 2018, which have sold more than 600,000 copies in the United States.

Bowling For Soup

The humourous Pop-Punk band, Bowling For Soup, pulls together a similar ensemble that elevated Blink 182 to stardom, adding ska and hardcore elements to release ten albums between 1994 and 2016 that old more than a million copies over the years.

Formed in 1994, the band currently consists of Jaret Reddick (lead vocals, guitar), Chris Burney (guitar, backing vocals), Gary Wiseman (drums, percussion, backing vocals),  and Rob Felicetti (drums, guitar, percussion, bass, backing vocals), while Lance Morrill (1994-1998) and Erik Chandler (1994-2019) have also played for the band before.

Taking Back Sunday

Formed in 1999, Taking Back Sunday presented a Pop-Punk sound mixed with Emo, Post-Punk, Nu Metal, and Hardcore Styles for a screechy end product that resonated very well with audiences at the time, selling more than three million copies of their seven studio albums between 2002 and 2016, worldwide.

John Nolan (lead guitar, keyboards, vocals), Adam Lazzara (lead vocals, guitar, bass), Mark O’Connell (drums, percussion), and Shaun Cooper (bass) are the current band members, a lineup which has remained unchanged.