3OH!3, Jimmy Eat World, Coheed and Cambria, Rise Against, The Used, Taking Back Sunday, Third Eye Blind, New Found Glory, Of Mice & Men, et Plain White T's

The duo is made up of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte, who met while they were both studying at the University of Colorado Boulder. Both of them were already making their first attempts at creating electronic music at the time, so after they became friends, they decided to team up and see what they could create. They found that they had an abundance of creative chemistry together and decided to form a band together, and since both of them were native to Boulder, Colorado, they took their collective postcode, 303, as the name of the band. With a few alterations, obviously. In 2007 they self-released their self-titled debut album and made their live debut around Boulder, both proved so sucecsful that the band signed to Photo Finish Records, a division of Atlantic, within a few months of the record's release, and immediately started work on its follow up.

“Want”, the band's second was released in July the following year, and while the album itself was a reasonable hit, reaching the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100, nobody could have predicted the success of its lead single. After over 20 weeks on the chart, “Don't Trust Me” began a steady climb into the upper reaches of the Hot 100, powered by near-constant radio play, the song's popularity on YouTube and live performances of the track on network television. It would peak at number seven on the Billboard charts and for summer 2008, their were fewer pop acts in the world that were hotter than 3OH!3. Ever since then, the band have remained one of the ultimate guilty pleasure acts of today, with no other act in the world quite as adept at a ridiculously catchy hook and a chorus as crass as it is utterly genius.

The band have released a further two albums to date, and have collaborated with everyone from Katy Perry to Wiz Khalifa as well, and for remaining as dedicated to partying as they every were, 3OH!3 come highly recommended.

Childhood friends Jim Adkins and Zach Lind partnered with guitarist Tom Linton and bassist Mitch Porter to form the band in 1993. Under local label Wooden Blue Records Jimmy Eat World released a few singles, an EP and a self-titled album during 1993-94. The band got lucky in 1995 with a contract under Capitol Records that allowed them to release the album “Static Prevails.” For this venture, friend Rick Burch replaced Mitch Porter and drummer Mark Trombino joined the group.

In 1999, Jimmy Eat World released “Clarity” which was recorded in studios in California. The single “Lucky Denver Mint” was featured on the soundtrack of rom-com “Never Been Kissed” which elevated the band to mainstream audiences. However, the album that prompted Jimmy Eat World to worldwide fame is “Bleed American” which was put out in 2001 by DreamWorks. The single “The Middle” exploded on the airwaves and took the #5 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Following tremendous success with “Bleed American” Jimmy Eat World recruited producer Gil Norton (whose previous experience includes working with bands like the Pixies and Foo Fighters) to work on “Futures.” Their fourth album came out October 2004 and the single “Pain” became a hit. By this time Jimmy Eat World had toured independently to promote “Bleed American” and also in collaboration with Taking Back Sunday. In 2005 they joined forces with Green Day on a worldwide tour.

In total Jimmy Eat World has released eight studio albums both independently and under major label Interscope Records (formerly DreamWorks). The band’s name comes from a cartoon drawn by Linton’s younger brother Ed, who was making fun of their brother Jim. The drawing depicts a slab of the Earth resting on Jim’s jaw, and the rest is history. Jimmy Eat World considers punk bands Mr. T Experience, Radon and Tempe’s Horace Pinker as influences in their music.

Rising from the ashes of their former band Toxic Parents, Claudio Sanchez (lead vocals) and Travis Stevers (rhythm guitar) experimented with a host of genres influenced by the likes of: Led Zeppelin, Misfits, Pink Floyd, At The Drive-In and Iron Maiden. Originally known as Shabutie, the band released their debut EP “Plan to Take Over the World” in 1999 through Wisteria Records and followed later that year with “The Penelope EP”.

With the new millennia came new direction encapsulated in the release of their third EP “Delirium Trigger” (2000) with many of the tracks based on science fiction comic series Sanchez had been penning, initially known as “The Bag.On.Line Adventures” and later became “The Amory Wars”. It would be these works which would evoke a recurring theme which would inspire future material for the band starting with the name change to Coheed and Cambria after the two main characters.

Having signed with Equal Vision Records, the band went on to release their debut full length album “The Second Stage Turbine Blade” in 2002, taking its concept from the comic series. Later in the year the band connected with a man who take their career to unprecedented heights, Blaze James who would become their manager. Spending the next few years relentlessly touring playing alongside: Linkin Park, The Used, Slipknot, AFI and Trivium unleashed them into the public as they saw their fanbase known as Children of the Fence (another comic reference) increase tenfold.

It was the release of their second album “In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3” in 2003 which really got the ball rolling. Certifying platinum in the US, it caught the attention of Columbia Records and in 2005 they signed a multi-album deal. Five top 10 albums later, line-up changes, a fine selection of festival appearances across the globe, Coheed and Cambria continue pushing genre divides while remaining true to the very essence of what they’ve created.

The band should stand as living proof to punk rock purists that commercial success is not, and has never been, the same thing as selling out. Yes, the band’s sound is far more accessible today than the visceral hardcore of their early years.

However, if they were to take a cursory listen to the lyrics of any random song of theirs, they would be shocked to find that they are still as intelligent, profound and straight up angry as they ever were and this even stretches to the bands biggest hits.

Take songs like “Help Is on the Way", “Savior”, "Make It Stop (September's Children)" and “Prayer Of The Refugee” for example. These are polarising songs about difficult, yet very topical subjects that don’t shy away from taking a defined stance.

However the combined Youtube hits for those videos are, astonishingly enough, around 86 Million. This is a band that manages to plug the It Gets Better project, PETA and Amnesty International while filling arenas in their home country and large theaters and concert halls around the world.

To have a fully-fledged rock band with a message as vital as theirs playing on such a large scale the world over is a blessing that we haven’t had since the days of The Clash. With a tour schedule like theirs, it’s only a matter of time before they play wherever you are, and there are few bands out their more likely to change your life than the one and only Rise Against.

With the initial material preceding the band’s formation, after holding auditions at Howard’s abode, McCracken was invited along and he was so impressed with the quality of songs they had already worked on that he agreed to join. Shortly after this, they decided upon the band name Used, a reflection of the hardships that they had faced as individuals and the feeling they had been left with. With everything in place, the band went ahead and recorded “Demos from the Basement” and sent it to Goldfinger frontman John Feldmann. So enthused by what he had heard, Feldmann made it his mission to find them a label. In 2001 the band signed with Reprise Records.

Finding out there was another band in existence with the same name, the band added prefix ‘the’ and would become known as The Used. In 2002 they released their debut self-titled album produced by John Feldmann. Certifying gold, the album featured the singles “A Box Full of Sharp Objects”, “The Taste of Ink” and “Buried Myself Alive”. Off the back of that album, the band were invited to play at Ozzfest, Projekt Revolution and Warped Tour.

In 2004, tragedy struck as McCracken’s then girlfriend died of an overdose while pregnant with his child. His angst fed into their second album released later that year, “In Love and Death” as an open dedication to her reflected in the track “Hard to Say”. The album also produced the singles “I Caught Fire” and “All That I’ve Got”.

Two years later Steineckert announced his departure from the band as he went on to join punk band Rancid and was replaced by Dan Whitesides. Spending the majority of 2007 touring on Taste of Chaos and Give it a Name festival before releasing their third album “Lies for the Liars”. The album featured the popular tracks “The Bird and the Worm”, “Pretty Handsome Awkward” and “Liar Liar (Burn In Hell)” and peaked at number five in the US Billboard charts.

In 2011 McCracken and the band set up their own record label called Anger Music Group in conjunction with Hopeless Records, giving the band an opportunity for more room for creative control. It was through this label the band released their fifth album “Vulnerable” in 2012.

Though The Used may shy away from the term ‘emo’ band, none-the-less the band capture extravagant and expressive music producing catchy anthems which forever induce fond memories.

Prior to forming Taking Back Sunday, rhythm guitarist Eddie Reyes played in a number of seminal post-hardcore bands including Mind Over Matter and the Movielife. With the band recording their debut self-titled EP, original bass player Jesse Lacey left the group to form Brand New. Guitarist John Nolan invited his North Carolinian friend Adam Lazzara to play bass, but he ended up on lead vocals and Shaun Cooper came in on bass. After the release of their EP Taking Back Sunday began to tour relentlessly alongside the likes of Brand New and The Reunion Show, which would set the scene for their future touring endeavours.

The band’s full-length debut arrived in 2002 with the tongue-in-cheek and highly transparent name “Tell All Your Friends” released through Victory Records. It was the band’s first taste of commercial and critical success aided by the singles “Cute Without the ‘E’ (Cut from the Team)”, “Great Romances of the 20th Century” and “You’re So Last Summer”.

Following the departure of John Nolan and Shaun Cooper in 2003, replaced by Fred Mascherino and Matt Rubano, Taking Back Sunday opened for Blink-182 and appeared on the 2004 Vans Warped Tour. Soon after came the band’s sophomore release “Where You Want To Be” on July 27, 2004. The album debuted at No.3 on the Billboard 200 and following high-profile appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the Spider-Man 2 soundtracks, cemented the band as a forerunner among melodic hardcore and commercial emo bands. The release was followed again by an extensive and exhaustive tour schedule including stops on the Warped Tour and several North American festivals.

Taking Back Sunday made their major label debut in 2006 with their third full-length “Louder Now” which attempted to capture some of the energy of their distinctive live show. Released through Warner Bros. the album was led by the single “What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?” and resulted in appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

In 2007 Fred Mascherino left the group to focus on his solo album with The Color Fred, citing many the band’s problems regarding writing songs. Taking Back Sunday has subsequently release the albums “New Again” in 2009, “Taking Back Sunday” in 2011 and “Happiness Is” in 2014, along with an EP entitled “Faith (When I Let You Down)” in 2011. Since 2011 the original Taking Back Sunday line-up has returned, playing both on subsequent releases and at live shows.

Prior to forming Third Eye Blind, musician Stephen Jenkins had become popular around the San Francisco area following a series of solo shows. After deciding to expand his sound with a band, by 1995 the singer was joined by former-Fungo Mungo bassist Arion Salazar, former student of Joe Satriani Kevin Cadogan, and former-Counting Crows drummer Brad Hargreaves. In the wake of burgeoning late ’90’s post-grunge scene, Third Eye Blind's music drew greater influence from the classic rock/pop of the 1980s, with Jenkins gaining significant attention for producing The Braids’ cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

By this point the band had developed a devoted following across San Francisco for a series of well-received shows and a 14-track demo tape. Following a pined-over slot opening for Oasis in 1996, and a band showcase in Los Angeles, California, Third Eye Blind signed with Sylvia Rhone of Elektra Records.

The group’s debut full-length “Third Eye Blind” was issued in 1997 peaking at No. 25 on the Billboard 200. Aided by three Top 10 Singles, “Semi-Charmed Life”, “Jumper”, and “How’s It Going to Be”, the album earned strong reviews and has been certified 6x Platinum. As a result, Third Eye Blind became one of the most popular U.S. rock bands of the tail-end of the millennium, and opened a number of shows on U2’s PopMart Tour.

Third Blind Eye released their sophomore album “Blue” two years later in 1999. Despite failing to reach the success of its predecessor, “Blue” was deemed the band’s strongest release by fans and eventually sold over 1.25 million. The album spawned the singles “Anything”, “Never Let You Go”, and “10 Days Late”, however shortly after the album’s release, writer and guitarist Kevin Cadogan left the group. Following a worldwide tour, the band took a hiatus from recording and performing, and built a recording studio in anticipation of subsequent releases.

The full-length “Out of the Vein” arrived in 2003, however due to Elektra Records’ merger with Atlantic Records, the album received no promotion. Third Eye Blind were later dropped from Atlantic Records, and a serious case of writer’s block for Jenkins made any new material look unlikely. A compilation album entitled “A Collection” appeared in 2006, supported by extensive touring of past releases, along with the EP “Red Star” in 2008. The group’s long-awaited fourth full-length album “Ursa Major” finally arrived in 2009, topping the Billboard Rock, Alternative, and Digital Albums charts.

Formed in 1997 by Pundik (vocalist) and Grushka (bassist) who previously played together in bands called Inner City Kids and Flip 60. After the disbandment of Flip 60 Pundik recruited high school classmate and guitarist Stephen Klein to jam with them. Very soon after, drummer Joe Marino and guitarist Chad Gilbert joined the trio, and together they recorded their first EP, “It’s All About The Girls.” Soon after its release, Cyrus Bolooki replaced Marino and the band set out on tour up and down the east coast, quickly gaining a lot of underground attention; this caught the attention of Eulogy Recordings who partnered up with New Found Glory to expand their distribution.

The popularity resulted in their first full album, “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” resulting in their signing with Drive-Thru Records. The subsequent debut single “Hit Or Miss” propelled the band into mainstream popularity, and reached certified gold status. From 2002 to 2004, the band hit the peak of their popularity, taking the headlining slot for the Vans Warped Tour, releasing “Sticks and Stones,” and “Catalyst,” the latter of which sold over 100,000 copies, and reached gold status, making it their third record to reach gold.

From 2006 to 2009, New Found Glory recorded and released three more albums, and signed on to an independent label, Bridge Nine Records and Epitaph Records. Through the new label they released “Not Without a Fight” in 2009 and put on a free show for their fans with a set list entirely requested by the fans. The following year, to mark the celebration of their first album, they re-released their first self-titled album, as well as a world tour with support from Saves The Day, Hellogoodbye, and Fireworks. In April 2011 they recorded “Radiosurgury” which was released later that same year; followed by a series of festivals around the world. In 2014 the band signed with Hopeless Records and released “Resurrection” in October.

Founded by lead vocalist Austin Carlile (formerly of Attack!Attack!) and bassist Jaxin Hall in 2009 in Columbus, Ohio. Together they recruited drummer Valentino Arteaga (formerly of Lower Definition), guitarist Jon Kintz (formerly of Odd Project), and guitarist Phil Manansala. This resulted in Austin and Jaxin moving to California, but shortly after Kintz departed from the group and was replaced by Shayley Bourget.

The band gained attention and popularity from their myspace page, resulting in their signing with Rise Records. By spring 2010 the band released their first, self-titled album followed by a two tours as the support for the Squash the Beef Tour and the Atticus Tour and was a part of the Vans Warped Tour. Unfortunately, Carlile had to have heart surgery and was not able to tour, and in addition to some conflict with the rest of the band, he left the band, leaving Roush to take over lead vocals. Later that same year, Jaxin left for personal reasons, later replaced by Dane Poppin (formerly of A Static Lullaby).

In early 2011 the band came to a decision to let go of Roush in favor of brining back Carlile as lead vocalist. Carlile’s return also welcomed guitarist Alan Ashby, and a lineup rearrangement was made so Bourget was playing bass. With the new line-up, the band recorded and released “The Flood” in 2011 and went on a headlining tour; in addition they returned for the 2011 Vans Warped Tour. In 2012 they underwent another lineup change when Shayley departed from the band, and Aaron Pauley took over as the bass player just in time for the 2012 Vans Warped Tour. In 2014 the band released their third album, “Restoring Force” and toured throughout the UK and America.

The band originally came together as a power trio with high school friends Tom Higgenson as singer and guitarist, Ken Fletcher on the bass guitar and Dave Tirio on the drums. The band made their live debut while playing local shows on the thriving Chicago punk scene, but soon after their live debut they had graduated to playing famed rock clubs like the Chicago’s Metro. As their shows got bigger and they started developing a real life fan-base, the band recruited Steve Mast to play lead guitar and sing backup vocals to give them a fuller live sound. However, the band were nearly kneecapped before they could truly begin when Higgenson broke several vertebrae in his back in a car crash while driving the bands van.

Higgenson was in a brace for three months, and needed to learn how to walk again, but the whole sorry situation changed him in the best way it could. Higgenson realized that life was short, precious and could stop at any moment. Moreover, he assessed what was going on in his life and found that the band was the most important part of it, and that he was fronting an outfit with enough talent to hit the big time in the near future. With that at the forefront of his mind, he started writing songs that carried more of himself in them than ever before, and the whole band started taking their career more seriously as a result. The band released their debut album “Come On Over” in 2000 but it was their second effort, 2002’s self-financed and released effort “Stop” that got the band their first record deal with Fearless Records.

Unfortunately, this lead to another pothole in the bands road to stardom, as while they toured “Stop” in 2003, their first tour with a label backing them, Mast and Fletcher both decided to leave the band. The band had far too much momentum going their way however, and Tirio switched from Drums to rhythm guitar while they recruited Tim Lopez to play lead guitar, Mike Retondo to play bass and De’Mar Hamilton to take the newly vacated drum stool. This is the line-up that Plain White T’s play with to this day, and as if it wasn’t clear enough that they’d made the right choice, they would follow this up by briefly becoming one of the hottest bands in the world.

In 2006 they released their single “Hey There Delilah”, and over a year after its release it hit the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in July 2007. The track was nominated for two Grammy awards and the album it came from “Every Second Counts” was certified Gold. The band found themselves playing shows alongside Panic! At The Disco and Dashboard Confessional, along with headline shows all over the world on the back of the success of “Hey There Delilah”. Ever since then the band have been one of the most beloved cult acts in American rock, with their songs appearing in everything from iCarly to Hollyoaks, and for that, along with their impeccable live show, they come highly recommended.