Don't Blink: A New Band Takes Over

    Green Day's influence started to wear thin after Nimrod came out. In a society where more attention was transferred to hip hop and R&B, some mystical force needed to descend from the heavens to save the pop punk genre. As the 90's wore on, that force became a reality in the form of three men: Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, and Scott Raynor. They became known as blink-182, and took their enjoyable and to the point music straight to the top, changing the pop punk genre forever.
    The band formed in Poway, California in 1992 and quickly began writing songs and recording demos. Soon enough, they were in the studio to write their first full-length album by 1994. The album, entitled "Cheshire Cat" received local popularity and built the band a solid fanbase around the Poway area. The 1997 album "Dude Ranch" is what took them to new heights, garnering major label attention and producing the hit "Dammit", which would be featured as a playable track on Guitar Hero: World Tour (featuring Travis Barker as the drummer). They would eventually sign to MCA records to release their legendary third album "Enema of the State" in 1999. The album, featuring new drummer Travis Barker and classics such as "All The Small Things", "Adam's Song", and "What's My Age Again?" blasted into the ninth spot on the Billboard 200 and turned them into pop punk icons. They took the reigns from the struggling Green Day, coming off of a string of albums that were not as popular as Dookie. The band's fourth album "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket" was released in 2001 to a number one spot on the charts and the solidification of their status as icons.
    2003's self titled album was a major departure from their previous style, featuring slower songs with much more serious and mature lyrics. However, the album was extremely well received by music critics and peaked at number one on the charts again. DeLonge became very unhappy with the rest of the band, particularly involving touring schedule and his lack of time spent with his family, and they entered an indefinite hiatus in 2005, only to reunite after a Travis Barker plane crash in 2009 while he was doing hip hop side projects. Reunion tours and a lengthy recording process soon followed, and 2011's "Neighborhoods" became yet another success, peaking at two on the Billboard 200 and building off the success and themes portrayed in the 2003 self titled album. blink-182 continues to be a dominant force in pop punk music, and along with other bands of their era such as New Found Glory, the Ataris, and Sum 41, heavily influenced today's bands that continue to keep the genre alive and well (which will be featured in the next post).




REFLECTION:
1. Why was the genre's influence shrinking prior to blink-182's explosion?
2. Which album was the first to peak at number one on the charts?
3. Considering DeLonge's 2005 departure reasons, would you be able to sacrifice time and family for an arduous touring schedule? Why or why not?


CITATION:
Much Music (2005). blink-182: Born To Be [Documentary]. United States: Much Music.