By Silvana Smith
Here is my personal list of bands I listened to and loved that unfortunately were gone too soon from our airwaves. (Figuratively lol, not a lot of these bands ever got radio play)
Many of these bands are from the bygone era of Warped Tour and pop emo. Once the days of indie pop came into full swing, emo music’s heyday slowly faded back into the underground (prepping for its comeback in 2015), and so did these bands. Others simply never got the traction they needed, suffered too many lineup changes, or eventually moved on to other projects. However don’t let the passing of time make you miss out on some killer tracks that still go hard today.
//VersaEmerge (2007-2015)
VersaEmerge was one of the first smaller bands that I discovered before their debut album, back when I was a preteen and getting really into the emo music scene for the first time. Still one of my favorite bands, I sadly was never able to see them live. Their EPs, Perceptions and VersaEmerge, featured an original orchestral/experimental twist on the pop punk music of the ‘00s. And their unique sound only got better as they released their highly anticipated first album, Fixed at Zero, which still holds up today, I swear—so good. After the release, the height of their Warped Tour days were actually documented on an episode of an old MTV docu-series called World of Jenks, where you could witness the manic, music-packed, party days on tour. The show also brought the band more fans and notoriety.
After more than a few lineup changes, the duo ended up making the transition to indie pop a lot sooner than most alternative bands during the early 2010s and changed their hard-to-pronounce name to simply Versa. A band that was once lauded as being the next paramore, they reportedly ended up being neglected by and eventually let go by their label (a grudge I still hold against Fueled by Ramen) Some say the departure was more to do with changes in their sound, but their newer songs sounded exactly like the direction the label ended up going in the next five years anyway.
After being let go from their label, Blake Harnage went on to produce music with bands like All Time Low and PVRIS, while Sierra Kay saw some success with beach goth project Neaux and later with some solo work under the name Bad Daughter in 2019—all of which are great and worth a listen. Although I still may never see VersaEmerge perform songs live, seeing them find success in other areas of their career softens the blow.
Recommendations: “Moments Before Sleep,” “Fixed at Zero,” “Domesticated,” “Paint it Black (Cover)”
//Hey Monday (2008-2011)
Although lead vocalist Cassadee Pope is still working today after winning The Voice as a solo country artist, a few people may not know that she had a moderately successful run as an emo pop darling and frontwoman of Hey Monday before they were let go of their record contract with Fueled by Ramen. You can still find remnants of her emo past in her cameos in Fall Out Boy’s music video, “American Suitehearts” or in guest vocals on All Time Low’s track “Backseat Serenade” (whose drummer she dated for the better part of a decade).
During their heyday, Hey Monday’s tracks “Homecoming” and “How You Love Me Now?” were playing at Hot Topics all over America, and they were very indicative of where pop punk was at the time. With bright poppy hooks, edgy side bangs, and classic emo angst, I was sad to see them go so soon after their debut, especially after the more commercial success of their single “Candles.” However, after leaving their label, self-releasing a Christmas EP, and losing a few members, they announced a hiatus at the end of 2011. Pope, of course, went solo and members Mike Gentile and Chris Gentile went on to form the band Rescue Kid. However, in 2019, Cassadee Pope, Mike Gentile, and Alex Lipshaw actually played a reunion show in Nashville and re-lived their emo glory days—if only for one night.
Sidenote: It was definitely a situation in which I saw Pope on The Voice and was like “isn’t it cheating if you were already a successful signed recording artist who got radio play at some point and already have a fanbase and veteran vocal abilities? Like, of course she won, but she probably would’ve gotten signed without the help of a competition (and without all the strings attached) meant for people who didn’t already have connections within the industry. But also she was hella talented, so I’m still glad she was able to revive her career for a second life in the country pop genre.”
Recommendations: “Homecoming,” “Josey,” “How You Love Me Now,” “I Don’t Wanna Dance”
//Adora (2010-2013, 2016ish?)
A female-fronted band from Chicago, Adora was a piano-y pop punk band from the early '10s. Think female-fronted early Panic! At the Disco with heavier, less complicated riffs. I originally found them after watching old YouTube cover videos from lead singer Stormie Rae. Coincidentally, Rae was actually buds with previously mentioned VersaEmerge members Sierra and Blake and covered a few of their songs. Adora gained a little traction online, releasing a few music videos and a few solid EPs (Save Yourself (2010) and One Word (2012)), but after a few years with limited success Rae eventually left the band, moved to Nashville, changed her sound and was never really heard from again. The band continued with a new lead singer until around 2016, but it never really found success, and I never really listened after the vocalist change. However, I still enjoy their old EPs and listen to them from time to time.
Recommendations: “With Closed Fists,” “Take a Breath,” “Safe and Sound,” “Room 401”
//The Swellers (2002-2015)
With their debut album releasing the same day as they started their tour run opening for Paramore, things looked good for the freshly-signed, artist-on-the-rise, alternative punk band from Flint, Michigan. With a melodic punk rock sound reminiscent of ‘90s indie rock, I was gutted to see them hang it up. During their 13 years run, The Swellers toured with the likes of Motion City Soundtrack and Bayside, and they released four full-length albums under various labels (and one album self-released). Despite early interest after signing with Fueled by Ramen, as the band evolved into a more mature rock sound with their album Good For Me, they struggled to keep and grow their fan base. Along with getting hit by hella taxes, financially it became incredibly difficult to remain a touring band and pay their bills. When they laid their project to rest, the drummer even penned an article for VICE, entitled “The Life and Death of a Mid-Level Band; the End of the Swellers,” detailing his experience of being in a semi-successful and recognizable band before going back to part-time work. (You can also read other articles by him on VICE, as well.)
Recommendations: “2009,” “Prime Meridian,” “Ups and Downsizing,” “Best I Ever Had.”
//Everyone Everywhere (2007-2012)
After finding their vinyl record by chance within the stacks of a record shop in San Francisco, their confusing name and indie aesthetic led me to look them up on the internet and discover a DIY Philly emo band with a melodic and indie punk sound. At the time, I was only 80 percent sure they were an actual band and not an inside joke.
In fact, their Spotify bio reads: “Everyone Everywhere is a band from Philadelphia who released two albums, both of which were titled Everyone Everywhere, the exact same name as their band. This decision led to challenges with internet searches and royalty collection. They achieved incredible levels of success during their days as active musicians and retired from the music business after earning enough money to sustain themselves for multiple lifetimes via sales of Everyone Everywhere branded t-shirts and coffee mugs.”
Although the members have gone on to join and form other bands in their local scene, this Philly band never really set out to make money or a career out of the project but managed to release some solid emo tracks that are definitely worth checking out, including two EPs and a split with the band, Into it. Over it. My favorite track of theirs would probably be “I Feel Fine by Everyone Everywhere” off the album Everyone Everywhere by the band Everyone Everywhere.
Recommendations: “I Feel Exhausted,” “Tiny Planet,” “Obama House, Fukui Prefecture,” “$1,000,000”
//MS MR (2011-2017)
A band that definitely pioneered some of that indie pop dream wave sound that dominates today, MS MR unfortunately announced a hiatus after touring their sophomore album—but not without a good run. I first got hooked on their single “Hurricane” right before they released their debut album, Secondhand Rapture in 2013, which included many of the songs from their previous EP, Candybar Creep Show. That album went on to define my 2013 summer and really opened doors for me in terms of exploring indie alt pop artists. While they found many fans online, they gained some major traction after opening for Marina and the Diamonds and charting in Germany. With their unique, neon surreal aesthetic, these Vassar graduates mixed sultry, dark, goth sounds with bright and complex pop hooks, attracting many fans of the Tumblr persuasion. Although they lost some enthusiasm during their second album cycle, lead singer Lizzie Plapinger continued from 2017 onward as solo artist LPX with some equally addicting and layered pop tracks. She even toured with MARINA back before COVID-19 times. I would highly recommend checking out both MS MR and LPX on Spotify, as well as their aesthetically delicious music videos on YouTube.
Recommendations: “Hurricane,” “Head Is Not My Home,” “Fantasy,” “BTSK”
//States (2010-2014)
A Nashville band that soundtracked my 2011 freshman year of high school with their brilliant EP, Line Em Up, States was one of the first bands I found and streamed on Myspace (right before it faded into irrelevance lol RIP). As the brainchild of ex-Lydia vocalist Mindy White and former members from the band Copeland, the underrated indie rock outfit mixed pop-y hooks and captivating riffs. Their debut saw a mature progression of their sound and was eventually re-released as Room to Run on Tooth and Nail Records. Despite producing some buzz with singles “Timebomb” and “Waiting for Too Long,” the project ended after a follow-up album, Paradigm. Avoiding outside influences, Paradigm was made on their own (funded with the help of a kickstarter) by producing and mixing everything themselves, and it was eventually released by Spartan Records. As of 2019, White has gone on to release a few singles featuring a poppier, electronic sound under the name Mindy White.
Recommends: “Waiting For Too Long,” “Anxious,” “Time To Begin,” “Timebomb”
I hope you’ve enjoyed visiting the ghosts of my listening past. Hopefully, you’ve found some new-old acts to get into or some overlooked gems to add to your Spotify playlists. A lot of great acts never get that big break and fade away without recognition, so make sure you give your local or lesser-known bands the love they deserve before they’re gone for good. Happy listening <3
Honorable mentions worth hitting up Spotify for: There for Tomorrow, Renfue, General Ghost (not actually on Spotify RIP), Driftless Pony Club, Set Your Goals, and The Audition.
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