After a pronounced period out of the mainstream, pop-punk is back, and the guitar riffs are soaring higher than ever. Machine Gun Kelly scored a significant No. 1 album in 2020, Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u” topped the Hot 100 in 2021, and this year, Avril Lavigne is primed for a major comeback while rising artists like jxdn and Nessa Barrett continue to reach new fans.
But how did this resurgence start? And why is now the right time for a pop-punk renaissance?
The latest episode of Billboard Explains unpacks the major reasons behind the pop-punk resurgence and the key players you need to know. From veteran artists like Travis Barker to former TikTok phenoms like LILHUDDY, the pop-punk universe is ever-expanding, and represents one of the most vital areas in popular music this year.
After the video, catch up on more Billboard Explains clips and learn about how the Hot 100 works, how Mariah Carey became the queen of Christmas, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and why Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” was able to shoot to No. 1 on the Hot 100.