If you’re a fan of NOFX, the iconic punk band known for their fast-paced instrumentals, (sometimes) politically charged lyrics, and irreverent humour (you probably wouldn’t be here if you weren’t), then you’re likely always on the lookout for similar bands that capture the same spirit and energy.
Even though they seem to be going on the longest farewell tour of all time (rivalling KISS at this point), it’s going to be a sad day for many, and a happy day for many, when NOFX do hang up their proverbial boots and call it a day.
With that in mind, here are some other bands that you can check out that sound like NOFX, and if you’re a fairly seasoned head at this point you’ll probably know most of these, but if you’re not, then enjoy!
Bands Like NOFX: The Skate Punkers
Bad Religion
Considering that Fat Mike has on many an occasion admitted that he basically tried to rip off Bad Religion’s Suffer album to make the original NOFX sounf, you’re probably not shocked to see them here.
Politically charged and harmonies for days, cracking on Bad Religion when you’re looking for a band like NOFX to listen to will satiate that hunger.
Pennywise
Pennywise are another band that has a similar style and sounds to Fat Mike and Co. Hailing from the same Southern California punk scene as NOFX, Pennywise embodies the skate punk ethos with their fast-paced songs and anthemic choruses.
Their tracks are filled with messages of defiance and social commentary, and they resonate well with fans of NOFX’s sound.
Lagwagon
Fat Mike signed Lagwagon to Fat Wreck in the very early days, so it’s not a surprise that later NOFX would even start to sound a bit like ‘wagon at points.
Melodic as hell, having genuine emotional depth to a lot of their songs and technical proficiency that would maybe even make some metalheads jealous, Lagwagon are great.
Bands Like NOFX: Street(ish) Punk
The Vandals
The Vandals are known for their humorous and often satirical take on punk rock.
Their music offers a blend of catchy melodies and witty lyrics, making them a perfect fit for fans of NOFX who appreciate the lighter side of punk (which is none of you lot who read stuff on here you miserable fucks).
Rancid
Rancid, with their blend of punk and ska, offers a diverse sound that appeals to a wide range of punkers and rude boys, including a lot of NOFX fans.
Their gritty, street sensibility (lol) and catchy hooks make them a band that NOFX fans also like, and their split EP with ‘FX themselves is pretty decent.
Bands Like NOFX: Melodic Hardcore Influences
Descendents
The Descendents are pioneers of melodic hardcore (to put it lightly) influencing countless bands within the punk scene, including NOFX.
Their blend of catchy melodies, fast-paced music, and personal, introspective lyrics make them a seminal band for anyone, whether or not they’re even into NOFX.
The Hard Times Real News Section
Yes, The Hard Times have a real music news section now, but you don’t need to freak out.
Make sure you check out more of the content we have via our /realnews/ section and if you happen to be a pro wrestling or combat sports fan you can check out my site FightFans.
The most impersonal, transparently for-appearance-only gift of all time. Are you even trying to pretend you still love each other?
Wow, do you give Christmas-themed Christmas presents too? Why would you gift someone something they’ll only be able to use 12 months from now? That’s no way to buy yourself another 12 months.
If your partner is female presenting you may think that fancy makeup is a suitable Valentine’s Day gift, because you just don’t think things through do you? Watch them turn this “gift” into a personal attack faster than you can say “I wasn’t implying that you look ugly!”
To certain personalities, this may seem logical, but it’s non-thematic overkill and when it fails, guess whose out a PS5? J.Q. You, that’s who!
In February? Are you insane? No couple in the history of relationships has a story that goes “Well we were going to break up but then one night we were cold as hell together and that dissolved all of our tensions.”
Oh sure, why not trigger the growing animosity between the two of you out in public for all the world to see? Come on, you want this thing to end in the privacy of your own home, not in an escape room or at a sip and paint.
A classic, but really sort of a flash in the pan. They’ll avoid a fight for a day or two but that’s about it. Flowers AND something else, that’s the move.
A coffee mug. With their name on it. Great. You’re trying to convince yourself and them that the two of you can build a life together, not congratulating the runner-up in a sales contest. Do better.
You can only ask “Does this look like a match to you? I can’t tell” so many times before your partner starts internalizing the obvious metaphor.
It could work, but it could also backfire. It’s a little too on the nose really. It basically says “Hey, debase yourself with me!”
Super cute at first, but eventually your partner will see it as impractical and in the way, sort of like your relationship.
Waffle Irons, pour-over sets, fancy mixers, etc. For the right partner, someone with a true passion for the kitchen, this could work, otherwise avoid it. Giving someone who doesn’t earnestly love cooking a gift that says “I thought maybe you could make us stuff” isn’t a strong selling point for staying in a relationship you both know in your hearts is over.
Nice, neutral, and safe, but where’s the flair? Scented candles are for couples secure enough in their love to not make Hallmark holidays a big production, that ain’t you.
Your Russell Stover hearts and the like. A little more shelf life than just flowers, but not by much. By the time they get down to the imitation dark chocolate, it’s over.
Okay, now we’re cooking a bit. Sure it’s just candy, but these things are delicious, and there’s sort of an unwritten rule that you’re not allowed to buy them for yourself. It’s the gold wrapping, too opulent. You maybe bought yourself a month.
Growing pains isn’t just a show featuring demigod Kirk Cameron, and “Resolver,” Veruca Salt’s third LP altogether and first of two without Nina Gordon, who was riding a super pop solo wave of her own around that time with “Tonight and the Rest of My Life,” is good, but not great, and as you know, good is the enemy of great. Still, Veruca Salt doesn’t have a bad record, and this full-length, or at least 66.66% percent of it, deserves your time; the band is chock full of born entertainers and you’d be hard-pressed to argue with that assertion. Produced by Brian Liesegang, founding member of fellow ’90s peers Filter, “Resolver” sounds really good, and the catchiness of the songs are counterbalanced with a tried and true rocker grit. In closing, Inferior publications were divided regarding this record but that’s how they typically are so we can’t fault them.
“IV,” Veruca Salt’s, uh, fourth full-length studio album is not only, in a display of extreme wit and cultivated vigor on our end, ranked in the fourth position right here and right now, but it is the band’s sole release via the curiously named label Sympathy for the Record Industry, former home to Rocket from the Crypt, Turbonegro, Holly Golightly, and Polly Goheavily. However, for some sad and alarming reason, “IV” is not on DSPs like Spotify or Apple Music, and that’s a low down dirty shame making us not feel very blissful… Fix that and get your ish together, SFTRI! Anyway, six years after this LP came out, the band took a short break, but reformed with Nina Gordon, and announced their reconciliation to the world exactly one year and one month after they publicly took a hiatus. Coincidence? Not sure. Cool circular trend? Very, very much so.
Despite what many might think, but likely not you, you smart warrior of a rock hepcat, Veruca Salt has a song other than “Seether,” and released a full-length, their FIFTH altogether known as “Ghost Notes” in the year of our lord known as 2015, a full twenty-one years after their debut LP “American Thighs” hit stores. Overall, “Ghost Notes” is an underrated highlight, and truly closed the museum of their own broken yet mended relationships with a smile and a ghoul. We here truly clamor for more, we’re telling you know, we implore the band to create another with both lead vocalists. El Camino Records released this gem of an album to minor fanfare, and producer Brad Wood, who also worked behind the boards for VS’s debut record and ones by Liz Phair, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Big Bird, majorly shone in the greatest way.
Veruca Salt’s sophomore LP, is the band’s best-produced album for sure via King Bob Rock of Metallica, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi and Canadian fame, and contains, in our opinion that literally/figuratively doubles as a fact, their most superior song and single, “Volcano Girls.” Still, it has a few songs worthy of skipping we can’t give it the Subway-sponsored and endorsed Michael Phelps gold medal slot here, but silver ain’t too shabby either. One more hot take for good measure and good clean fun: If “Eight Arms to Hold You” was a four song EP consisting of tracks 1-4 back to back to back to back, it would be one of the better ’90s EPs for sure, along with Salt-N-Pepa’s screamo classic “Jar of Flies”.
Veruca Salt’s first full-length studio album, and likely the reason you’re here and actually read this piece for as long as you have, is truly a “no skip” effort from the band, and provided the globe with a solid vocal harmony driven rock band with a fantastic and delectable combination of saccharine and sour. Seemingly coming out of nowhere, the band initially released this LP in late-1994 via indie Minty Fresh Records, and re-released it on their then-new label Geffen Records, who also put out Weezer’s self-titled debut in ‘94 along with (not joking) Slash’s Snakepit the following year, and “American Thighs” eventually and justifiably earned a Gold-certified record. Plus, its epic album cover could unironically be showcased more than seasonally in an art museum and certainly on an overpriced crewneck at a high-end clothing store. Control your car and don’t spin out.