Massachusetts: Transit
Even in a genre like pop-punk, the Masshole is still represented to a T. Transit ran the gamut of styles during the DPP era. They are the clear choice to represent Massachusettes with their patented weapon of breaking a Sam Adams bottle over your head.
Michigan: Hot Mulligan
While Hot Mulligan may not hold the “typical” pop-punk sound of the ‘90s and 2000s, few recent alternative bands represent a single genre. Hot Mully would defend pop-punk via Claymore Mines. Pretty brutal fellas, but thank you for your service.
Minnesota: Motion City Soundtrack
The sensitive ones always tend to have a dark, aggressive streak deep down inside. Motion City Soundtrack would absolutely open up on some anti-pop-punk motherfuckers. They don’t have a specific weapon of choice. They have a cache of guns in their band’s official bunker. We’re talking, like, a Matrix amount of guns.
Mississippi: Bass Drum of Death
Bedroom/basement/garage pop-punk rules as much as it’s underrepresented. Bass Drum of Death represents this side of the genre perfectly and considering their name we don’t need to wonder what weapon they’d use.
Missouri: MU330
Let’s be honest here. Most ska is just pop-punk with horns. Either way, Missouri is pretty slim on pop-punk bands so MU330 is getting sent up to the front lines. They will use the power of positive vibes to defend the genre.
Montana: The Varsity
Another staunch defender of one of pop-punk’s rural enclaves, The Varsity is forever entrusted by the state to defend Montana pop-punk with their patented hunting rifles.
Nebraska: Jank 1000
J1K has protected Nebraska pop-punk since the late ‘90s, using their custom submachine guns, coincidentally also abbreviated “J1k.”
Nevada: Panic! At the Disco
Protecting Las Vegas from outsiders is just one of the many similarities between Brenden Urie and Randall Flagg from The Stand. And much like The Walkin’ Dude, Panic!’s weapon of choice would be a nuclear bomb. Hopefully, they’ll have better luck defending pop-punk.
New Hampshire: Donaher
There was a band from New Hampshire who may have had some influence on the genre, but they’re grounded so the massively underrated “Donaher” is gonna have to step up for N.H. and D that PP. Their weapon of choice is the wisdom that comes from age and also a tire iron. D that PP hard, fellas. For the cause.
New Jersey: Man Overboard
Much like California, picking a single pop-punk band to represent New Jersey is a near impossible task, but it simply has to go to Man Overboard based on the criteria. How could it not?! They’re the band that popularized the phrase “Defend Pop-Punk.” Well, their manager Jesse Cannon did anyway, as a joke printed on a t-shirt that turned into a musical movement. Man O would use the AK-47, the weapon from the original “Defend Pop-Punk” shirt. They were the first to cry war, and the rest of the genre followed. Onward!