Easycore is the genre hybrid of pop-punk (emphasis on the pop) and hardcore. Its roots date back to the early 2000s and it became a genre around 2007, hitting a fever pitch of massive scene kid popularity in the early 2010s. Easycore is beloved by its fans and mocked by people who don’t get it. It’s basically ska for kids who’ve never heard of ska.
Easycore sounds effortless, however, it requires intricate songwriting, solid technical playing, and insanely high production values. The lyrics can be gibberish though. Hell, half the time the singer is belting out straight up pop-punk word salad. And it’s AWESOME.
So put on your best cartoon monster tee, call all your best friends over, and let’s paint this dead-end town neon. We ranked the 10 best Easycore songs. So, hey dudes… are you ready to?
10. City Lights “Hang Out” (2011)
10th place is actually a million-way tie between every song by City Lights, Hit the Lights, Set Your Goals, Knockout Kid, With The Punches, and about 95 other bands. That’s the beauty of Easycore. If you like one band, you like them all! Much like another often-dismissed genre that blends two genres that don’t usually go together: ska.
9. Meet Me @ The Altar “Mapped Out” (2021)
If you saw that one Taco Bell commercial, you definitely kinda know this band. While their newer stuff leans more straightforward pop punk, Meet Me @ The Altar’s “Model Citizen” EP, along with some of their pre-Fueled By Ramen YouTube stuff, dips into Easycore, showing what the genre sounds like in a post-Covid world. This band gets praise primarily for their vocals but the hidden gem of this band is the lead guitar, which is showcased on “Mapped Out.” Also, some people say they might be an industry plant. Don’t care, love the song.
8. The Wonder Years “Bout to Get Fruit Punched, Homie” (2007)
The Wonder Years would go on to lead the Defend Pop Punk genre, but this is where you can hear their early influence on Easycore as well. The DIY production values show what Easycore sounds like in a band’s practice space. It works great for the vibe of the song and highlights the skillful songwriting and composition required to make a great Easycore song. It also shows exactly how little of a fuck you need to care about the lyrics.
7. Farewell “First One On The Blog” (2007)
Hilariously outdated title aside, Farewell was Epitaph’s power-pop band that incorporated elements of Easycore as early as 2007. However, Farewell rarely gets the credit they deserve for having an influence on a lot of the 2010 Easycore bands that rode the wave of the genre’s success. Over time, the genre as a whole got a lot more “easy” and a lot less “core” and Farewell helped lay out the blueprint for that at the very least.
Honorable Mention: Sunrise Skater Kids “Pit Warrior” (2016)
The Sunrise Skater Kids (from Baltimore) are the satirical Pop-Punk/Easycore band from WarpedTuber Jarrod Alonge. The songs may be a joke, which is why this is only an honorable mention, but the music is incredible. Additionally, the lyrics to “Pit Warrior” are fucking hilarious. This song is a true work of satire, unlike the simpler parody route most comedy musicians go. But what would we know about satire? We’re just a music rankings website.
6. Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! “In Friends We Trust” (2010)
This song was Easycore’s “Jump the Shark” moment, which is particularly impressive since Easycore itself was already considered a shark-jumping genre. While many Easycore songs’ lyrics were comprised of mashed-up pop-punk tropes and themes, “In Friends We Trust” is a jumbled mix of very specific Easycore tropes and themes. The music video is a house show/party that combines a ton of stereotypes of punk shows and teen movies. It has an uncanny valley feel to it. The video has lots of things you could theoretically see at a show, but stuff you’ve never actually seen at a show in real life. Seriously, who the fuck wears the Scream mask to a show? Half of the Easycore scene in Paris, apparently.
5. A Place in Time “Firehall” (2011)
If you’re into Easycore and you haven’t heard of “A Place in Time” then let us just say, you’re welcome. In the early 2010s, APIT released three EPs that are Easycore staples and even progress the genre a bit as Easycore was starting to become stagnant around this time. The band structures their songs like prog rock and they rarely repeat any part of their songs without making a variation, which is surprisingly perfect for Easycore despite the genre’s tradition of conventionally structured songs. A Place in Time is the perfect band for any Easycore diehards that missed them during their heyday. “Firehall” is about snakey local promoters and how they co-opt the scene for their own benefit. This is a departure from typical Easycore songs, which are usually about how many pop punk buzzwords you can fit into three and a half minutes.
4. The Story So Far “The Things I Can’t Change” (2013)
The Story So Far is not an Easycore band. But they’re also not-not an Eascycore band. TSSF blends elements from a ton of genres to create their own unique sound. And, yes, one of those genres happens to be Easycore. They’re like the Streetlight Manifesto of the genre. This is the Easycore band for you if you like aspects of the genre but find it a little too, “Hey dudes are you ready to?” for your taste.
3. New Found Glory “Hit or Miss” (2000)
The version of “Hit or Miss” from NFG’s self-titled album is considered by many to be the original Easycore song. To the untrained ear, “Hit or Miss” sounds like any other early NFG song. It’s a jump-around pop-punk banger about being sad over a girl. That is until you get to the bridge and hear aggressive guitars, bouncy-yet-pounding drums, and a fucking sub-drop. The sub drop in pop punk and emo deserves its own list but in regards to Easycore, the moment these elements came together in “Hit or Miss,” a genre was born. And much like a newborn child, it didn’t do anything noteworthy for the next seven years.
2. Four Year Strong “It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now” (2009)
Along with A Day to Remember, Four Year Strong are pioneers of the genre. They’re also one of the most popular bands in the world of Easycore, which is a pretty special feat as the top artists in most genres are rarely its early pioneers. Some people may be put off by Easycore’s clashing sounds and influences, but at the end of the day, the genre is all about well-written songs that are performed and produced masterfully. The genre holds a respect for its musical elders and fans will give an opportunity to any new band who put out quality music. It’s a rare and beautiful thing when art is rewarded based on merit, and this rarely occurs outside of ska.
1. A Day to Remember “The Downfall of Us All” (2009)
This might be a perfect song. And not just a perfect Easycore song. Check out Alex Melton’s country version if you don’t believe me. “The Downfall of Us All” didn’t just dominate Easycore; it defined it. Plus, its mainstream crossover appeal was massive and brought a sense of legitimacy to the genre as a whole. Without this song, the genre doesn’t grow. Without this band, the genre doesn’t exist. Without ADTR, every Easycore show would just be Four Year Strong headlining, which FYS probably wouldn’t have minded. I hear 2nd sucks, especially when ADTR is closing.
Photos by Derrick Austinson, Andy Collegian, “krd,” Elekes Andor, and Victoria Morse