90s Rock: Blink-182

Admittedly, I'm not currently the biggest Blink fan in the world.  However, much of my freshman year of college was spent listening to these guys, so I can definitely come up with a respectable list.  Let's get it on:

"Dammit" - This song has to be on the list.  It's their first single and brought them from the underground to pop/punk mainstream radio.  Watching the video is crucial because it is hilarious to realize that Blink used to have a drummer not named Travis Barker.  Sorry no name drummer- the studio executives found a ringer and you're out of the band!



"Josie" - Obviously, Blink-182's sound would be completely different if they didn't have both Mark and Tom singing. They harmonize well together and trade off singing the main lines and/or songs. This song shows of Mark's underrated vocals (which I prefer to Tom's even though Tom has had more post-Blink success.) These guys definitely relate to teenagers and young adults in a way that few other bands do.



"Adam's Song" - I'll pick one single from "Enema of the State" to mention and this is the one. This actually shows off Blink's talent for writing serious songs. This song is serious on lyrical and musical levels and very well done. Again, this is another one where Mark takes the lead. Fantastic song.



"Dysentery Gary" - Any song that mentions diarrhea has to make this list. "He's a player, diarrhea giver, tries to grow his hair out 'cause his friends are listening to Slayer." Hilarious! This is actually a pretty well written song as well, including the hilarious lyrics.



"Anthem" - "Home show, Mom won't know!" Awesome. Let me tell you from experience, Mom will likely find out about such shenanigans! However, it's still a fun premise for this song. Great use of bass and guitar together- inverted chords are the fucking best! Great song!



"Mutt" - My personal favorite song by Blink. Whether this reminds you of getting laid in college or of Jason Biggs running through the neighborhood to get back to Shannon Elizabeth in time to prematurely nut twice on neighborhood interweb camera, this song rocks. Here's a live version with funny commentary on the song by the band:



BONUS: A non-90s tune - "Online Songs"

This song calls out Josie for being a cheating whore! It's a great pop/punk jam. In fact, Blink mostly stays true to their roots while occasionally throwing in touching and serious songs for good measure.



After doing this post, I actually have somewhat rekindled my enjoyment of Blink-182! It reminded me of the good old times in college when I was coming into my own. Blink does a great job of representing the naive or ignorant times of growing up, and that is their greatest appeal. Fuckin' great stuff Tom, Mark, Travis, and the drummer that was kicked out so no one will ever know his name off the top of their head.