The pop-punk genre has lost a lot of steam since the era when bands like Blink-182, Green Day and Sum 41 energized the music scene. Pop-punk bands are still active in the industry, but it is undeniable that their strength has been dampened by the rise of genres such as pop, EDM and rap. However, one artist is defying expectations and giving rise to a new pop-punk scene.
Packed with amped up percussion, unconfined vocals and lyrics fueled with angst and emotion, Machine Gun Kelly’s “Tickets to my Downfall” is the revitalization of a genre at a stand still. Even before the release of his first album, “Lace Up” in 2012, Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) considered himself a rapper. He was influenced by various forms of music growing up, but from an early age, MGK was creating rhymes. Prior to the release of his most recent album, he released five full-length rap records.
When I listened to these records, I always got the feeling there was something missing from MGK’s work. Despite being known for a few songs that made the charts, his image to the public was characterized by the sensationalized aspects of his personal life. The focus was never on the actual content of the music he was creating. But below the surface, there seemed to be potential waiting.
Listening to MGK’s other releases, it is evident that elements of the pop-punk genre subtly made appearances in his work. This is especially true for songs like, “I Think I’m OKAY” where his unrefined vocals cultivate an authentic sound. What is missing from his other songs is the emphasis of those pop-punk qualities that MGK grazes the surface of in his rap tracks. All he needed was the right producer to peel back the layers and bring those aspects to the forefront of his music.
Travis Barker’s role as executive producer on the album is apparent in the percussion and simplistic yet fast paced melodies that undeniably parallel Blink-182’s sound. I was thrown for a loop listening to “Concert for Aliens,” thinking for a minute that I had accidentally played a Blink song instead. The songs on the album are fairly simplistic in style. They have three chord melodies, and MGK opts for a spoken lyricism similar to his rap and the vocals of other pop-punk singers such as Tom Delonge. But what differentiates the record from others in the genre are the electronic beats added to the tracks. They serve as a homage to MGK’s rap career and the new technologies that have emerged in music today.
Plunging into a new genre of music, one that hasn’t been popular for several years, seemed like a death wish for MGK’s career. But this may not have been something on his mind when taking the risk. Listening to the album, it is apparent MGK’s goals were to expose the soul of his music and pay tribute to pop-punk anthems of the past. Topics of love, loss, substance abuse and various other personal struggles are found in the lyrics of the songs, which allows listeners to glimpse into MGK’s experiences and understand the influence of the genre on his work.
With the help of Travis Barker’s production label, MGK creates a new name for himself and revisits an underrepresented genre in “Tickets to my Downfall.” His self-exploration and experimentation as an artist is evident in the raw authenticity of his lyrics and vocals.
Although the trend might not continue on for pop-punk, its popularity remaining in the early 2000s, it is beyond doubt this album is a stepping stone for MGK that demonstrates his potential and will pave a new path for his career.
