Blink 182: The Early Years

Pop punk existed long before Blink 182 came along and it didn't die when they broke up either, but the scene needed them before they came around and it missed them when they left. What set them apart was the way they combined being crude with being playful. Most of their early singles were successful first because they were poppy but then stuck around because they were funny, and it was the comedic side of them that endeared them to people. It also gave them the edge commercially because it was mostly safe to market, whereas other California punk bands who were just as good like Goldfinger were just far too vulgar. They had serious songs here and there which reinforced the fact that each band member used their music as a way of escaping broken families. This formula worked for them and was even successfully adapted into their advancing ages. Listen as their sound matures and yet utilizes the same formula at the same time.

Just high school kids at this point (well..tom and travis were), from their album Cheshire Cat:

	blink-182 - wasting time
	Found at skreemr.com

And into their early 20s, with their commercial debut:

	Blink-182 - Dammit
	Found at skreemr.com