Top 5 Favorite Bands Assignment

Top 5 Bands

For this assignment I was told to choose my five favorite bands. For me, this is a very difficult choice as I listen to numerous amounts of bands, all with varying styles, attitudes and scenes. However for the sake of argument, I compiled what I believe is my top five. For each of the bands I will describe why I enjoy listening to them, what song describes them best and things that may be taken for granted when you listen to them.

5. Jack’s Mannequin

The first band on my top five list is probably the most mellow one. Headed by Andrew McMahon, member of Something Corporate, this band focuses on piano rock. However, their there form of piano rock is unlike most others. For one, the piano switches from being the main instrument in one part of a song to being a supporting piece. Also, the piano playing is not always slow, as seen in other piano rock bands like the Fray, and earlier Coldplay material, but it is upbeat and very positive, complimenting nicely with the other instruments.

The song I feel best describes their sound is the sound American Love. It is off their new CD, Glass Passenger. The guitar riff at the beginning, mixed with the piano is truly amazing. The way the song seems to rise, as if it is about to climax, but then falls, is an interesting approach to the chorus. Once the song is in full swing, it cannot be matched, with a sing along chorus about breakup, it makes the topic almost seem uplifting. This song and its instrumental choices, tempo, and chorus style is the Jack’s Mannequin sound.




Something I feel people take for granted with this band is their charity. Andrew, after the release of the bands first album, was diagnosed with Leukemia. While in the hospital, the rest of the band, and the record label, created wrist bands to be sold for cancer research. They sold over six thousand, with all the proceeds going to charity. Another thing I find truly amazing is that although Andrew went through radiation treatments, he never complains once on the new album about it, still staying upbeat and positive. He found beauty in negative spaces.

4. The Starting Line

This next band is The Starting Line. Although they are now on hiatus, they will always be a band that whose story-like lyrics and punk sounding guitars brought enjoyment. I enjoy this band for a number of reasons; each of their songs seem to tell a story and their guitars always seem to suit the song best, none of it being out of key. Kenny Vasoli’s voice, I believe, is the voice of the pop punk resurgence. I believe this because it is not too high, and not too deep, complementing the teenaged style of music they perform.

The song that describes them best is the song ‘Somebody’s Gonna Miss Us’. I choose this song because it shows their punk roots, while mixing a more mature sound. It is very difficult to describe. If you listen to the song for just it’s sound then you would claim them to be a teenaged band. However, if you listen to the lyrics it is as if Kenny is making an announcement to the audience. I find it compelling as it was almost foreshadowing the hiatus of the band.




Something that may be taken for granted is their ability to hold an audience. Pop punk bands have been claimed to all sound the same, which to some degree is true. However, with this band it is different. For one, their songs are not all about teenage romance, but are about life in general. On one song, Kenny says he wants to live life to the fullest so that when he’s older he has something left to give. Some people believe that this style of music is untalented; I dare you to listen to this band and say that they didn’t have a plan when they wrote each and every song.

3. Muse

Of all the bands I listen to, Muse is probably the most musically talented, at the same time being one of the oddest bands I have. Muse focuses on musical structure, and a distorted sound that is not matched by any other band. When you listen to them, you may think that they are just hitting random notes on a guitar. However, to the musically trained ear, you notice that they are playing arpeggios and octaves. For my own personal reasons, I enjoy this band for their heavy distorted sound, with lyrics that are relevant to the real world and anyone that listens to it.

The song that best describes Muse’s sound is Supermassive Black Hole. It has the heavy distorted bass, along with guitar that makes the song hit you like a bus. The lyrics are relevant to many things; love, global warming, and advertising. The way Mathew Bellamy croons in this song makes you have no choice but to sit on the edge of your seat. The heavy bass line is repetitive enough to make it seem like it could fit in on a dance track.



Something that many people take for granted with this band is their true musical ability. Matthew Bellamy, the lead guitarist and singer for the band, has been rated one of the top guitarists in the world by many different magazines. Some of the riffs he has made have also come very highly ranked. The band also takes a different approach to music in all aspects, putting complex structure to their songs, singing in many different styles and all the while being called one of the most energetic live bands.

2. The Maine

This next band on my list is also the most recently created. It was created in 2007 by a group of teenagers just out of high school. The amazing thing is as soon as they graduated they had a recording contract. I enjoy them for there carefree lyrics, catchy choruses, swinging guitars. I like them for the feeling that this kind of music gives off an aura, which is just plain enjoyable.

The song that best describes the bands sound is ‘Everything I Ask For’. Its contradictory lyrics are so catchy that it will have you humming for a long time to come.
The beat in the background is also very danceable. Although the entire tone of the band is very teenaged, I still feel that in order to truly appreciate music, you must look at it from all different aspects. When looking at these different aspects, sometimes you may find something you might like, and the Maine is one of these bands. Although they are new right now, I feel they will be around for a long time to come.


Some thing that may be taken for granted is something I said for the Starting Line, it is their individuality. Like I said, pop punk bands have been known to sound the same. However, with the Maine, what puts them aside from other bands is their subtle electronic keyboard in the background as it fits in so well. Another thing is, unlike other pop punk bands they seem to take influence from other types of music, such as country. The beginning of one of their songs sounds like country being played on an electronic guitar. This band, after having only released one album, has shown much musical aptitude. Once they grow up, and their music evolves, they have the potential to be very big.

1. AFI

A Fire Inside, or AFI for short, is the by far at the top of this list. After coming from hardcore punk roots, their music has developed as has their look. If you had listened to this band back in 1992, you would have no idea they would be one of the leading alternative rock bands of the new age. I like this band for many different reasons. Their lyrics are very deep, their rhythms are catchy and the guitar parts have gotten more complex with each new album. Something that I find very interesting about their new music is how it mixes the hardcore style bass with powerful guitar chords. I believe that AFI is a genre on their own; no other band has a style quite like them. One of the biggest things I like about AFI is the fact that some of their albums are based on a concept. This means that all the songs are based around a story. Their past two CD’s have been of this fashion. What these CD’s are revealing is the story of the Cladestine Mystery, the story of man’s love life and death. The real challenge is trying to decipher the lyrics to discover the story. Another thing I enjoy about AFI is that you don’t hear about their personal lives, something that we do not need to know.

The song that best describes AFI’s sound, ironically, did not make the cut for any of their albums. Originally recorded as a b-side for Sing The Sorrow, ‘Rabbits are Roadkill on Route 37’ shows AFI’s style very well. It has the powerful guitar, the rising bass, and the pounding drum. All of this is combined with the story-like lyrics, such as ‘what once did exist, now is meaningless’. It is with these elements that describe the AFI sound.

Something that is taken for granted about AFI is that their older material is just as good as the new. Many music listeners find that the hardcore punk sound is too spastic to enjoy. However, what AFI did with that sound is very different. They used the thrashing guitars, but mixed it with comedic lyrics and a singing style that is catchy and easy to sing along with. Overall, AFI’s style is very catchy, and unlike many recent bands, have some meaning in their songs

AFI’s Scene: Straight Edge
The scene that revolves around AFI is called Straight Edge. Although there a few others, such as hardcore and veganism, straight edge is the most interesting. It is a lifestyle choice where the user abstains from things that poison the body. This includes alcohol, tobacco and drugs. It can also include caffeine, medicinal drugs, promiscuity and some followers are vegan.
I find that straight edge is a very good thing that is happening around AFI’s music. Many people that see AFI hear about their lifestyle choice and decide to copy it. Some followers choose to do this because it is healthy for the body, while at the same time supporting their favorite band. The symbol for straight edge is the letter X. Straight edge was first created by the punk rock band Minor Threat when they wrote the song called ‘Straight Edge’. Since then many bands and teenagers have copied the lifestyle outlined in the song.

AFI’s Attitude
The attitude around AFI’s music varies as their style as changed frequently over the years, gaining many different audiences. Their early music, which was hardcore punk, had the attitude of typical punk which included fighting and most likely was surrounded by drug use. However as their style evolved so did their attitude. For example, in recent time, AFI has been pro-environment; their fan base has copied this and wants to fix the world. What outlines the fan base’s attitude is that whatever AFI promotes, they copy.

AFI’s Style
Like their attitude, their style has changed greatly over the years. In the beginning they wore typical punk fashion, ‘mohawks’, spike collars and tattoos. Once their music went into the Horror Punk genre they began to mix in other styles. They began to wear make-up, gloves and long hair. In their recent years, their style has changed drastically. They have mixed the punk scene with the upcoming emo trend, with ‘fohawk’ hairstyles, skinny jeans, makeup and tattoos. With every album they release their style changes, which help them to evolve as people and artists.


Until We Meet Again,

SJones