50. Chon: Grow
Something different to what we usually listen to, prog/math rock outfit Chon dropped a beaut of an album this year. Wonderfully ambient, uplifting, melodic and technically brilliant, it's something that everyone can appreciate. The vocals are fairly lacking but this is by no means a bad thing, it just allows you to zone in on the brilliance of two guitars accompanying bass and drums superbly. Oh, and they absolutely nail it live as well.49. Leftover Crack: Constructs Of The State
Constructs Of The State is the sound of Leftover Crack maturing. While you could argue that previous releases have focused too much on the screaming side of things and not enough on melody (or actually being able to understand the vocals), that's not the case here. The record sounds closer in style to Star Fucking Hipsters than their original releases, which can't be a bad thing. Stza and the guys haven't been afraid to try something a bit different and it has paid off.
48. The Bastard Sons: Smoke
Having caught these boys live a few months back, their 2015 record Smoke really impressed us. It's absolutely jam-packed with massive riffs and huge choruses. We've got high hopes for their punk-inspired metal in 2016.47. GutterLIFE: Don't Sleep
Here's a record to wake you up, in more ways than one. A devastating statement of intent, the Don't Sleep EP burns brightly with a fierce spirit of independence, defiance and political awareness. This is a band who will open your eyes.
46. Atlas Losing Grip: Currents
One of the first great albums of 2015, Currents is by no-means an instant hit. You'll need to give the album time, but boy does it repay you when you do. The soaring, complex choruses and intricate, delicate song structures belie the huge, crushing wall of noise the Swedish rockers create. Far from an easy listen, but one of the most rewarding records of the year.
45. Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes: Blossom
If we're honest, we're very, very glad that Frank is back to his venomous best once more. This is an album that is arguably more punk rock than hardcore, but it packs so much punch and un-apologetic attitude that it is easily as heavy as anything he has ever done. There are a whole bunch of stamping, spitting classics here. Juggernaut, Primary Explosive and Fangs will please any Gallows fan. Devil Inside Me swaggers outrageously and album closer I Hate You is so blatant in it's fuck-you-attitude that the first line is "You are nothing; you are nothing to me. You're a useless fucking c***". Meanwhile, Beautiful Death showcases a new, more theatrical side of Carter, juxtaposing his Essex growl with dark, mournful guitars. This album has all sorts of influences, some heavy, some less so. They are so well wrapped up in an angry little bundle, however, that it really works. Well worth your time.
44. The Decline: Resister
This is a classic skate-punk album, choc-full of bustling guitars, gang-harmonies and more bounce than a whole team of kangaroos. The Aussie punks also delivered a storming set at this year's Fest 14. If you want high-energy skate-punk, you could do far worse!
43. I, The Lion: Run
We have a huge amount of respect this band for a number of different reasons. Yes, their music kicks ass, with each of the tracks from Run being riddled with immensely powerful lyrics. A high energy EP that would inspire the listener to grab life by the scruff of the neck and do something different, like perhaps sky diving… essentially, growing the nerve to do something you've always wanted to try but never had the guts to do so. Nevertheless, what really impresses us too is their work ethic: I, The Lion are a hugely hard-working band.
42. Knuckle Puck: Copacetic
One of the most anticipated records of the year really didn't disappoint and showed that all of Knuckle Puck's early hype was well deserved. Building on their earlier EPs, their full length debut was much of the same but just better. And although it's not (for us, at least) an everyday album due to it being quite emotionally driven pop-punk, when you're in the mood for it, it's a fucking good listen.
41. Alborosie: Dub Of Thrones
One of the most intriguing records of the year: a reggae concept album based around the hugely popular Game Of Thrones TV series. Essentially this is a record full of reworked and dubbed versions of classic reggae rhythms, with some added effects on top. It's included here not only for it's unique nature, but because it distills some brilliant reggae into one easy-to-listen package. Brilliant for summertime relaxing.
40. The Hotelier: It Never Goes Out (Re-release)
Yes, technically this record was released in 2011, but it was re-released in physical format in 2015. For that reason, and for it's ahead-of-it's-time content, it's sneaked into our top 50. A seminal blend of pop-punk and demo, this is still relevant even four years after it's original release.
39. State Champs: Around The World And Back
Arguably one of the most eagerly awaited pop-punk records of 2015 came Around The World And Back from the New York pop-punks. It's a record which easily has enough about it to take State Champs one step closer to the big-time, and while there's perhaps a little bit too much sugar-coating on a handful of songs, there's more than enough hits here to keep any listener interested for some time.
38. The St. Pierre Snake Invasion: A Hundred Years A Day
Four years in the making, the debut full length from TSPSI was certainly worth the wait. It's a hugely varied album, with some tracks just forty seconds of pure, unadulterated, angry noise, but some offering nearly five minutes of garage groove. This is a record of brilliant garage-punk which puts bands like Royal Blood firmly in the shade.
37. Crossfaith: Xeno
Attitude, spirit, and a stunning amount of energy wrapped around some incredible tunes. Sound like your thing? You need Xeno in your life. While you're at it? Make sure you check these guys out live. You'll be blown away...
36. Refused: Freedom
An album our pop-punk expert Jamie hasn't stopped banging on about for some time comes this from old-school punks Refused. While Freedom isn't necessarily as seminal as The Shape Of Punk To Come, this is still some album and fully deserves its place here.
35. Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!: Get Lost, Find Yourself
Another band that have become progressively better with each release. We've been big fans of the Parisians since their first album was released way back in 2010 and it's so pleasing to see how far they have come since. They've really honed their ability to combine pop-punk and hardcore and stand out from quite a few bands out there. Get Lost, Find Yourself hasn't deviated from their norm much but it just feels a better thought-out album from a band that still don't get quite as much recognition as they deserve.
34. Delta Sleep: Twin Galaxies
There are a few moments when you manage to put on just the right album. Delta Sleep's Twin Galaxies often turns out to be that album. It's an at-times perfect sounding combination: there's a loosely nautical concept theme, multi-faceted math craziness, indie accessibility, the atmospheric scope and technical virtuosity of prog-rock, all resulting in an ambitious yet gripping album full of heavy twists, sombre turns, melodically beautiful insides, and spikily jarring outs.
33. Still Alive: Choices
Choices, the debut album from Chicago born hardcore band Still Alive was one of the two releases this year that really started softening our writer Homer up when it came to this brutal branch of hardcore. It's grown on us all to the point that it's one of our top albums this year. Blistering pace, tear-your-face-off screaming and some brilliant punk/metal hybrid riffage with sudden unexpected ska make this political and angry album a real scorcher. Album Highlight? The Park, definitely The Park. A lot of strong songs but this one with it's weird Van Halen intro leading into ska-punk? Just fucking yes...
32. Beach Slang: The Things We Do To Find People Like Us
Grown up punk rock from a band with a significant amount of hype around them. A bit different from a lot of stuff on our list, Beach Slang are heading over to the UK in 2016 and will be right at the top of our list of bands to see live.
31. Slaves: Are You Satisfied?
The Kent duo put out an 8-track in 2012, Sugar Coated Bitter Truth, but Are You Satisfied? marks their major label debut, and it doesn't disappoint. That mix of classic garage punk with 21st century disillusion and fury works fantastically, as filthy guitars riff over energetic beats. You wouldn't guess that this was the work of two blokes from Tunbridge Wells, but it certainly leaves its mark.
30. Dogs On Acid: Dogs On Acid
A June discovery, we had nearly forgotten about Dogs On Acid until writing up this list. At that point, their one release was a two-track EP, which we enjoyed, but it can be hard to really sink your teeth into a release that length. Imagine our joy, then, when we checked Spotify to discover a full-length album. Imagine our further happiness when that album turned out to be dope. It's understandable: two of the three members have been playing together since 2008 as part of the now-defunct Algernon Cadwallader, and that same emo energy is brought into Dogs On Acid.
29. Blur: Magic Whip
While we'd admit right away that it's not the greatest Blur album, their latest release is by definition, and after all, a Blur album: and though it appeared out of the blue, a record that many will have waited for. Opener Lonesome Street, with a bouncy strum pattern that would have worked on Modern Life is Rubbish, alternating with a dramatic vocal break, puts us back in familiar Blur territory just enough to reassure the listener whilst still giving us something fresh. The individual songs upon Magic Whip vary widely in feel and approach, but it's Ghost Ship, a smooth, lovingly crooned lounge-funk chill-out session that won us over. Throughout, it's Coxon's tempting guitar melodies and Alex James' subdued but cheekily note-busy bass playing that consistently anchor the band's cooperation, making the ears stay.
28. Light Fire Down: Piece Of You
In the same punk rock vein as Local Resident Failure (see a little higher up our chart!) is the similarly three-word-named Light Fire Down, a four piece band from Dorset who somehow manage to make the south of England sound like California with their smashing second EP Piece Of You. A 3-track golden nugget of pop-punk with songs about Cadillacs and cul-de-sacs with a more introspective and Jimmy Eat World-vibe than Local Resident Failure. Each song is brilliant in its own respect and the only downside to the EP is there isn't more of it!
This year Millie Manders released two EPs: the Free-P and Obsession Transgression. The reason that we've mentioned both is because the latter marks a clear step-up from this promising London artist. Millie's sound has grown and sounds more confident: her bold style and excellent lyricism combine to form a punchy and dramatic EP. Consistently on tour and one of the most hard-working artists on the scene right now, the energy in her EP transcends into a truly explosive live performance. Definitely one to watch.
26. Bully: Feels Like
The Nashville four-piece, with their debut LP have delivered such a fantastic example of modern grunge that we find ourselves returning to it on a very regular basis. The music is great, yeah, but it's vocalist Alicia Bognanno's absolutely perfect vocals that bring it to life; whether she's in a quiet mood or just fucking going for it, she nails every moment on here.
25. As It Is: Never Happy, Ever After
Certainly one of the most talked-about records of the year due to frontman Patty's 'other', preceding career. There's also no doubt though, that this is a really bloody good record, packed with accessible and bouncy emo/pop-punk tracks. Backing vocals add a welcome bit of gravel, and there's enough emotion here to sink a ship. It's also an album with very little filler and a good mix between more softer, more acoustic tracks and then the aforementioned pop-punk bounce. Whether you like it or not, As It Is are here to stay. 
24. The Lamplighters: Views
This one has blown us away very recently. The German punks have combined the old-school influences of Rancid and The Ramones with the more modern Teenage Bottlerocket and then sprinkled a generous helping of German street-punk over the top to deliver a simply brilliant record which grabs your attention from the first note. Gruff, polished and packed with hooks and melodies, this one is fully deserving of it's place in our top 50.
23. Boston Manor: Saudade
This is an important record for Boston Manor, and we're delighted that it pretty much hit the mark. A sign of rapidly growing maturity and a genuine identification of their own sound, it's a polished and well structured EP. While the four tracks don't vary from the same skeleton structure too much, they're all bangers and pull as much on the heartstrings as they do on the balls of your feet. The whole EP has a brooding, slightly downbeat yet menacing feel, but the fact Boston Manor have combined this with a good slice of second wave pop-punk energy is testament to just what a key band they are. Roll on 2016...
22. Flirting With Disaster: Live It Up
The only New Zealand band in our Top 50, Flirting With Disaster delivered one of the surprise packages of 2015. We called this a "simply stunning celebration of everything that's great about punk rock" when we reviewed it back in February, and we stand by that now: there's nothing more you could want. The opening riff of Anything But Sane will drag you in, and before you know it, you'll be on your tenth play through the whole record. An absolute blast.
21. Earl Grey: Passing Time
Here we have Passing Time, the sophomore EP of German hardcore band Earl Grey. These guys have created the strange hybrid of the true shouting voice of the fury-style hardcore punk scene in Germany and the new breed of pop-punk popularised by The Story So Far, Knuckle Puck etc. Taking ridiculously, confusingly, almost unbelievably major key guitar parts, and then expertly blending them with the rhythmical bounce, constant riffage and irregular structures of hardcore, all topped with the aforementioned voice of hell shouting (it's definitely not screaming) over the top.... and it's fucking awesome. These guys are the shit. seriously. EP Highlight? It's a four-track banger but the final two tracks Backstabber and Haven take the cake.
20. Ghouls: Great Expectations II
Another record showing a maturing and growing band, Great Expectations II has quickly become a fan favourite. It showcases their well-honed hook-writing ability perfectly, and the infusion of horns across what has now become more of a pop-punk sound is a real standout feature. There's a certain charm to this whole EP, which cements it's place here.
19. Milk Teeth: Sad Sack
Sad Sack is Milk Teeth's final EP before their upcoming 2016 debut album and it is a corker, opening with the fucking scorcher of a track Vitamins, a pure grunge-punch to the face. These guys take a lot from Nirvana and general '90s grunge and hardcore to make this blistering and original EP a solid tick in the "fuck yes" column. Mid 2010s grunge revival? Why not?!
18. Versus The World: Homesick/Roadsick
A stunningly simple punk rock record which delivers on every beat. There's a real natural, organic feel to this album which makes it a real pleasure to listen to: it's not a try-hard record in any way. There's such a vast array of genres covered here, too, with nods to pop-punk, post-hardcore, melodic hardcore punk and straight-up punk rock, that you can't help but find something to genuinely adore. It's not fancy or clever, but it is fucking brilliant.
This is one of those special few albums you'll listen to and continually gone back to over and over; it's also one of those where you'll definitely be left wanting more at the end. It's likely you'll know Zebrahead, but Man With A Mission may be new to many. While unfortunately a lot of their material is in Japanese, there is plenty with English lyrics, but even the Japanese stuff is fun to listen to. There's a brilliant mix here of rock and electronics, not a new concept by any means but for us this is one of the few times we've heard it done this well.
16. Father John Misty: I Love You Honeybear
For some, Father John Misty probably looks like a hipster Jesus. His casual suits, open shirts and facial hair are equal parts trendy, homeless and messianic, but none of that hides his spectacular song writing. Ultimately, this is a singer-songwriter album, but even if that doesn't sound like your bag we genuinely recommend you give it a chance. Lyrically this is one of the best releases of the year. Mixing cynicism with often brutal self-examination and humour, Father John Misty imparts the often questionable wisdom of his slightly skewed world view. There are a whole host of songs that could win you over: the oddly danceable title track I Love You Honeybear, the jaunty 60s vibes of The Night Josh Tilman Came To Our Apt, or dive in with An Ideal Husband, a paranoid reflection on having files stolen by Julian Assange and a brooding reflection on life and love. But for us, it has to be the achingly beautiful, bitterly delicate Bored In The U.S.A. It's hard to find the appropriate level of praise for this album. It's bloody brilliant, and seething at every turn with emotion, brutal honesty and a demonstration of unbelievably good songwriting craft.
15. WSTR: SKRWD
There's no denying UK pop-punk is making a resurgence and WSTR are right up there with the rest of them following the release of SKRWD. Hugely catchy, energetic and hook-laden songs make this a big hit with fans and whilst it isn't that original, it is proper good fun and you can bet your life 2016 will be a big year for WSTR.
14. NOFX: Home Street Home: Original Songs From Shit The Musical
Somehow, this works. Yep, we're as confused as you are.
When you take a front man like Fat Mike from NOFX and combine him with musical theatre, you could be forgiven for expecting nothing short of carnage. However, Home Street Home, Original Songs from Shit the Musical is nothing sort of brilliant. If you are still unsure of the concept of a Punk Opera give this one a try.
13. Junior: Juniorland
Treading that line between Neighborhoods-era Blink and second wave pop-punk that you didn't even know existed is this EP from South Wales pop-punks Junior. One of the singles of the year came from this release in A House That's Not Quite Home, and it sets the tone for what is a very, very good EP. It's polished, good fun and easily accessible, and those Blink-like vocals don't grate after repeated listens. Definitely a band to watch out for into 2016.
12. Blood Youth: Inside My Head
What a genuinely belting EP this really is. Stunningly aggressive hardcore with punk elements scattered throughout, Blood Youth delivered one of the standout records of 2015 with Inside My Head. We caught them live at Download Festival this year and they were one of the best bands we saw across the whole weekend. We defy you not to be head-banging and screaming along to the incredible Failure.
11. Trash Boat: Brainwork
One of the hottest of the UK second wave pop-punks are Trash Boat, who've had some year. It's an EP we've kept returning to, day after day and week after week, showing the strength in depth across the five tracks. Each is brilliant, with enough melody to keep any listener interested for the duration. It's also the incredible amount of hooks, and the truly catchy nature of each track on Brainwork which stands out. Combine that with lyrics you'll easily be able to associate with, and Trash Boat are on to an absolute winner. Perspective is hands down a five-star banger. 2016 looks set to be an even bigger year: get on board while you still can!
10. Local Resident Failure: This Here's The Hard Part
Another recent discovery, God damn if they haven’t brightened this dark and gloomy December more than any Christmas lights. This Here's The Hard Part is the second full length album from excellent Aussie skate-punks Local Resident Failure. This stuff is just pure golden, winking, earnest, angst-ridden, sun-drenched punk rock. Beautifully nostalgic for any fan of Lagwagon, NOFX, early Blink or The Offspring. These guys could have happily found success in the '93 California scene and should find it now! Come to the UK guys! Album Highlights? A Friend Named Hope (Ridiculous tune), Brainwashed, Rockstar, The Shadow Of My Former Self… just listen to it!
9. Random Hand: Hit Reset
Even if many of this release's best moments remind us of their earlier album, I, Human, more of the same from Random Hand isn't necessarily a bad thing, and with their announcement of a hiatus earlier this year, this may well be the last scrap that we're left with for some time. A blunt, choppy approach on the guitar blends classic punk thrashiness with a kindly raw sound into the ska influences, resulting in a tough but danceable combination. This is far from the sound of a band going through the motions to deliver that final record.
8. Seaway: Colour Blind
Having given this a good listen it seems completely criminal how many people it'll pass by, with Seaway garnering nowhere near as large a fan-base as many bands. Whilst other pop-punk releases this year seem to be going for mainstream success, you get the impression that these guys would rather stay true to the genre, avoiding overproduction and just delivering a proper pop-punk album. Colour Blind doesn't push many boundaries, but it's one of those instances where the quality of the songs is so good you just don't care. Frontman Patrick Carleton knows how to write a vocal hook like few others, crafting some of the most catchy choruses in 2015. This was a strong contender for pop-punk album of the year.
7. The Skints: FM
Perhaps borrowing slightly from the opening premise of Spike Lee's 1989 film Do The Right Thing, FM perfectly urbanises the very idea of a concept album with its loose theme of a radio DJ playing a select few tracks to capture the feel of the hottest day on record, providing The Skints an original platform from which to introduce their take on modern reggae as well as present their various collaborators whilst cleverly evading the traditional album format. Highlights include This Town, a booming ode to London, and Forest for the Trees, where a cheeky flute carries us into one of the smoothest choruses, and relevantly positive lyrical messages, of 2015. It's easily one of the best records of 2015, and certainly the best reggae one. 
6. Bring Me The Horizon: That's The Spirit
This record is a triumph. A number of our team have never been huge BMTH fans, even when they first appeared as one of those 'scene' bands around ten years ago. However their latest release blew us away, not only for being a brilliant album but also demonstrating how far they have come since the ridiculous haircuts and almost inaudible songs they scared people away with back in their early days. You could tell that a more mature sound was coming with this record based on previous album Sempiternal and whilst some of the old school fans may not be so keen on it, the way that That's The Spirit has won over haters and shown they're a now a 'proper' rock band makes it an undeniable success.
5. The Story So Far: The Story So Far
Yeah, so this was a bit of a change. When comparing the self-titled third album from the champions of hardcore pop-punk The Story So Far to previous, we were left slightly confused in our review earlier this year. In this album they have pulled back entirely from the blistering speeds with which they established themselves in our hearts, and replaced that with more mid-tempo songs in the vein of the previous album's Empty Space.
After a good few months' listening, it's clear nothing has changed for the worse: this is a really very special piece of music. They're still angry, they still stick in your head for days, and they still sold out their December UK tour before many fans were able to get a ticket.
This slower and more mature songwriting and lyrical style could be a good move for the band, and while you do at times miss the speed of the two previous albums, it's questionable whether they'd ever be able to do that any better than in Under Soil And Dirt?
The Story So Far here have shown that they are still the most fresh and original band in second-wave pop-punk, making new things with their same old tricks, rather than just trying to emulate Under Soil And Dirt like the rest of that sub-genre.
4. Red City Radio: Red City Radio
The second self-titled record in our top five is an absolutely stunning album.
This is the sound of Red City Radio growing up: it's the sound of the Oklahoma gruff-punks being completely and utterly at home with themselves and their style. It contains the very best elements of RCR, and combines them in a jubilant celebration of punk rock.
It's got a perfect mix of the rough, gravelly vocal we all love, and a newer, smoother and more melody-focused style. There're more hooks here than in a pantomime fancy dress store; while lyrically, too, Red City Radio has moved the band forward. Two Out Of Three Ain't Rad is one of the best songs of 2015, while the sheer passion and emotion the band have piled into this release is quite astounding.
There's no filler here at all. Stranger has a brilliant swagger to it, while Electricity drips with genuine emotion and feeling. Pretend Kings is a swooping, soaring track, while Rest Easy has a lazy, nonchalant feel to the crashing style.
Red City Radio are a band who certainly don't get as much attention as they deserve. This record is absolutely brilliant and deserves your time.
3. Enter Shikari: The Mindsweep
Enter Shikari have been around for some time now. It seems they're getting better with age.
This is an absolute beast of an album from an absolute beast of a band. This is the sound of a band who are just as good, if not even better than they ever were. The Mindsweep is one of the few albums that you can imagine sounding even better live than it does on record, with hardcore and electronics being entwined perfectly with politically motivated lyrics.
Their set at this year's Download Festival left no-one with any question as to their sheer ability; while their intelligent and socially conscious lyricism seemingly more relevant now than ever.
There really is very, very little wrong with this album.
2. The Wonder Years: No Closer To Heaven
You know it's been a stellar year for music when any one of your top ten albums could feasibly have been number one. TWY pushed our actual winner right to the wire, but just ceded at the last.
While they're certainly not the same upbeat pop-punk band that they used to be, this is a record which takes on a serious and worthwhile tone, focusing on Soupy's battles with depression with an astounding amount of emotion. It's a beautiful album, one which simply pours with feeling, passion and personality, to the point where you might not want to listen to it if you were in a fragile place. On the flip side of that, of course, it easily has capacity give you an incredible amount of comfort.
There are brilliantly written songs here like Cardinals, A Song for Ernest Hemmingway and Thanks For The Ride, showcasing a huge amount of variety across the record.
This is an album which will go down as one of the most important second wave pop-punk records written. It's one that fans will keep returning to, time after time, year after year. It's not always an easy listen, and it doesn't have the instant adrenaline kick of our winner, but fucking hell is it a wonderful record.
TWY have released arguably their finest album to date. No Closer To Heaven is a truly special record.
1. ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Neck Deep: Life's Not Out To Get You
It just had to be.
There have been some belters out this year but Neck Deep smashed all of them with their follow up to 2014's Growing Pains. There was a slight worry that they would fall victim to the dreaded second album syndrome but they didn't. What they did was deliver what is already a classic pop-punk album and prove that their early promise wasn't just a fluke. LNOTGY shows that they have ironed out some of very minor creases of Growing Pains and delivered a near perfect account of what they're about.
This is a wildly addictive record: it has that super-rare ability to both be an instant, adrenaline hit of pop-punk fury yet also to be an album which continues to reward you with every listen. You'll be hearing new elements for months.
For some, too, the lyricism here was a surprise in that there's a genuinely huge amount of relatable content. It's not that standard pop-punk whining: it's actual life events which have likely befallen a good number of you reading this article.
And it's that brilliant mix of party anthems and real-life affirming songs which make this a quite simply astounding record. It's a hugely important album, and one which will ensure Neck Deep are written into pop-punk folklore.
This is the reason pop-punk is making a triumphant comeback. This is the reason we love pop-punk. This is Life's Not Out To Get You.
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