RINGPOP!’S NEWEST SINGLE “SICK OF BEING SAD” IS A POP-PUNK BANGER

The pop-punk resurgence has ushered in a new era of explorative artists, and Ringpop! is no exception. Their name alone gives away their penchant for nostalgic sounds, such as distorted guitars in drop-D tuning. However, their latest effort, “Sick of Being Sad,” accepts Ringpop! as trailblazers for pop-punk’s third wave.

Though young, the group lives and breathes the subculture. They aren’t performing an aesthetic for the sake of it; instead, their music reflects an earnest drive to pursue the same driven, angsty music that inspired them along the way.

With all of its roaring guitars and gang vocals, “Sick of Being Sad” positions Ringpop! well within the scene. They certainly have some work to do; they are still in their early stages of development. However, this is a beautiful starting point—they aren’t using nostalgia as a crutch, but rather, a device.

The song is featured on Graveboy Records’ compilation LP, Good Luck Finding Something To Play This On. They’re handing out copies of the CD to fans at Warped Tour, a testament to how far the scene has grown since burned CDs were more than just a premise for a podcast that focuses on pop-culture deep-dives.

Ringpop! are equally self-aware and self-assured. Their thesis statement proves what pop-punk tried to do years ago: uplift its audience from dark places. We’ve all been there; I, too, am “sick of being sad.”