Descendents
USA, 1977–now
California band formed in 1977, fronted by Milo Aukerman. They fused Ramones-style speed and hooks with lyrics about girls, food and coffee — a blueprint of melodic pop-punk that Green Day, blink-182 and NOFX would all name as a core influence.
MusicRoots documents 1 artist who influenced Descendents and 6 artists Descendents influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced Descendents?
- Ramones — The Descendents built their sound on Ramones-style speed and hooks, adding harmonies and everyday lyrics to invent melodic pop-punk.
Which artists did Descendents influence?
- blink-182 — blink-182 have repeatedly called the Descendents their single greatest influence.
- Fall Out Boy — The Descendents' melodic hardcore and pop hooks are among the bands Fall Out Boy grew up on, feeding their pop-punk craft.
- Jimmy Eat World — The Descendents' melodic pop-punk is among the punk roots feeding Jimmy Eat World's guitar-driven hooks.
- AFI — AFI began as a fast hardcore-punk band in the lineage of the Descendents before evolving toward gothic horror-punk.
- New Found Glory — The Descendents' melodic hardcore feeds New Found Glory's fusion of pop hooks and hardcore punch.
- NOFX — Foundational, with Bad Religion, to the melodic skate-punk NOFX went on to make.