We’re a bit late to the party, but we still want award the music we think deserve it for 2022! Join us in celebrating our musical community!
Full disclosure, I’m in the band King of Cups and Sugar Shaun, so they won’t be included in this award post. However, if you like this article, then you could hear King of Cups here:
We also have a pod cast!
Our Podcast on YouTube:
Black It Out is rebranding soon, so keep your eyes out for that! We got a banger coming soon!
If your band or your favorite artist didn’t make the list, do understand that we’re doing the best we can to find as many musical artists we can in our scene. If you aren’t here, then we probably don’t know about you! Follow us on Instagram and be sure to submit your tracks to our playlists!
Band of the Year 2022
Protect Your Heart
Protect Your Heart made newcomers of the year last year and they blew us away! They still do! Their album (re)introduction is an Easycore masterpiece! We love it! We look forward to see what they have in store for 2023!
Best Alternative EP of the Year
Promise Game – Horizon
Promise Game was our band of the year for 2021 and their Horizon EP reminds of as why they were chosen for band of the year for 2021. In 2022, Promise Game killed it and we love it! They closed 2022 with probably my favorite song from them so far, “Connecticut.”
Most Anticipated Collaborative Artist 2023
BryGuy
BryGuy has worked with some awesome bands like Promise Game and Always Grounded, and I hear word, he’s interested in working with more bands to release even more tracks in 2023. We’re very excited to see what BryGuy has in store for us!
Best Newcomer 2022/Best Pop-Punk Demo/Most Anticipated Pop-Punk EP 2023
Aim for the Heart
Aim for the Heart are newcomers to the scene and what powerhouses they are. We had to give them three awards, because they have what it takes to make it in the scene. Their demo for “Wish You Were Here” 100% gives us confidence that their EP is going to be amazing when it comes out in 2023.
Best Pop-Punk fusion
Mixed Kid Fridays
Mixed Kid Fridays always surprise us with their out-of-this-world sound. They blend Pop-Punk with funk, and R&B. It doesn’t sound like it works, but it totally does! You have to hear it! We can’t wait for their album coming out in 2023!
Best Pop-Punk of the Year 2022
Number One Sons
Number One Sons flew under the radar for us for 2021, but they smacked us in the face in 2022 with tracks like “I’d Be So Much Cooler If I Were I Dick,” “Bored,” and “I Don’t Want To Be A Meme.” These tracks have everything a Pop-Punk band should have in their music, catchy tunes and hilarious lyrics. We can’t wait for what they come out with in 2023!
Most Anticipated Punk EP
Seven Times Driven
Seven Times Driven is one of the most amazing Punk Rock bands that have come out in a while. Working with the likes of Nate Parrish and David Newman, in their track “Non-Fiction,” gives us a great idea on how their EP will turn out this year. We look forward to it!
Best Swedish Alternative EP of 2022
Tears of a Fallen Hero – Stay Away
Tears of a Fallen Hero are an incredible band. Their vocal melodies and guitar riffs get stuck in your head and are completely memorable. That’s why their EP Stay Away is our choice for best Alternative EP from Sweden! They released an amazing album in 2023 called Save Us From Ourselves. Check them out!
Collaborative Artist of the Year 2022
Judge and Jury
Judge and Jury is our pick for best Collaborative Artist for 2022. They are the best in the industry working with the best in the industry. The worked with Kala to come out with amazing tracks like “Lately,” “Numb,” and “Broken Hearted!”
Best Single of 2022
Kala – “Broken Hearted”
Kala wrote “Broken Hearted” about a broken family and how if feels to go through it. It’s an incredible banger and Judge and Jury seriously helped Kala bring out the emotions for us to relate to.
Best Emo Anthem of 2022
Anndy Negative – “When We Were Young”
Anndy Negative set Tik Tok a blaze with his “When We Were Young.” The track had an incredibly positive message to those who grew up in the Warped Tour scene. “When We Were Young” had the ‘Karens’ of Tik Tok lose their minds and it inspired my band to write “Live, Laugh, Love” and feature Anndy Negative. After “When We Were Young,” Anndy followed up with the best track he could have, “I Won’t Give Up.”
Metalcore/Post-Hardcore Collaborative Artist of the Year
Coe Hill
Coe Hill was our Metalcore/Post-Hardcore Collaborative Artist of 2021, and he did it again in 2022. It was an easy choice with tracks like “Anything To Feel,” and “Hideaway!” You have to check out Coe Hill! Plus, his playlists are the awesome! New Alternative, Post-Hardcore Is Not Dead, New Metalcore, & Underground Pop Punk
Best Pop-Punk Single 2022
Free Friends – “Comeback Kid”
Free Friends are such a great and supportive people, and they makes some fantastic music. “Comeback Kid” had us singing along after our first listen. Definitely check them out!
Best Feel-Good Pop-Punk Single of 2022
Fluorescents – “Vibe”
Fluorescent’s “Vibe” gave us positive vibes and had us bouncing around our rooms to their infectious rhythms and melodies. “Vibe” had to be our feel-good choice for 2022!
Best Emo EP of 2022
Sterling – Keep Swimming
Sterling’s Keep Swimming was our most anticipated EP for 2022 and it totally met our expectations. With tracks like “The Long Road Home,” you’ll completely understand our choice! We look forward to seeing what Sterling does in 2023!
Best Pop-Punk/Emo EP 2022
We Demand Parachutes – Outside The Null Field
We Demand Parachutes made us feel the feels with Outside The Null Field. We couldn’t believe how good the EP was. “Cigarette Break,” and “29” are incredible tracks and we knew for sure that We Demand Parachutes deserves this award.
Best Punk Rock Album 2022
Nate Parrish – Soul Surgery
Nate Parrish is a powerhouse. His album Soul Surgery, is phenomenal and with a track like “Cemetery Life,” you know we had to award Nate Parrish with Best Punk Rock Album of 2022.
Best Cover Band 2022
The Spacing Effect
The Spacing Effect have released some fun covers from the 90s! Their renditions of classic 90s tracks is like taking a time machine to the 90s!
Best Pop-Punk Album 2022
All Systems Go – Non-Fiction
All Systems Go blew us away with Non-Fiction. With tracks like “The One Where They Ride off into the Sunset” and “Don’t Let Me Go” made it apparent that they deserve the title. We look forward to what they get up to in 2023.
Best DYI Music Video of 2022
Hey Slugger
What’s more Pop-Punk then chilling and having fun with your friends and bandmates? Hey Slugger embodied that in their “Set to Explode” music video!
Best Radio Rock 2022
Crisis Culture – “Save You”
Crisis Culture is receiving our reward for best radio rock for the second year in a row. There’s a reason for that. Check out their track “Save You” and tell me it doesn’t want to make you start headbang.
Best Audio Engineer 2022
Tonality Studio
Tonality Studio has always impressed us with their mixes. Their mixes are always crystal clear, which is difficult to achieve in the genres we’re showcasing here. On top of the crystal-clear mixes, Tonality Studio adds the right amount of grit to add excitement to the track.
Most anticipated Rap and Hip-Hop EP for 2023
Guffery
We love Guffery! He writes the most heartfelt and raw lyrics in the Rap game! We love what he did in 2021 and we look forward to RECLUSIVE when it comes out! Check out Guffery now!
Best Female Fronted Pop-Punk Single of the Year 2022
Don’t Tell Julie – “Lip Gloss”
Pop-Punk doesn’t have a huge representation of females making the music, but that’s changing with bands like Don’t Tell Julie. “Lip Gloss” has a catch melody and phenomenal lyrics. It’s no brainer to have them as our Best Female Fronted Pop-Punk Single of the Year for 2022.
Best Painter/Visual Artist of the Year 2022
Michelle Dahl
Michelle Dahl wins Best Painter/Visual Artist for the second year in a row! Michelle Dahl even did an interview with us recently on the state of art in education. Michelle’s painting’s blow our minds! Go to her website and pick up a piece today! Or commission her for a portrait or a pet portrait.
Most Anticipated Emo Rap for 2023
J Sky
J Sky is killing it at being a producer, but he’s also an Emo Rapper. His track “Rewind” is making waves in the Emo Rap scene, and we can’t wait to see what else he comes out with in 2023!
Best Emo/Pop-Punk Album 2022
Darro – Accidents
Darro knocked it out of the park with this one. Accidents is undoubtedly the best Emo/Pop-Punk album of 2022. Enough said.
Best Nu-Pop-Punk
Nate Flud
Nate Flud gave us the hottest Pop-Punk with 808s that you’ve ever heard. You want to hear the cutting edge of Pop-Punk? Then look no further than Nate Flud.
Best Rock Duo 2022
For3st Hills
FOR3ST HILLS says they message every single one of their Instagram followers. We’ve gotten a message from them so we know it’s true! In 2022, they released their hit “Drive” and their fans have been loving them ever since. Let’s be real their fans have been loving them before that.
Best European Punk Rock of 2022
Coma Beach
Coma Beach hasn’t had a release in 2022, but they’ve been keeping themselves relevant through constantly getting themselves in articles and on playlists. For that we’re impressed. Don’t let their picture fool you, they’re actually really great dudes who make really great Punk Rock.
Best Rock, Metal, Punk, and More Music Video Posts of the Year 2022
Signal Chords
Signal Chords has upped their game in supporting bands! They were awarded the same award in 2021 and they 100% deserve it. If you haven’t submitted your music video to Signal Chords, you’re missing out!
Best Publicity Company for the Scene of the Year 2022
Don’t Blink Music Group
Don’t Blink Music Group has stuffed our inboxes with great bands from the scene and makes posts about their successful campaigns so we know they’re legit! If you’re looking to take your band to the next level, book a campaign with Don’t Blink Music Group now!
Best Publicity Company 2022
Earshot Media
Earshot Media runs several successful campaigns and sends us so many great musical acts that we can’t keep up with publishing interviews! If you need to get to that next level, Earshot will get you there!
Best East Coast Publicity Company 2022
Knyvet
Knyvet has been sending us the artists from the East Coast, and we love it. Since we’re based on the West Coast, we don’t really know what’s going on in the East Cost and Knyvet makes sure we’re privy to what’s happening!
Best PR Company 2022
Get Hyped
Get Hyped has some killer services for killer prices. Seriously, Get Hyped goes on sale all the time, so what’s keeping you from upping your game and getting heard with Get Hyped? We see Get Hyped’s campaigns and they’re worth your time!
Daddiest Promotion Company/Best Scene Memes 2022
Scene Daddy
We’ve worked with Scene Daddy in 2022, I’ve even written for them. Scene Daddy has some amazing resources to help your band grow. But, if you want to be entertained, check out Scene Daddy’s Instagram account for their hilarious memes!
Best Promotion of Bands of the Year
Stage Diving with Scotty
We still love Stage Diving with Scotty. He promotes bands and has been for years! That’s why he gets an award for the second year in a row. Subscribe to his YouTube channel to keep up with his awesomeness!
Best Pop-Punk Twitch Show
Punky’s MixTape
Punky’s MixTape makes watching Twitch fun! These guys host a Twitch show that lots of Pop-Punk bands seriously look forward to every season they run! We look forward to their next season!
Best Reviews of the Year 2022
The After Hours Review
The After Hours Review post some of the best album reviews out there and they support so many bands in the scene and we love them for it!
Best Punk Rock Release Tracker and Twitch Show of the Year 2022
Punk Rock Radar
Punk Rock Radar have kept us in the loop on who is releasing new music. They’re doing their best the catalogue the hottest new Punk Rock Music being released! They also do a fantastic Twitch show! We suggest you check them out!
Best Podcasts/Twitch Show
Unsigned Pop Punk
Unsigned Pop Punk and their Super Awesome Show is awesome! They’re supportive of bands with their Podcast and Playlists! Definitely consider supporting them as they support the community on patreon!
Best Podcast 0f 2022
The Limelight Podcast
The Limelight Podcast has over 80 episodes with guests from the music scene talking about what’s relevant to them. We’re bummed that they stopped in 2022, but host Geo Powell told us why on an Instagram post. We understand! We just hope you’re well and that The Limelight Podcast comes back when Geo’s ready!
Best Weekly Pop-Punk Playlists
Pop Punk Fridays
Pop Punk Fridays wins a second year in a row for their weekly Pop-Punk playlist. They support bands and we love them for it!
Best Pop-Punk/Alternative Music satire News of the Year 2022
The Hard Times News
The Hard Times News always makes us laugh. Their Instagram account offers some hilarious quick fake headlines that’ll have you busting your gut. For the second year in a row, The Hard Times News is unrivaled!
Best Alternative Music News and Compilations
Breathing The Core
Breathing The Core posts the story of a band’s songs, they post their music, and they collect music for compilations. Breathing The Core is awesome!
Best Playlists 2022
Never Grown Up Playlists
Never Grown Up offers some of the best playlists for Pop-Punk enthusiasts that the scene has to offer. Definitely check them out!
Best Pop-Punk and Emo Playlists 2022
Catchy Twenty Two
Catchy Twenty Two’s New Pop Punk and New EMO & SCREAMO playlists blow us away! People love them and so do we! Definitely check those playlists out!
Best Video Game In Development of the Year 2022
Sanctuary: Shattered Sun
Sanctuary: Shattered Sun is an RTS inspired by Total Annihilation and The Supreme Commander series. We’ve been following this one for a while and we’re hyped for it! We can’t wait for their demo and Kickstarter campaign!
