The punk scene has majorly evolved over the years, becoming primarily white and male-dominated. Today, more artists are popping up to put their flags in the ground as the representation of people of color in the genre.

Meet Me @ The Altar

With their catchy lyrics and roaring guitar riffs, Meet Me @ The Altar is hoping to inspire young Black women like themselves to strive for the representation their communities need. “Obviously we represent so many different types of people and that’s always gonna be there. And we feel things changing, where we’re helping normalize people of color and women and people who are part of the LGBTQ community being in rock,” guitarist Téa Campell told Kerrang! You’ve probably heard them recently in the background of Taco Bell’s newest commercial, which features their single, “Say It (To My Face).” Meet Me @ The Altar is the place to start if you want to listen to more women in pop-punk.

Listen to Meet Me @ The Altar: Hit Like A Girl

Magnolia Park

After making their big break on TikTok for their makeshift music videos in rather unconventional spaces, Magnolia Park has begun paving the way for younger, ethnically diverse bands in the scene. Their sound is the full pop-punk experience, with heavy instrumentals, grungy vocals and lyrics that replay in your head for days. “There are minorities in Magnolia Park that weren’t represented in the scene or the world at large, so the fact that we’re now able to make music that resonates on that deeper level is very important to us,” the band’s frontman, Joshua Roberts, told Kerrang! Magnolia Park is without a doubt, a band to keep your eyes on – they’re only just getting started.

Listen to Magnolia Park: Radio Reject

DE’WAYNE

Picking up more mainstream attention, DE’WAYNE is changing how people view alternative rock. Bringing aspects of classic rock and combining them with his unique take on the genre, DE’WAYNE takes his listeners on a lyrical trip down memory lane during his upbringing. He strives to be part of the new wave of alternative music and stands for its change. “I think some of the people who are making the better music right now are the people who look a little different,” DE’WAYNE said in an interview with Alternative Press. With the future of the scene on the backs of him and his peers, there’s no doubt that DE’WAYNE is bound to do something great.

Listen to DE’WAYNE: Walking To Work

Cherie Amour

Hoping to pioneer the nu-punk subgenre, Cherie Amour is gaining the hearts of pop-punk fans with their twist on the sound, adding bits of R&B and hip-hop to their tracks. Each song takes you through a journey of different topics, ranging from love to mental health, through the eyes of vocalist Trey Miller. “Something I’ve always said is I want to stay two to three years ahead of the curve, something that sounds fresh but not so far out that nobody’s going to get it. It would be cool to see other bands influenced by our sound, it’d be awesome to say we pioneered something,” Miller said in an interview with Distorted Sound. With varying tempos and instrumentals to match every emotion, you feel the storytelling as it’s happening. Even though Cherie Amour is an up-and-coming band, they’re undoubtedly starting the framework for a new and strong subgenre of punk.

Listen to Cherie Amour: Losing Control

Pinkshift

Being some of the newest voices of pop-punk, Pinkshift is showing young people that things don’t have to go according to a plan. Consisting of STEM graduates from Johns Hopkins University, the trio decided to pursue careers in music instead. Their sound is the epitome of pure, raw pop-punk. The steady build of drums and guitar combined with the angsty projection of vocalist Ashrita Kumar’s voice makes for an energetic discography from top to bottom. “It was difficult with immigrant parents. It took a lot of showing how much work was being put in [to the band] and how much support we had,” drummer Myron Houngbedji said in an interview with NME. Get ready to see Pinkshift take over the scene, because they’re bringing the heat and diversity to the new age of pop-punk.

Listen to Pinkshift: BURN THE WITCH