Top Five MySpace Bands We Miss
MySpace was like the old west, chock full of heroes of the musical frontier who shined bright, crafted a mystique and etched themselves into the hearts and minds of their listeners. It should be noted how easily accessible the site made it to find music and how much of the culture revolved around having the most original and unique profile song. While it definitely is a bygone era, here are five bands that left their mark on us in the MySpace era and are sorely missed.
1. Foxy Shazam
Exploding on the scene with a violent passion with the 2005 charged EP Flamingo Trigger, the band let it be known that they weren’t just a random irreverent nonsensical band - the band only matured their sound with each release. Introducing… was released in 2008 and showed that they could have a polished sound. Strangely enough the big labels swooped up Foxy Shazam where they evolved their sound into a psuedo-Meatloaf meets Queen. Their 2010 single "Unstoppable" was used at Superbowl XLIV which is monumental for band out of this scene. I believe only Fall Out Boy shares that honor, but Foxy did it five years earlier. After their last 2014 release Gonzo, the band disappeared for great lengths, and about two weeks ago the band released their first song "Burn" in over 6 years! It's a welcome back I think we can all smile at.
2. A Skylit Drive
While our last entry had a happy ending for the whole band, A Skylit Drive doesn't seem to have any hopes of a happy reunion. The post-hardcore/metalcore legends exploded on the scene with their 2007 EP featuring original vocalist Jordan Blake that garnered the attention of the entire scene for its mature and robust sound for a band’s debut. Exit Jordan Blake, who went on to form honorable mention Watchout! There's Ghosts, and enter Michael "Jag" Jagmin. The band’s new singer would go on with the band to earn nearly every level of success a post-hardcore band could dream of. Wires...And The Concept Of Breathing burst onto the scene in 2008 and the band’s lifespan far outlived the popularity of MySpace, releasing four more albums after Wires… The band would meet the end of its life cycle in March 2017 when Jagmin was asked to leave due to a dispute. Jagmin would go on to craft a new band called Signals.
3. Chiodos
All's Well That Ends Well radicalized a lot of minds with its emo anthems. Whether "Baby You Wouldn't Last A Minute On The Creek" or "The Words ‘Best Friends’ Become Redefined" were probably everyone's profile song at one point. Most people don't realize how successful the band really was. To put it into perspective, when Bone Palace Ballet debuted in 2007 at No. 5 on the Billboard charts, they knocked Nickelback off their spot. The band was immensely popular, captivating the world with their heavy sound with literature-inspired lyrics. Even when Craig Owens departed the band to form honorable mention D.R.U.G.S. (Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows) in 2010, Chiodos was still popular as Illuminaudio was no slouch. The band reunited under its original lineup (sans guitarist Jason Hale, who was replaced with mega-guitar star Thomas Erak of The Fall Of Troy fame) in 2014 to give a proper send off with Devil. The band is still missed today, showing impressive numbers on their Spotify from folks who couldn't just walk away. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Chiodos is doing any reunions any time soon as members have settled into lifestyles outside music bar Craig Owens. Luckily we have Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows though, so we win!
4. NeverShoutNever
Everyone's favorite emo lad with a uke makes the list without hesitation. You'd be hard pressed to find someone from the MySpace days unaware of Christofer Drew. Whether you listened to him or not, you knew about him. Whether it was the grindy, heavy side project EatMeWhileImHot! (Eat Me Raw now because of legal reasons) or the fact he was responsible for nearly everyone's profile song at one point under the NeverShoutNever guise, you're aware. He had the look, he had the success, reaching levels of notoriety that cemented his legacy as a MySpace mainstay. Luckily for the first time since 2017, Drew is promising new music, looking to add to the impressive eight-album discography the MySpace legend amassed.
5. The Medic Droid
Fer sure you remember The Medic Droid, right? How a song that started off by calling out Jeffree Star rang so true in the hearts and minds of MySpace-goers till this day is beyond me, but the song certainly was catchy and resonated with an audience. The band were pioneers, letting everyone know if you had a laptop with a DAW and a passion for music, you could make something of yourself in the music scene. Following in the foot prints of The Postal Service's beepboop sound, the band captured attention quick. Signing to a major label and opening for bands like Enter Shikari, Kill Hannah, Breathe Carolina, it seemed like the sky was the limit. Unfortunately the band would break up and reunite several times before just fading into obscurity in 2017. I won't lie, I'd be happy if they decided to reunite one more time for old times sake.