Top 10 ESSENTIAL Scene Kid Anthems of the 2000s

Top 10 Essential Scene Kid Anthems of the 21st Century

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the most memorable songs that defined the scene era. Strap in, because well be taking a musical trip down memory lane, all the way to the 2000s.

All Time Low

The high-octane intro to this song still manages to give us that good old rush of adrenaline that it did when it was first released. Maybe thats why it continues to go viral every few years. All Time Low wrote the song about an acquaintance, obviously named Maria, when the members were teenagers. Teens now or whenever are arguably more or less the same. Sometimes theyre angsty, other times rebellious, but always dealing with a tangled mess of emotions. So, whether theyre from the aughts or belong to Gen Alpha now, everyone can relate to ATLs pop punk energy in this track.

A Day to Remember

Were you even too cool for school if you werent rocking with ADTR? The Downfall of Us All had the perfect balance of edge and emotion, punk and metalcore, coated thinly with a pop sheen. The breakdowns used to hit harder when the band performed live, and those lucky enough to witness it will never forget the thrill of it all. From the headbang-inducing guitar riff to the screams of glory, this song is lodged permanently in the recesses of our once-teen brains. It was the score to scene summer, after all!

Mayday Parade

Nothing says high school heartbreak like jamming out to this song while walking in the rain because it hides your tears. Jamie All Over is the song we all dedicated to the one that got away. Listening to it was always a therapeutic experience, as the powerful vocals drowned out the pain of parting ways with someone you loved. However, this track would almost always be followed by Mayday Parades Miserable at Best on any breakup playlist, which brought on the waterworks again. Years have passed, but Jamie All Over still has the power to remind us of our first loves.

Boys Like Girls

Unlike the emo community, scenesters were quite fond of partying it up like theres no tomorrow. The soundtrack to such sweaty nights would usually be The Great Escape. Written as a final farewell to youth, or more specifically, ones school days, this Boys Like Girls track is charged with nostalgia and reckless abandon. At the same time, it is tinged with hope for a future that, with any luck, will be just as exciting. The lyrics, which betray the narrators feelings of being judged by society, low-key express a desire to be seen for who they are going forward. At least, thats one way to interpret the song because were sure millions of fans have imbued it with their own meanings.

Hellogoodbye

This one has layers to it. Here (In Your Arms) doesnt just summon the scene kids of the 2000s, but also holds a special place in the hearts of nineties kids. The song itself is pure pop sweetness but never too cloying. The music video, reminiscent of Wet Hot American Summer, is a throwback to the nineties, complete with those weirdly addictive pogs that took over during that era. The awkwardness of adolescence mixed with the intensity of falling in love for the first time is presented with a peppy tune in this song thats hard to get out of our heads even today.

Cobra Starship feat. Leighton Meester

Scene kids who were obsessed with this song back in the 2000s are all baddies now. We dont make the rules! When Cobra Starship sang of free-spirited young women throwing caution to the wind and embracing their wild side, they created a fantasy. Even if we were at home, doing our homework, we were blasting this in our headphones, mentally escaping. Having Leighton Meester on the track took it to a whole new level, too, and, frankly, made the message even more convincing. Meester was the poster child of bad girls as Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl. Everyone wanted to either be her or be with her. No wonder Good Girls Go Bad was such a hit.

Secondhand Serenade

Lets get one thing straight. Just because the chorus of this song is now a meme does not take away from the fact that it is iconic. In a way, it proves its current relevance as well as the chokehold it had over scene kids back in the day. The stripped-down first verse, accompanied by nothing but the cries of a piano, followed by the resonant strumming of a guitar, takes the song to a beautiful crescendo. When the full band kicks in, it is truly exhilarating and never fails to stir up the fondest memories from rosier times.

My Chemical Romance

Who knew a single G note could hold such power? One of MCRs greatest contributions to music, Welcome to the Black Parade is a rite of passage for misunderstood youth. When the world seemed to turn its back against them, emo and scene kids identified with the dark themes and explosive, almost cathartic rock sound of this track. After feeling out of place everywhere else, they found belonging and comfort in these defiant lyrics. Helena was another such piece that struck a chord with fans. Similarly, I'm Not Okay (I Promise) was perfect for purging ones resentment. However, for the ultimate dose of empowerment, the band gave us the anti-authoritarian anthem Teenagers. We really have a lot to thank My Chemical Romance for.

3OH!3

Not all music has to be high-brow poetry. 3OH!3 barely sing about anything substantial in Don't Trust Me, and yet, they say so much. Their irreverent lyrics were perfect comebacks for brawls behind school grounds but were also punchy enough for our MySpace statuses. Drunk on teen spirit, no one was bothered about how deeply offensive they were being when singing along to this bop. It annoyed the adults and served up main character energy. Sometimes, thats all the scene life was about. However, we cant possibly imagine an artist releasing something like this now, unless theyre going for irony, of course.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

We Cant Deny That It Still Gets Us Hyped

This Song Is Buried in Our Memories like a Time Capsule

It Was Obnoxiously Catchy

Love It or Hate It, but You Just Cant Ignore It

We Still Know Every Single Word of This Song by Heart

Paramore

This list would be incomplete without due respect being paid to Mother a.k.a. Hayley Williams. Misery Business elevated scene culture to a whole new level. It wasnt just one of Paramores finest offerings as an infallible pop punk record, but also heavily influenced scene fashion. Choppy, teased hair dyed in the brightest colors became hotter than ever, thanks to Hayleys impeccable style, and was eventually recognized as the defining look of the scene subculture. Her bold baby bangs in the music video for Crushcrushcrush had a similar effect. However, the best part of being a Paramore stan while these songs were all the rage was posting their moody lyrics all over our social media. That was the OG subtweet.

Which of these scene kid anthems is your guilty or not-so-guilty pleasure now? Tell us in the comments down below!