This year has been exciting for punk rockers everywhere because older punk rock bands have released new music. Bands such as Blink 182, Green Day, Sum 41, NOFX, Weezer, Against Me!, and Metallica released or plan on releasing music this year.

The fantastic music year started off with the release of Weezer’s fourth self-titled album, Weezer, or better known as The White Album, on April 1st. The album consisted of the band’s sound from their earlier Blue and Pinkerton albums, and added a new beach rock tone.

PHU senior, Ryan Lucas, said this was his favorite release of the year.

“It stayed true to their best albums, while trying something new with their beach sound,” Lucas said.

Blink 182 made their first album since their guitarist and vocalist, Tom DeLonge, left the band in January of 2015. The new album, California, received great reviews and the band toured across the world in the summer of 2016. The tour stops included a city close to home: Tampa. They toured with A Day To Remember, All American Rejects, and All Time Low.

“I thought the album was good, and when I went to the concert over the summer, those songs were even better live. However, I still like their old albums better,” Isabel Ionata, a fan of Blink 182, said.

October 7th, 2016 was a massive release date for punk music because not one, not two, but three critically acclaimed punk bands released albums that date. Green Day released their Revolution Radio album, their latest album since the release of ¡Tré! in 2012.

Sum 41 released their latest album on October 7th, their first in 5 years, titled 13 Voices. It is the first album since vocalist, Deryck Whibley, almost died of alcoholism in 2014. To add, the original guitarist, Dave Baksh, rejoined the band, and they acquired a new drummer, Frank Zummo.

The third band to put out an album on October 7th is one of the founders of the 90’s punk sound, NOFX. First Ditch Effort is the first full length album by NOFX in four years, making it the longest gap between the band’s albums. NOFX unfortunately has not announced a tour yet.

Against Me! released their album, Shape Shift with Me, on September 16th. Yet again, the band discusses social issues with the LGBT community, since the lead vocalist, Laura Jane Grace, is transgender herself. They toured with Bad Religion and Dave Hause this fall, and will tour with Green Day in spring of 2017.

Last but not least, metal legends, Metallica, plan on releasing Hardwired… to Self-Destruct in November of 2016. They already released singles such as Hardwired and Moth Into Flame. It will be their first full length album since Death Magnetic, which was released nine years ago.

The 2016 year of music was very beneficial to the punk rock community, and leaves them begging for more. It only leaves the community to wonder what’s in store for 2017.