At the beginning of the month, Meet Me @ the Altar—a pop-punk threepiece comprised of members spanning the East Coast—shared their latest single, “Garden,” their second new track of 2020 and one of a smattering of releases (mostly singles and EPs) currently available on their Bandcamp. Each MM@tA single boasts a certain vibrant energy that matches that of Paramore, particularly before they went new-wave—a sort of melodic angst curbed by a tendency for optimism.
It’s no surprise, then, that Paramore is among the band’s biggest inspirations, as is evident in the playlist they cobbled together for us. All three members (guitarist Téa Campbell, drummer Ada Juarez, and vocalist Edith Johnson) list at least one song by Hayley Williams’ band on the track list, citing their optimistic lyrics as much as their powerful melodies as an influence on their own project.
In addition to P-More, there’s plenty of interesting songs listed here. Check out the full playlist below (which includes punk icons like Blink-182, pop stars like Hilary Duff, and, uh, whatever you could possibly classify Poppy as), and read on for all three members’ commentary.
Paramore, “Looking Up”
Téa: This resonates a lot with me and inspires me because we’re kind of going through what the song talks about and it’s nice to hear lyrics about your hard work finally paying off.
Belmont, “Overstepping”
Edith: This song is what really solidified my love for pop punk—energetic, not too generic, and exciting!
Paramore, “Part Two”
Ada: This song is so big and tells such a story with just its instrumentals. It had always stood out to me, especially when I first heard it.
Poppy, “I Disagree”
Téa: This song is all about not being afraid to stand up against things you disagree with and I love that message.
The Story So Far, “Things I Can’t Change”
Edith: This song has helped me through certain things and has reminded me to not stress over the things I have no control over.
Superheaven, “Youngest Daughter”
Ada: I feel so nostalgic every time I listen to this song. The guitars and the melody stick out to me so much, and the chorus is so catchy.
Hilary Duff, “So Yesterday”
Téa: It’s so funny this song is up here, but it’s actually super positive and has a really nice message that you can always move forward from the pain of the past.
Paramore, “Where the Lines Overlap”
Edith: Out of all the Paramore songs I love, this one has my all-time favorite melody.
Basement, “Spoiled”
Ada: The intro hits so hard. Especially when the band comes in. It’s one of those songs that I could never get tired of.
Trash Boat, “Brave Face”
Téa: This song makes me think about why it’s so important for me to be there for the people in my life, and inspires me to be strong for them.
Knuckle Puck, “Everyone Lies to Me”
Edith: This song to me is the perfect mix between easy-core and pop punk, my two favorite genres! One of my favorite intros to date.
The Story So Far, “Need to Know”
Ada: I get so happy every time I listen to this song—or even any song off of this album, honestly. The instrumentals and Parker Cannon’s voice just fills me up with joy, it’s so great.
Paramore, “26”
Téa: This song inspires me to have hope that things will get better because in the end, hope is all we have.
Stand Atlantic, “Shh!”
Edith: The energy of this song gets me very pumped for all the things in my life—a great work out song!
Blink-182, “Roller Coaster”
Ada: My favorite Blink-182 song ever. Travis Barker’s drumming really sticks out.
