What is it about this pop-punk band hailing from Ontario, Canada that makes each of its songs a timeless classic? I’ll give you three reasons.
The first and most obvious response: the sound. Throughout recent history, there have been many punk-revival movements in the global music industry. In attempts to recreate the sounds and styles of original punk bands such as the Sex Pistols, The Stooges, Dead Kennedys, Descendants, and The Clash, new acts have surfaced. Of this new wave of punk bands, including Green Day, Blink-182, My Chemical Romance, Rise Against, and The Offspring, one band reigns supreme: Sum 41.
Sum 41 has always beaten at the boundaries of music, allowing the members to go beyond what’s expected of “just another punk band.” The eclectic style meshes raucous punk, thunderous metal, and simple, clear-cut rock.
Indeed, Sum 41’s sound has evolved from the pop-punk stylings of the band’s first full-length album, All Killer No Filler, which contained hit singles such as “Fat Lip” (Sum 41’s most successful song to date) and “In Too Deep,” to the heavy metal sounds of the group’s most recent album, Screaming Bloody Murder, which contains songs such as “Blood in My Eyes” and “Holy Image of Lies.”
Even through this maturing and ever-changing sound, the band has managed to merge melodies with a punk, rock, or metal style, an ability that has made the music catchy and listenable to a wide audience since the band’s inception in 1996.
Another possible answer to why Sum 41 is so great is the band’s aesthetic. History has taught us that the punk movement is sweeping and inspiring. For some reason, people of all ages like the idea of not caring. This notion is at the core of the punk image and mentality, and Sum 41 captures it perfectly.
When one looks at Sum 41, it is hard not to think of revolutionary bad asses Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten as well as the entire bad boy posse that formed the legendary punk group the Sex Pistols. What similarities can one draw between the two, you ask?
Perhaps it is lead singer and guitarist Deryck Whibley’s spiked, red hair that reminds one of Johnny Rotten, who rocked a similar ’do. Maybe it is the messy, bed-head style of Sum 41’s bassist Jason McCaslin’s hair that hearkens the image of Sid Vicious, also a bassist. Or, it could be the overall dark, dirty, unkempt, and ratty fashion of Sum 41—the torn shirts with the names of obscure bands on them covered by denim or leather jackets—that links the members to the original punk lifestyle, one of unconcern. The notion of such a life, free of worry or care, can easily capture many listeners and fans, making the music widely accessible.
But it’s not just the band’s dedicated style and raucous appearances that make Sum 41 a crowd-pleaser. Sum 41 will forever be a perennial favorite because of its ability to captivate audiences at live performances. The band is known for being even better live than in the studio. The members can scream and shout their heavy metal-influenced songs, making sounds reverberate throughout the venue. They can also gently sing those four slow, classic lines in “Fat Lip” that any Sum 41 fan knows (“Don’t count on me” acting as the perfect anthem for the “don’t care” attitude). No matter what, Sum 41 will give you the live performance that you paid for.
The fast-paced punk, rock, or metal music of Sum 41, complete with catchy melodies and relevant lyrics, continues to get crowds riled up and ready to go. When it comes to where Sum 41 is taking us, we’ll just have to wait and see.