10 Things We Want To See On The New blink-182 Album

We seem to be edging closer to the release of pop-punk legends blink-182’s eighth studio album, with the band dropping three new tracks so far this year and regularly teasing fans via social media as to their next move. But just what do Mark Hoppus, Matt Skiba and Travis Barker have in store for us? A concept album about masturbation? How about Anthem Part 3? Or the dramatic reappearance of Tom DeLonge? Pure speculation, of course, but you just never know with these guys. With that in mind, here are the 10 things we’d most like to see from a new blink album. The internet’s bound to agree with this, right?

This is something blink have always had up their sleeve, and although the three new songs the band have released this year – Blame It On My Youth, Generational Divide and Happy Days – are pretty darn good, none of them possess the undeniably huge chorus of California’s lead single Bored To Death, or classics like All The Small Things. We know they have it in them, though, so here’s hoping that blink are holding back something mega.

blink-182 have always embraced the ‘pop’ side of pop-punk, but at their core, Mark, Matt and Travis are punk kids – something they reminded us of recently via Generational Divide’s 49-second-long burst of punk fury. California didn’t really showcase the rugged, unshackled, punk-rock energy that’s at the heart of blink, but if Generational Divide is anything to go by, we might just be about to see blink-182 return to their roots.

Travis has been busy collaborating with fellow musicians on non-blink projects recently, working with the likes of Machine Gun Kelly, YUNGBLUD and Halsey, so it’s not a stretch to speculate that he may have invited some famous friends to work on the new blink album. Indeed, Travis has suggested that the band will release an EP later this year as a follow-up to the new full-length, and that said EP will feature a song blink-182 recorded with Pharrell Williams and Lil Uzi Vert. They’re clearly open to collaborations, so does that mean we’re in for some surprise guest appearances on blink’s eighth album?

According to Travis, blink have more than 40 songs recorded for the new album, and while most of those will likely be decent tunes, as the drummer has himself admitted, it’s important they narrow that down to “10-12 bangers”. California is a good example of where the band should’ve utilised this mantra to greater effect: their last LP was a great record, but at 16 tracks long, there were easily two or three songs that could’ve been ignored. High standards of quality control should lead to a killer album.

It’s never easy being the replacement of a founding member, particularly in the case of Matt Skiba, who’s had to step into the spotlight for one of the biggest rock bands in the world, all the while taking the reins from Tom DeLonge – a man beloved by blink-182 fans. But Matt has so far impressed during his stint with the band, and with the new record being his second as a permanent member, now should be the time he solidifies himself as a key component of this pop-punk behemoth.

He’s the best drummer in punk (potentially rock music in general), and Travis Barker deserves a star turn on the new blink record. Throughout his 20 years with the band, Travis’ playing has continued to amaze and astound – his unmistakable style being a huge part of what sets blink-182 apart from the pop-punk pack. A true legend, Travis will hopefully get moments to shine on the new LP.

Mark may have recently suggested that the new blink album won’t contain any ‘joke’ songs, but that’s not to say the band’s notoriously immature sense of humour won’t rear its head in some form. The trio have been teasing ‘BOJMIR’ – that’s ‘RIMJOB’ backwards – as the potential title of the new record, so it’s clear we’re still dealing with a band who, on occasion, like sticking their heads in the gutter. Previous LP California featured two joke songs in the form of Built This Pool and Brohemian Rhapsody, so they’ve got recent form for such tomfoolery, too.

All in all, California was a pretty positive album, with carpe diem cuts like She’s Out Of Her Mind and Sober leading blink’s charge through classic pop-punk territory. But the band have always had a darker side; a trait which reared its head most prominently on 2003’s untitled album, and their final LP with Tom DeLonge, 2011’s Neighbourhoods. Embracing the darkness has resulted in some of blink’s finest material (Adam’s Song, Stay Together For The Kids), and with Matt Skiba – a man whose other band, Alkaline Trio, are famed for penning dark punk anthems – now on board, it’d be great to see blink’s new music celebrate life’s sombre moments.

They’re spending this year celebrating its 20th anniversary, so it’d be epic to see blink reference iconic third album, Enema Of The State, on their new record. Given that the band are currently on tour playing EOTS in its entirety, could revisiting those old tunes inspire them to give a nod to their 1999 LP via some new music? We certainly hope so.

“We really don’t want to repeat ourselves… we just want the absolute best.” Those were the words of Travis in a recent interview, and it’s fair to say that, in the form of Blame It On My Youth, a pop-heavy number with a nostalgic lyrical bent, blink have delivered something unlike the pop-punk sound with which they made their name. At a time when their contemporaries like All Time Low and Good Charlotte are blurring genre lines, blink-182 look to be mixing things up themselves – something that should make album number eight a very interesting proposition.

Catch blink-182 at the following dates this year on their Enema Of The State 20th anniversary tour.

blink-182 North American tour 2019

July

9 Holmdel, NJ, P.N.C. Bank Arts Center
10 Mansfield, MA, Xfinity Center
11 Bristow, VA, Jiffy Lube Live
13 Bangor, ME, Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion
16 Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Blossom Music Center
17 Darien Center, NY, Darien Lake Amphitheatre
20 Virginia Beach, VA, Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
21 Columbia, MD, Merriweather Post Pavilion
23 Charlotte, NC, PNC Music Pavilion
25 West Palm Beach, FL, Coral Sky Amphitheatre
26 Tampa, FL, MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
27 Atlanta, GA, Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood
29 Jacksonville, FL, Daily’s Place
31 Houston, TX, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

August

1 Austin, TX, Austin360 Amphitheater
2 Dallas, TX, The Dos Equis Pavilion
4 El Paso, TX, Don Haskins Center
5 Phoenix, AZ, Ak-Chin Pavilion
7 San Diego, CA, North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
8 Los Angeles, CA, The Forum
27 Irvine, CA, FivePoint Amphitheatre
30 Portland, OR, Sunlight Supply Amphitheater
31 Seattle, WA, White River Amphitheatre

September

2 Salt Lake City, UT, USANA Amphitheatre
4 Denver, CO, Pepsi Center
6 Wichita, KS, Hartman Arena
7 Council Bluffs, IA, Stir Cove
8 Kansas City, MO, Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
10 Detroit, MI, DTE Energy Music Theatre
13 Chicago, IL, Riot Fest
14 St. Louis, MO, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
16 Cincinnati, OH, Riverbend Music Center
22 Columbus, OH, Nationwide Arena

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