In late September of 2020, there were definitely some rumblings about Machine Gun Kelly’s new album Tickets To My Downfall.

By that time, we’d already seen the fun video he put together with now girlfriend Megan Fox.

What we didn’t know then, is that this was way more than just a fun video.

His latest album would spark a renewed interest in a genre that I thought died with MySpace in 2008. I’m talking about the ever nostalgic pop-punk era of music.

It blew my mind that Tickets To My Downfall did so well, because I had no clue there was even a hunger for a return of pop-punk music. According to Wikipedia, “Tickets to My Downfall debuted at number 1 on the US Billboard 200 all-format albums chart, moving 126,000 album equivalent units in its first week.”

So what’s the secret to this whole thing not being a joke? A few things, in my opinion. Look at the use of Travis Barker for starters, who gives MGK some serious cred in the genre. He did have a hand in producing the album, and is planning on touring with MGK this fall.

Then, add in a little bit of nostalgia while bringing in one of the hottest actresses from the pop-punk era in your first video for your first single from the album, aka Megan Fox.

Very simply, all of that adds to proving that his love for the genre is, in fact, real – and lets face it, we love real.

In more recent news, what showed me that this resurgence has gained some serious legs is that it’s continuing to grow. The baton has now been passed to Willow Smith, and it’s her turn to make a mark on the scene (also thanks to Travis Barker).

It’s not just Travis who adds to her pop-punk pedigree, however. Her mom Jada appears to have passed on the punk gene to her.

What I love about this whole resurgence is that the “elders” of it are passing on their credibility to the new stars that want to make the genre switch. They’re open to keeping the genre alive, and making sure it’s in good hands.

I’m ready to see where this goes from here! Are you?