In late 2022, it was revealed that after nearly a decade removed from the band, founding vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge of blink-182 would be rejoining the band. The guitarist had previously left the band to focus on other projects.
Being the second time he left the band, bad blood formed between band members – especially between bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus and TD – as DeLonge left his group in limbo once again. Due to these tensions and conflict, largely overblown within the press, fans were doubtful they would see the pop-punk trio’s classic lineup (rounded out by drummer Travis Barker) perform live again.
However, with the announcement of DeLonge’s return, a sold-out tour promptly ensued, followed by the brand new record One More Time, the former being the first shows the band performed together since 2013 and the latter being the first new material featuring the classic trio in twelve years.
Their self-proclaimed “Best record we’ve ever written” is certainly a bold opinion, but it is no doubt one of their better albums so far. One More Time finds the band at a (slightly) more mature stage of life, having dealt with hardships such as disease, a near-fatal plane crash, divorce, and more. The stories and themes of the album describe these trials through deeper lyrics than can be found on any former blink-182 album. But, of course, the teenage humour that defined the band can still be found on tracks as well.
While most would still rank Enema Of The State or Take Off Your Pants And Jacket as better albums, the new album is certainly a must-listen. With no unlistenable tracks, there are still some more memorable moments than others. MetalTalk’s Ben Tschetter ranks them here.
17: TURN THIS OFF!
Blink’s rowdy and raunchy short tracks, or “joke” tracks as some may say, have become staples of the band’s live shows and albums. Turn This Off! Has a classic Blink sound, but in a generic way that is easy to forget among the rest of the songs. It also sounds like somewhat of a rip-off version of Happy Holidays, You Bastard, one of the greatest blink-182 ‘Joke’ tracks.
These short tracks are typically known for explicit language and content, and even prior to listening to the album, the title implied the type of track this song is. However, the ‘edginess of the lyrics feels forced, and it doesn’t pack the offensive teenage punch or shock value of songs like Family Reunion. This is a fun little song but a swing-and-miss in comparison to the more superior songs on the album.
16: HURT (INTERLUDE)
This shorter song clocks in at only 1:21. It isn’t a bad song at all. Listening to the song for the first time brings excitement as the music builds and features a great alternative rock sound. It sounds like an outtake from an Angels & Airwaves record – DeLonge’s side project band – but the short track length gives it an incomplete feel. Perhaps the song could have been double or triple the length and become more of an epic piece rather than the less memorable tune that was included. Hurt is enjoyable, but isn’t likely a song that will be stuck in your head.
15: CHILDHOOD
It should be expected that the band which essentially epitomizes the concept of “Never growing up” should write a song about childhood. Well, it’s here, and it’s not great, just good. Childhood features more mature lyrics that describe being caught up in the world and being forced to grow up. The question is asked: Where did our childhood go?
The message is strong, but musically, this song just isn’t incredibly interesting. It sounds good but doesn’t have the energy or “it” factor as many other songs on the album do. And it feels like an underwhelming album closer. If you’re looking for a Blink song about childhood, just listen to Dammit.
14: YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT
Tom DeLonge has described some of his songwriting as “Nursery rhymes on meth” – essentially songs with very easy and repetitive lyrics and simple melodies. YDKWYG, the first single from the album on this list, is just that. It’s simple, catchy, and captures a classic blink-182 sound… almost a bit too well. In fact, it sounds like a re-sculpted version of Blink’s 1999 hit Adam’s Song. Just listen to the opening riffs together.
Additionally, the chorus is incredibly repetitive and not as creative as it could have been. Travis Barker’s rim hits throughout the verses are fun and interesting, but that’s not enough to save the song from a semi-boring chorus and recycled riffs.
13: BAD NEWS
By this point in the list, everything is more imaginative. This Hoppus-fronted song is catchier than anything else on the list so far. It’s frantic, has great stop/go action and dynamics between slower tempos and energy, and faster, more rocking parts.
But is simply a bit depressing. It describes a failed romance and falling out of love with a significant other. While this is a song you may find yourself humming later on, you can’t help but feel a little gross when you put yourself in the artist’s shoes.
12: BLINK WAVE
A deviation from the norm, this track follows a path and sound more closely fitting in with an Angels & Airwaves album. Filled with spacey synth and guitars that sound straight out of the ’80s, this vibrant and energetic song really showcases Blink’s newest era and the variety they created with the One More Time album.
Blink Wave is a great track with an even better drive and would be nearly unrecognizable to fans of the band’s oldest work. One of the tracks that most makes you want to get up and dance.
11: FELL IN LOVE
Maybe the most pop song on the album, Fell In Love, could blend right in with mid-2000s Blink at their commercial peak. Leading off with a snappy intro backed by steel drums (Who doesn’t love steel drums?), the song then breaks away to a flirty teenage love song with an incredibly upbeat sound.
The title may have you wondering if it’s all an homage to The Rock Show (Chrous: “I fell in love with the girl at the Rock show”). It’s an upbeat and enjoyable song, but not as cool or incredible as some of the later songs on this list, especially for those wanting harder rocking punk anthems.
10: EDGING
When it was announced that DeLonge would be rejoining the band, this was the single the world was given. The first new music in 12 years with the big three. It’s hard-rocking, high-energy, and catchy. The sound was both fitting for the mid-2000s emo Blink era but also showcased a newer Blink sound.
It was the only new music fans had for nearly a year and the only taste given for the new album. Echoed by many, however, was the thought that if this was the best song the album had to offer, we would be in for a huge letdown.
The verse lines repeating “Get the rope” and “Like a Ghost” are slightly cringey, the vocals have a heavily autotuned sound which is both disappointing and distracting, and the edginess and raunchiness of the lyrics once again seem forced. Edging is an enjoyable tune, but thank goodness many songs were (far) better on the album.
9: ONE MORE TIME
Eleven months after the release of Edging, Blink finally released the second single from the album – the title track – to also reveal the album title. One More Time is one of the band’s deepest and most emotional tracks to date. It tells the story of the band reuniting as brothers after tragedy nearly claimed the lives of Hoppus and Barker.
It’s a well-written ballad, with the message that you should put aside your quarrels and tell your loved ones that you love them before you can’t anymore. The song captivated millions, who have since been showing it lots of love.
However, it was still worrisome about the album’s quality when the next single released after Edging was only a touch better. Fans of ballads will love this one, but for fans of the band’s old material craving some new rocking tracks, this softer piece surely raised some eyebrows.
8: FUCK FACE
This is a short number that would have the potential to be number one on the album if it wasn’t only 27 seconds long. Fuck Face features Travis Barker on lead vocals for the first time in the band’s career. In fact, Barker also has an incredible drum part and produced the album, giving him essentially the lead role on this song.
The gritty, raw mix works great on this track, and it would be great to hear more songs in this raw style from the band down the road. Fuck Face is a fast-paced thrill that clearly has roots in the styles of the band’s major influences, such as The Descendants and Bad Religion. It’s a simple but effective hardcover punk rock jam whose only downfall is its depressingly short length, which leaves you wanting much more.
7: OTHER SIDE
A nostalgic trip, this song is a “See you again” to those people or experiences that have passed on. The music sans the lyrics is powerful and driving on its own, but paired with Mark Hoppus’ emboldened vocals, it simply makes you feel alive.
It’s another classic example of a Blink pop-punk track, with a cool riff, catchy chorus, and good groove. Not much more to be said other than it’s a great song and good enough to be in any pop-punk playlist. Oh, and Hoppus’ modulation on the last chorus is chills-inducing.
6: TURPENTINE
By this point in the list, you could practically shuffle the top six in any order because each track is exceptional. Early feedback has called this track the “Feeling This” of this album. It features a very full synth-heavy sound, great riff, and stellar punk-rock vocals from DeLonge.
Musically, it’s a more mature and complex sounding track than much of the trio’s other work, and once again, it could fit in fairly seamlessly to an Angels & Airwaves album. The song represents what could be the band’s modern sound. It’s just as sharp and exciting as some of Blink’s best work but seeks more to adventure and try something new than it does to sound like the band’s old sound like other tracks do.
Certainly one of the gems from this album.
5: ANTHEM PART 3
The anticipation for this song was the highest on the album, and thankfully, the song is excellent. Anthem and Anthem Part 2 remain some of Blink’s greatest work – the latter quite possibly being their greatest song (or one of them).
Anthem Part 3 begins with a soaring intro, then quickly dives into a fast tempo and beat that will make all skate-punk fans grind and shred a little harder. The drum beats that open the song sound a bit like Blink was ripping inspiration from Part 2, but they soon venture off into a unique and special epic track that is a welcome addition to the Trilogy of Anthem songs.
Lyrically, it may be the best of the three (and some of the best on the album) with a motivational message to not be complacent, settle, or let your life be wasted away, but to get out and do whatever you want: to go where you want to go and do what you want to do.
It’s a powerful and brilliant song, though not as catchy as the first two Anthems. Ranked, it’s about as good as the first Anthem, but doesn’t top Anthem Part 2. Still, it’s a song worth listening to right now and among the best in the band’s catalogue.
4: TERRIFIED
Opening with the heaviest and most distorted guitar riff on the record, Terrified goes into a cool and unique hard-rocking riff that is one of the stand-outs of the album. And it absolutely RIPS. This song was originally intended to be a Box Car Racer – DeLonge and Barker’s early 2000s side project band – song but was shelved and didn’t see the light of day until One More Time. And thank goodness this song got a second chance.
Terrified is a song that will make you feel cool singing along to or cranking to max volume in the car. And you surely will do both, as it’s catchy and has a strong replay value. As the hard-rocker on the album, it gives a good contrast to softer and more sentimental songs such as One More Time. If 21 years was necessary to get Terrified to be as good of a song as it is, it was well worth the wait.
3: MORE THAN YOU KNOW
Dropped as a surprise second single alongside One More Time, this song was an incredible surprise and the song that got punk rock Blink fans (rather than the emo-focused Blink fans) truly excited for the album. Another harder rocking song with a fast tempo and catchy chorus, More Than You Know, absolutely rocks. The chilling piano intro leaves you wondering what’s about to happen before it drops off to reveal a pop-punk masterpiece with another brilliant riff.
The unique drum part gives it a different feel, too, than most songs, both from Blink and from other bands, but in a musically masterful way. It’s truly the song that quenched the thirst of needing a new, really high-quality Blink song with a great riff and catchiness that the first two singles lacked. More Than You Know hits all the right targets for a great punk rock song, and if this is the new direction of Blink’s sound, the world can’t get more new music soon enough.
2: DANCE WITH ME
This was the next single released two weeks after MTYK. The first impression was that it had a great riff, but the “Ole Ole Ole” chorus sounded a bit lazy and cringy too. However, the catchiness of this fun number quickly and vastly overshadows any imperfections or doubts one could have with this song.
Dance With Me gets better each listen. It’s loud, fun, and lighthearted. And, of course, it makes you want to get up and dance. It’s a classic blink-182 song with duelling vocals between Hoppus and DeLonge that show both musicians at peak performance and energy.
While it may not have as intricate of a message or lyrics as other songs on the album, it remains a step above for keeping it simple, fun, and rockin’. Quite simply put, less is more in this case, and Dance With Me is a fantastic pop-punk banger.
1: WHEN WE WERE YOUNG
The underlooked but possibly perfect song of the album. THIS is the nostalgic childhood song you need to listen to. When We Were Young cuts no corners and uses every second wisely to deliver a pop-punk Anthem that rocks hard and delivers the most classic blink-182 sound on the album.
This song could be placed anywhere in Blink’s most famous albums from the peak of their success and would fit perfectly and seamlessly. Its lyrics could essentially summarize the message of blink-182: Getting older sucks, and it corrupts our youthfulness.
It’s a nostalgic track that taps into our childhood, both through lyrical imagery and sonically, as it captures the sound of peak late ’90s – early 2000s Blink. It’s quintessential blink-182 and quintessential pop-punk.
Mark, Tom, and Travis are back and, in many ways, at the top of their game. When We Were Young is living proof, and after listening just once, it’s clear that they came.
