As time goes on, it can be hard to remember every detail of events that unfolded decades ago. It pains me to admit it, but the 2000s are now decades ago. It’s the equivalent of referring to the 1980s in the 2000s, when the 80s were only 20 years in the past. Despite this, I still can’t believe millennials have forgotten about these emo bands after over 20 years.
Northstar
Rarely do I hear anyone mention this early 2000s band. Fans of bands such as Taking Back Sunday and Brand New should listen to Northstar’s early 2000s albums. They only released two albums before disappearing following a breakup in 2005. Famously, Taking Back Sunday praised this band in the liner notes of their 2002 debut, Tell All Your Friends, stating that Northstar is “the greatest band ever.”
If you’re unaware of this 2000s emo band out of Huntsville, Alabama, then today is your day to discover a forgotten gem. You won’t regret it. Their 2002 debut, Is This Thing Loaded? captured their early raw energy. You can hear the band in a tame, polished setting on their sophomore album Pollyanna, released in 2004.
Moneen
Despite touring with huge Canadian bands such as Alexisondire, Moneen never entirely broke through into emo stardom. Instead, they’re high on the list of forgotten emo bands of the 2000s. Oddly, this isn’t because of a breakup, as the band is still together to this day. Their experimentation with art rock didn’t appeal to scene kids at the time, and their songs were too “emo” for the average indie rock fan.
Regardless, their Canadian fans rank them among the great emo bands of the 2000s. They peaked with their 2006 release, The Red Tree. From the album opener “Don’t Ever Tell Locke What He Can’t Do” to their sentimental closer “The Song I Swore Never To Sing”, this album is full of fan favorites. The album went to No. 18 on the US Heatseekers Albums chart and No. 25 on the Independent Albums chart.
Hot Rod Circuit
Northstar isn’t the only forgotten emo band out of Alabama. Formed in 1997, they were originally named Antidote. After they won Best Unsigned Band of 1998 in Musician Magazine, the band relocated to Connecticut. Following a name change, the band performed around New England. They soon embarked on tours with The Get Up Kids, At The Drive-In, and the Jazz June. In the following years, they’d join national tours with Jimmy Eat World, Say Anything, Brand New, and Eisley. After 6 albums released in only 10 years, the band announced their breakup on Myspace. They briefly reunited in 2011 before making a full return in 2014, and have remained together to this day.
Photo by Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic
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