It may be hard to believe, but Yellowcard started as a hardcore band before transitioning into the pop-punk heroes that dominated the early 2000s. Their sound changed when they added Ryan Key, whose soaring, versatile tenor took the band in a whole new direction, particularly on 2003’s breakout Ocean Avenue. They’ve been through a lot since then, including coming back from a breakup and working with blink-182’s Travis Barker on their upcoming album, Better Days. Ahead of its release (and following their return to AP’s cover last week), we asked our readers to name the best Yellowcard songs. Find the top fan picks ranked below.
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5. “Lights and Sounds”
2006’s Lights and Sounds felt like a band committed to growing their sound. If Ocean Avenue was about “finding [a] place in the world,” then Lights and Sounds was anchored around feeling lost. Shedding much of their pop-punk sound and falling deeper into alternative rock, Yellowcard cited Radiohead’s Kid A and Guns N’ Roses’ Use Your Illusion I and II as guiding lights. You can hear those touches on the title track, which blended power chords, quiet-loud dynamics, and soaring hooks into an explosive statement.
4. “Breathing”
Inspired by their sunny hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, Ocean Avenue is the album that made Yellowcard a commercial name. The songs are fit to soundtrack an indie movie (evinced by features on coming-of-age shows like One Tree Hill, Charmed, and The O.C.), and the inclusion of Sean Mackin’s violin made them stand out from their peers. “Breathing” is a gorgeous example, adding layers of emotion and texture that will send you on a nostalgia trip to the golden era of pop punk.
3. “Gifts and Curses”
The Spider-Man 2 soundtrack was pretty stacked, featuring Dashboard Confessional’s “Vindicated,” Taking Back Sunday’s “This Photograph Is Proof (I Know You Know),” and of course “Gifts and Curses.” While there’s plenty of their usual high-energy pop punk, there’s also an atmospheric, orchestral feel that is guided by Mackin’s violin (particularly on the second half). All this to say: “Gifts and Curses” is a total banger, meant to be savored and felt.
2. “Only One”
Ocean Avenue is a belter of an album from start to end, so you can’t be surprised that several of its songs made this list. Besides being a high point on an album filled with standouts, “Only One” captures that stinging, relatable kind of heartbreak that Yellowcard pull off so well. Produced by Neal Avron (who famously worked with their pop-punk peers Fall Out Boy and New Found Glory), “Only One” is everything you could want out of a ballad.
1. “Ocean Avenue”
As much as it’s beloved, Ocean Avenue’s title track almost didn’t make the album because the band struggled to land the chorus. We’re glad it did, and so are our readers. Becoming a setlist staple for years to come, “Ocean Avenue” has it all: an addictive chorus, lyrics worthy of a tattoo, and pangs of bittersweet nostalgia when you’re longing for home. This is Yellowcard’s biggest hit for a reason.
