[Western Music] Both Speed and Bittersweetness! Recommended Melodic Hardcore (Melodic Punk) Bands [2025]

People Like YouTrophy Eyes

Trophy Eyes – People Like You (Official Music Video)

Hailing from Australia, Trophy Eyes have been drawing attention with a sound that fuses pop punk and hardcore.

Formed in 2013, they debuted with the album “Mend, Move On.” They steadily expanded their fan base with “Chemical Miracle” and “The American Dream,” enjoying strong popularity not only in Australia but overseas as well.

In particular, “The American Dream” is an ambitious work that pushes pop sensibilities while staying true to their roots.

Its emotional lyrics, catchy melodies, and dynamic sound captivate listeners and won’t let go.

Renowned for their live performances, they’re a band recommended not only for pop-punk enthusiasts but also for fans of melodic hardcore.

PretenseKnuckle Puck

Knuckle Puck – Pretense (Official Music Video)

Among pop-punk bands that debuted in the 2010s, Knuckle Puck is a five-piece that’s already a seasoned mid-career act, respected by many bands alongside their Chicago peers Real Friends.

As of 2022, they’ve released three albums on the renowned Rise Records, and they even made it to Japan for a tour in 2018—Tokyo sold out—earning fervent support from Japanese fans.

Their sound includes not only fast, melodic hardcore tracks that spark stage dives and mosh pits, but also more emo-leaning songs that play with dynamics.

The emotional melodies, delivered with a boyish, vulnerable tone, have an immediate, knockout appeal for anyone who’s into this style.

While they’re not a band that’s drastically changed their musical direction since debuting, they know exactly what they should sound like, steadily moving forward while meeting fan expectations.

That’s why you can jump in with any of their albums and have a great time.

Can I SayDag Nasty

Dag Nasty – Can I Say

Formed in 1985, Dag Nasty is a legendary presence often cited as one of the most important bands in the history of melodic hardcore.

Centered around Brian Baker—an alumnus of hardcore legends Minor Threat—the band released their debut album, the now-historic classic “Can I Say,” in 1986.

While rooted in hardcore, their distinctive sound—combining the impassioned yet refreshing vocals and shouts of Dave Smalley with Brian’s inventive guitar work—came to be hailed not only as melodic hardcore but also as a foundational form of emo-core, exerting a massive influence on the bands that followed.

Even when compared to other groundbreaking acts in the hardcore scene of the time, such as Bad Religion and Hüsker Dü, Dag Nasty forged a sound uniquely their own—an achievement that can hardly be captured in a few sentences.

They’re a band we’d recommend even to those who might feel hesitant about “hardcore” at first glance.

Considering that production was handled by Ian MacKaye—frontman of Minor Threat and Fugazi and a living archive of Washington, D.

C.

’s hardcore scene—listening to Dag Nasty is virtually synonymous with learning the history of East Coast punk and hardcore.

From The OutsideReal Friends

Real Friends – From The Outside (Official Music Video)

Among contemporary pop-punk bands, they’re a group whose straightforward, catchy sound has earned strong popularity here in Japan.

Formed in Illinois, USA in 2010, Real Friends released their EP “This Is Honesty” the following year, in 2011.

It caught the attention of sharp-eared pop-punk fans, and their 2012 EP “Everyone That Dragged You Here” was issued domestically in Japan by the label ICE GRILL$ in 2013.

Then in 2014, their long-awaited debut album “Maybe This Place Is the Same and We’re Just Changing” came out on the prestigious label Fearless Records, achieving the remarkable feat of reaching No.

24 on the Billboard 200.

While there’s very little hardcore influence, their consistently strong songwriting—evident across all their releases—produces a wealth of poppy, catchy tracks that will move anyone who came of age on early-2000s pop-punk and emo to tears, and are easily accessible even to those who didn’t.

Unfortunately, their original vocalist left the band in 2020, but they’ve welcomed a new singer and embarked on a fresh start.

I Want The MoonLeatherface

Leatherface – I Want The Moon (Remastered)

Since punk was originally an underground genre, it’s only natural that digging into melodic hardcore leads you to incredible bands operating outside the mainstream.

Leatherface, who were most active in the early 1990s, are a highly acclaimed British band with a devoted following.

They never achieved major commercial success, but as a quintessential force in ’90s UK melodic punk, they’re raved about by many aficionados here in Japan.

While rooted in rough, breakneck hardcore, the melancholy that emanates from the melodies sung in frontman Frankie Stubbs’s distinctive, gravelly voice is something you can only experience with this band—no question about it.

The description “Hüsker Dü meets Motörhead” makes perfect sense if you know both bands.

Fans who mainly listen to bright, breezy melodic-core or pop-punk might find Leatherface a bit harder to approach, but they’re a band you absolutely should know.

If you want raw intensity with heartfelt songwriting, go for their 1991 masterpiece, MUSH; if you prefer melody-forward material, 1993’s Minx is highly recommended!

Pringle StreetOne Step Closer

One Step Closer – “Pringle Street” (Official Music Video)

One Step Closer is a post-hardcore band from the United States, formed in 2016.

Their musical style blends intense emotion with delicate melodies, drawing strong influence from emo and hardcore punk.

Ryan Savario’s emotive vocals add a distinctive depth to their sound.

Their 2021 album, This Place You Know, showcased a more refined musicality and received high praise from critics.

Known for their vigorous touring and acclaimed live performances, One Step Closer strike an exquisite balance between ferocity and subtlety, offering an irresistible appeal to fans of emo and post-hardcore.

The Meaning Of LifeThe Offspring

The Offspring – The Meaning Of Life

Included on the 1997 album “Ixnay on the Hombre.” A four-piece band formed in 1984 from California.

Their name is taken from “offspring,” a word used with the nuance of “brat” or “wayward son.” This track is a fine song where their top-tier melodic hardcore sound explodes.