Fan poll: 5 greatest post-hardcore bands of all time

Post-hardcore is a dense, sprawling subgenre that encompasses a constellation of bands, from those widely beloved to those arguably underrated, that exist outside of the traditional hardcore context. We can trace the sound and movement back to unparalleled groups such as the Minutemen and Fugazi, who built a sonic foundation on the aggressive and DIY nature of hardcore music, the scene from which they were born, but channeled that loud, heavy energy through noticeably more complex musical arrangements. The movement has grown astronomically since the mid-1980s, including names we know and love like the Used, Hüsker Dü, Thrice, Every Time I Die, and many more.

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We asked fans to chime in on who are the best post-hardcore band of all time. Of course, our readers didn’t hold back. They told us what they really thought, and the top five fan picks are ranked accordingly below.

5. Glassjaw

From Glassjaw‘s 1993 formation in Hempstead, New York by vocalist Daryl Palumbo and guitarist Justin Beck, the group have garnered a reputation as one of post-hardcore’s forces to be reckoned with. They ushered the genre out from the underground with a unique iteration of the NY hardcore sound, claiming their audience with their rowdy, unforgettable live shows and thoughtful songs that continue to enthrall us today.

4. At The Drive-In

This El Paso post-hardcore group have seen quite a few lineup changes, but have always maintained their place in music history as one of the genre’s leaders. From their start playing basement shows, earning fans by word-of-mouth to the undoubtable, universal legacy they have today, At The Drive-In revolutionized what the genre could entail by bringing in abstract elements from noise and stripped-down punk rock.

3. Underoath

Though their genre is arguably elusive — and can be described across the internet as everything from rock and screamo to Christian metal — Underoath embody post-hardcore. Initially drawing on death metal as an inspiration, they built a band on the bones of the Florida metal hardcore scenes. But as the group saw internal changes, they shifted the sound, forgoing some of the heavier notes for cleaner vocals and rhythm changes. Since, though more changes have occurred, we can count on Underoath to a unique sweet spot between catchy cadence and screaming, every time.

2. Dance Gavin Dance

Though they could easily be considered an “experimental” group as well, Dance Gavin Dance are the Sacramento-born post-hardcore group that, though the lineup has changed quite a few times, have always held a special place in alternative music history. Their influences range from MF DOOM to the Temptations, as well as other post-hardcore groups such as At The Drive-In. Mixing harsh and clean vocals, they take note from classic hardcore and prog-rock genres, though it’s the technical attention and structuring of the songs that set DGD firmly in the post-hardcore hall of fame.

1. Thursday

Not only have Thursday literally been coined one of the most “influential post-hardcore bands of the 2000s,” but they have also made a name for themselves as pioneers in the alternative scene for their standout screaming vocals. From a basement in New Jersey to their 2022 performance alongside My Chemical Romance, they have certainly done their due diligence maintaining their influence over the last two decades, influence which continues to be heard across the alternative genres today. Thursday took emo and hardcore culture and truly shattered the glass ceiling, pushing for what was absolutely alternative to be a part of popular culture.

Source: altpress.com