High Fives Punk Rock Podcast

Welcome back to another episode where our topic is overly complicated and vague. Why you ask?  Well because Mike thought it would be fun to talk about songs that have to do with events. What does that mean? If we told you , you wouldn’t have to listen to the episode. Fine its because we can’t really explain it. However here is our best attempt to summarize Episode 127’s topic. Events significant enough to tie it back to a song, band or album. So that means any historical event, newspaper headline or pop culture moment.  If your list wants to include a song about World War 2 but you also want to have one about WrestleMania 2 this episode is for you.  Have a listen and then send us in your list because we would love to hear and share what you would pick. 

Featuring music and discussions including :  NOFX, Bad Religion , Propagandhi, Boy Sets Fire, Chixdiggit, Brian Fallon, Weezer, The Flatliners, Alkaline Trio, Rocket From The Crypt, Krang, Freezeheads, Dave Hause, Silverstein, Like Roses, Parting Gift, Loose Lips, Back Teeth, Xray XXerox, State Power and more.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING to this little podcast, I know there are a zillion podcasts where a bunch of people think their opinions are so important that they need to put it out there on the internet so thanks for listening to us talk music and glaze the stuff we love. We love seeing what we missed and what you would have picked for the episode. You can find us online in a variety of ways

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. Subscribe, follow, and share with your fellow music nerds

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There is something about cars and music that just goes together. For some of us that connection is as simple as the love of driving a specific car. For others it might be the soundtrack to hitting the open road or nostalgic memories of cruising with your friends. Whatever it is there has always been a kinship between the car and music. In episode 126 we explore that connection with punk and its subgenres.  Whether you are in your car , stuck at your desk, on a walk or maybe just chilling on your own, have a listen to our picks and then let us know what car songs would make your list. 

Featuring music and discussions including the blacklist royals,  Dan Cribb, Bec Stevens, Aaron West & The Roaring Twenties, Leisure Hour, Thursday, The Gaslight Anthem, General Chaos, Cancer Bats, Lucero, Alkaline Trio, The Sleights, No Pressure, Drink Deep, Mesh, A-100s, The Mad Caddies, The Ataris, Joule.

Special thanks to Jon and Dev of Joule for their quick appearance , GOOD SERVE!!!!

Please remember to consider picking up any of the music we talk about on this episode and support the bands and artists.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING to this little podcast, I know there are a zillion podcasts where a bunch of people think their opinions are so important that they need to put it out there on the internet so thanks for listening to us talk music and glaze the stuff we love.  We love seeing what we missed and what you would have picked for the episode. You can find us online in a variety of ways

via our Instagram account : @highfivespodcast

You can subscribe on Substack which will keep you up to date with the episodes and has links to the listener lists and to the albums we have been listening to

High Fives Substack

STAY COOL AND BE EXCELLENT TO EACH OTHER

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It's the dog days of summer (What does that even mean?) and I'm guessing the last thing on many of your minds is listening to us talk about music nerd stuff but hey summer is a great time to think about and spend time with your friends so that is what this episode is all about. 

Whether it's the friends you made at your first basement show, the people who kept your band together through countless tours, or the community that helped shape who you are, punk has always celebrated the bonds between people. In Episode 125 of the High Fives Punk Rock Podcast, Mike and Justin dive into one of the genre's most enduring themes: friendship.

What makes a great song about friendship? Why do punk rock, emo, melodic hardcore, pop punk, and ska bands seem uniquely drawn to writing about loyalty, chosen family, growing apart, and finding your people? We break it all down while sharing some of our favorite tracks that capture what friendship means both inside and outside the scene.

Featuring music and discussion from:

Patsy's Rats ,Turnover,The Menzingers, Aree! Aree!,The Jealous Sound,Life After High School,The Dopamines, Latterman,Polar Bear Club,Sincere Engineer,Among Legends,Rat Salad, Knucklehead,Night Freak,MakeWar and more 

Give the episode a listen and hear what bands/songs we picked and then we would love to hear from you. Send in your list and let us know who what 5 songs you would have picked. 

If this podcast is up your alley please consider sharing with a friend who may have similar interests or if you are up for it like , subscribe , comment 

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Episode 124 of the High Fives Punk Rock Podcast celebrates Can Con. Yeah that’s right Canadian Content. Mike, Justin, and our favorite former co-host and noted belly acher Nate (The Great) dive into some of their favorite Canadian punk, ska, emo, hardcore, and independent bands. From legendary CanCon staples to underground gems, this episode explores some of our favorite bands/artists from the great white north.  Featuring music and discussion from iconic bands including The Sainte Catherines, Chixdiggit!, SNFU, The Planet Smashers, The Doughboys, Propagandhi, The Flatliners, The Tragically Hip, DBS, and The Weakerthans, alongside newer and independent acts such as Astrology Girl, Coup D'État, Outtacontroller, Oswald Park, Malinowski, Ghost Factory, Fontine, Vargouille, Heisenbeards, Making Friends, Bad Neighbor, and Super Sometimes, Seth Anderson, Koyo, The Pietasters, Mrs. Magician, and Western Addiction.

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Episode 123 of the High Fives Punk Rock Podcast is ready to go and in this episode Justin and Mike break down and discuss some of the bands whose records, ethos, and raw energy laid the groundwork for an entire generation of punk without trying to sound too much like a bunch of wanna be poser kids. Sure we can gab for hours about the fat wreck and epitaph era. And yeah we were around for the emo/pop punk hey day. We would be lying if we didn’t hop on the 3rd wave ska bandwagon or get wrapped up in the indie sleaze of the 2000s. But for once we can say oh we were too young for these bands. Have a listen and please school us on who we should be listening to and why our lists maybe are a little weak sauce

Featuring music and discussion about Black Flag, The Misfits, Gorilla Biscuits, Chain of Strength, 999, Dramarama, The Clash, The Ramones, Agent Orange, The Rezillos, General Chaos, Surfbort, Gasoline Heart,Derry, The Saddest Landscape, The Flatliners and Box Elder. 

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Episode 122 of the High Fives Punk Rock Podcast is out today, and this one is going to the dogs… and cats, birds, fish, and anything else living in your house rent free. Justin and Mike dive into tracks inspired by our favorite animal companions. So, if you been looking for songs about pets in punk rock, ska, emo, hardcore and adjacent genres. Then this episode is for you.

Featuring music and discussions about The Suicide Machines, Protest the Hero, The Crash Palace, Free Throw, Chixdiggit!, Hot Mulligan, The Evergreen Standard, Theo Vandenhoff, Hi-Standard, Iron Reagan, Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre, The Last Mix Tape, The Bonaduces, The Hotelier, Co-Defendants, Offend Your Friends, I Am the Avalanche, Poison Ruin, February and more. From heartfelt tributes to chaotic pet energy to absolute weirdos writing songs about animals, and learn why pets aren’t for Mike unless they like to party.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. Subscribe, follow, and share with your fellow music nerds.

In Episode 121 Mike and Justin dive into the records that prove punk bands can drift, dip, disappear… and then roar back stronger than ever. We’re talking about those late-catalog gems — the albums that remind you why you loved a band in the first place. All while Justin battles yet another cold, flu, plague or whatever you want to call it.

From unexpected rebounds to long-awaited returns, we explore moments when a band hit a lull, stepped away, or took a left turn, only to come back with a record that absolutely rips proving that bands can roar back when fans least expect it. We dig into the art of giving something another listen, appreciating late-era surprises, and celebrating those “oh damn, they’re BACK” albums.

Featuring music and discussions from bands like Lagwagon, Face To Face, Good Sleepy, The Get Up Kids, At the Drive In, Shoreline , Swallow’s Rose, Carrion Spring, At the Drive In, The Suicide Machines, Pennywise, Mr. Radical, The Darts (US), Samiam, Unichapel, Grade and Hot Water Music.

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Bodies we all have them... unless you are an AI being and even then for all we know you might have one too. I'm looking at you Terminator. So why not do an episode that features the body? 

On this episode of the High Fives Punk Rock Podcast, Mike and Justin dive headfirst (and arm-first, jaw-first, and everything in between) into a discussion about bands/albums/songs that feature anatomy. Which sounds a little weirder than it actually is. 

Featuring discussions revolving around bands like Saves The Day, LLEGS, Arms Aloft, Berwanger, Sabertooth, Sky Tigers, Joyce Manor, Awful Din, spooky punk rockers The Dahmers ,Canadian punk favorites like Gob and Dig It Up, underground gems such as Pale Lips and Knucklehead, and legendary emo-punk icons Jawbreaker

🔍 Episode Highlights

Punk, emo, and hardcore songs inspired by body parts

Deep dives into classic and underground bands

Canadian and international punk representation

Album discussions, lyrical breakdowns, and scene history

 banter and  music nerd talk

🎧 Perfect For Fans Of:

Punk rock podcasts, emo revival, hardcore punk, pop punk , melodic punk, Skate Punk, Midwest Emo,Ska, Skapodcasts, underground music, music discovery, and long-form band discussions.

If you love discovering new bands, revisiting old favorites, and laughing along with two lifelong punk fans, this episode is for you.

In this first episode of 2026, Justin and Mike break down the emotional rollercoaster that is the days of the work week & the punk, ska, emo, and hardcore songs that perfectly capture those feelings. From the dread and frustration of early-week Mondays to the chaos, relief, and reflection that we experience during the average work week, this episode connects music to mood in the most relatable way possible.

We dive into how different days feel and why certain songs hit harder depending on where you’re at in the week. Along the way, we discuss classic and modern bands across punk rock, ska punk, emo, and hardcore, including NOFX, Goldfinger, No Use for a Name, Thursday, Turnover, Wednesday Night Heroes, Oakwood, The Hammerbombs, Left Alone, and Bitter//Washed. The episode also features what we have been listening to from bands like SexMex, First Day Back, Joint Pains, and Fontine, and a The Burnt Tapes. 

Whether you’re looking for punk songs about burnout, ska songs that lift your mood, emo tracks that match mid-week anxiety, or hardcore energy to push you through the grind, this episode has you covered. It’s part playlist, part therapy session, and fully rooted in the sounds that make punk rock feel personal.

Perfect for fans searching for:

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emo and hardcore playlists

music based on moods and feelings

punk songs for every day of the week

Hit play, argue with our picks and don't forget to send in you list of the songs that get you through whatever day you’re stuck on.

Episode 118: Year-End Punk Rock Favorites

It’s our annual year-end blowout episode! Mike breaks down some of his favorite punk rock, emo, pop punk, hardcore, Midwest emo, melodic punk albums from the past year. This one’s a doozy — packed with guest picks, special guest appearances, and a ton of music for you to listen to, discover, and hopefully fall in love with.  Featuring discussions and music from bands like: Brutalligators, Deforesters,Casper Fight Scene, Dave Hause  And The Mermaid,Teen Mortgage – Ultra sonic Dream,Sex Faces – Bad Vibes OST,The Vicious Cycles – Get Wrecked, Spiritual Cramp,The Hives, Ghost Factory – Socialist Trash, Night Committee – Your Plans Mean Nothing, Final Boss Fight, Coheed and Cambria, Creeper, Doug McLean , Arms Length ,Home Front, Tired Radio,Hot Mulligan,Elway ,Ravagers,AFI,School Drugs,Propagandhi ,Hazzerd,The Names of Our Friends,Seth Anderson,Unseemlier,Oh The Humanity,Sam Russo,Little Low, Mike Koop, JSM, Chixdiggit, Sketchy Records, Ways Away,

We love year-end lists, so if you want to send yours in, please do. Half the fun is checking out bands we might’ve overlooked or totally missed, and your list might turn us on to our next favorite records of 2025

If your band is mentioned on the show and you’d prefer it removed, just let us know — no hard feelings. Everything we feature is purely to promote the bands and music we love and want others to check out. 

You can find High Fives Punk Rock Podcast on most streaming platforms. Please subscribe, like, leave a comment, or whatever you’re feeling. Honestly though, the best thing you can do is tell a friend to check us out — that helps us way more than anything else.

Find us online:

Instagram: @highfivespodcast

Upscrolled: @highfivespunkrock

Substack: @highfivespunkrockpodcast

High fives,
Mike & Justin ✋