As an epicenter for underground and DIY music, countless bands call Philadelphia home. Back in the ’90s and early 2000s, the hardcore scene flourished, populated by groups like Blacklisted, Paint It Black, and Ink & Dagger, who reunited with a string of hometown shows last year. That paved the way for pop-punk giants the Wonder Years in the mid-2000s and fourth-wave emo bands like Modern Baseball in the early 2010s, redefining the scene for a new generation. In the current day, Soul Glo, Sweet Pill, and others on Julia’s War — founded by TAGABOW’s Doug Dulgarian — are adding fresh energy to the local scene. With the topic on our minds, we wanted to know what our readers think are the best Philly bands, past and present. Find the top fan picks ranked below.
Read more: 10 most criminally underrated Circa Survive songs
5. The Menzingers
The Menzingers originated in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 2006, but relocated to Philly when they outgrew their hometown show circuit a couple of years later, around the same time the housing market crashed. As a result, the band lived together throughout their early days, writing, touring, and growing relentlessly. They’ve since embedded themselves in the Philly music scene, linking up with esteemed local producer Will Yip at Studio 4 — most famously for 2017’s After the Party. “The songs go through an amazing change with Will,” Greg Barnett said in 2019. “Some in obvious ways and some in not so obvious ways. I love the way he has become a member of our band. We can throw an idea at him, and he can make it a reality.”
4. Mannequin Pussy
Few punk bands have grown like Mannequin Pussy in recent years. 2016’s Romantic captured their controlled chaos well, but 2019’s Patience, helmed by Yip, was their breakout moment, acting as a punch to the gut. “We are a live band, but the goal for this record was also to be something that you could listen to as a solitary experience,” Marisa “Missy” Dabice told AP in 2024, right before releasing its follow-up, I Got Heaven. “But the live show is such an opportunity to express our collective creativity and engage in the collective rage that we have in a larger music community. People are looking for release.” See that for yourself below, where they play a packed hometown show at Union Transfer in 2021, just days after their van and gear had been stolen in Ohio.
3. The Starting Line
Despite forming nearby in Churchville, Pennsylvania around the late ’90s, the Starting Line maintain deep roots in Philly. They were major players in the early 2000s pop-punk and emo scenes, heightened by their signing to Drive-Thru Records. However, last year’s excellent reunion album, Eternal Youth, cemented them as true veterans. Of the scene, vocalist Kenny Vasoli says, “There’s something about it that just feels very genuine and doesn’t suffer fools lightly. It’s known for its brutal honesty, which I’ve come to really appreciate. I think people get a bad rap for being unfriendly here, but it’s not that. We’re just aggressive — even in our friendliness, we’re aggressive.”
2. Circa Survive
Upon Circa Survive’s formation in 2004, Anthony Green was surrounded by hype, having departed Saosin just as they were taking off with 2003’s Translating the Name. However, something greater was calling him, and that instinct resulted in one of his most beloved projects. Striking an intense balance between prog rock, post-hardcore, and experimentalism, Circa Survive became an integral part of the Philly scene, packing out their hometown shows (and ending their 2022 Blue Sky Noise anniversary tour with back-to-back nights at Union Transfer). Following an indefinite hiatus, they will return to their hometown for three nights at The Fillmore in September.
1. The Wonder Years
Overwhelmingly, our readers pointed to the Wonder Years as the greatest band from Philly — and it’s not hard to see why. Despite forming just outside of the city, they’re still tied to its local scene, frequently referencing it throughout their catalog. Some notable tracks include “It’s Never Sunny in South Philadelphia,” “Came Out Swinging,” and “The Paris of Nowhere,” the latter being an ode to his life in the city. Meanwhile, early staples shout out locations like Melrose Diner, Logan Circle, and Washington Square Park. This is a band that take pride in where they’re from, in the most heartfelt way possible.
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