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Pop Punk · Metalcore · Ocala, Florida

A Day To Remember

Formed in Ocala, Florida in 2003, A Day To Remember became one of the defining acts of the easycore movement — combining pop punk hooks with metalcore breakdowns in a way that nobody had quite managed before. Homesick, What Separates Me From You and Common Courtesy made them one of the most important heavy alternative bands of their generation.

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Formed
2003
Origin
Ocala, FL
Albums
8
Genre
Easycore
Latest Album
You're Welcome
Background

About A Day To Remember

A Day To Remember formed in Ocala, Florida in 2003, initially as a cover band before developing their own material. The original line-up centred on vocalist Jeremy McKinnon and guitarist Tom Denney, whose songwriting partnership would shape the band's early identity. Their sound from the start was deliberately hybrid: pop punk song structures and melodic vocals from one tradition, breakdown-heavy riffs and hardcore energy from another. The genre collision had a name almost immediately — easycore — and ADTR became its most prominent practitioners.

Their 2007 album For Those Who Have Heart broke them into the heavier alternative scene, but it was Homesick in 2009 that defined them. Released on Victory Records, it contained The Downfall of Us All, If It Means a Lot to You and Have Faith in Me — three songs that between them covered the full range of what ADTR could do. The album's ability to move from gang-vocal breakdowns to delicate acoustic passages within the same tracklist was something genuinely new, and it earned the band a fanbase that spanned punk, metal and mainstream alternative audiences simultaneously.

The years following Homesick were complicated by a high-profile legal dispute with Victory Records over royalties and creative control that dragged on for years. The band released Common Courtesy in 2013 independently, against their label's wishes — a decision that cost them commercially but earned enormous goodwill from fans. It remains one of their best-regarded records. Later albums on BBBBR and Fueled By Ramen brought cleaner production and more electronic elements, culminating in You're Welcome (2021), their most polished and mainstream-facing release to date.

Ranked

Top 10 A Day To Remember Songs

Ranked by songwriting craft, cultural impact, live reputation and how well each track represents what makes ADTR distinctive.

01
The Downfall of Us All
Homesick
The opening track on Homesick and the song that announced exactly what A Day To Remember were capable of. The intro riff is immediately recognisable, the gang vocals are enormous, and the breakdown hits harder than almost anything else in their catalogue. It remains their live centrepiece twenty years on — the song crowds know every word of regardless of which era of ADTR they came in through.
2009
02
If It Means a Lot to You
Homesick
ADTR's biggest emotional crossover moment and proof that Jeremy McKinnon could write a genuinely affecting ballad. The acoustic verses, the duet with Cassadee Pope (then of Hey Monday), the swell into the chorus — it's a piece of pop songwriting that stands entirely on its own terms, outside any genre label. It brought thousands of listeners to the band who had no interest in metalcore and never would.
2009
03
All I Want
What Separates Me From You
The lead single from What Separates Me From You and perhaps the purest distillation of the ADTR formula: the verse builds tension, the pre-chorus lifts, the chorus explodes. It's one of the catchiest songs they ever wrote, and the production from Jeremy McKinnon and Chad Gilbert gave it a brightness that made it feel genuinely radio-ready without sanding off the heavy edges.
2010
04
Have Faith in Me
Homesick
A slower, more melodic track that showcases McKinnon's range as a vocalist without any screaming at all. It's the song that convinced a lot of listeners that ADTR could operate entirely within the pop punk lane when they wanted to. The bridge in particular — building to a massive choral payoff — is one of the best moments on Homesick.
2009
05
Mr. Highway's Thinking About the End
Homesick
The heaviest song on Homesick and the one that satisfied fans who came from the metalcore side rather than pop punk. The breakdown is one of the most played-at live shows in their history — it's built for the pit. The contrast between its aggression and the acoustic vulnerability of If It Means a Lot to You on the same album is exactly what made Homesick such a complete statement.
2009
06
Sometimes You're the Hammer, Sometimes You're the Nail
Common Courtesy
The best song from Common Courtesy and a contender for the finest thing ADTR have recorded. It balances melody and heaviness with unusual sophistication, and the lyrics about perseverance in adversity — written during their legal battle with Victory Records — carry obvious personal weight. Live, the breakdown section has become one of the most anticipated moments in any ADTR set.
2013
07
Right Back at It Again
Common Courtesy
The opening track on Common Courtesy and one of ADTR's most immediately likeable songs. It leans fully into the pop punk side — fast, bright and hooky — without being soft. The drum intro is instantly recognisable. It's the song that tends to convert listeners who found The Downfall of Us All too heavy for them on first listen.
2013
08
2nd Sucks
What Separates Me From You
Under two minutes of barely-controlled energy — a hardcore sprint that ends almost before it starts. Its brevity is part of the appeal. It creates a brief moment of pure release between more complex tracks, and live it becomes a wall-of-sound moment that energises the room in a way longer songs can't. Short, purposeful and extremely effective.
2010
09
Paranoia
Bad Vibrations
From the Bad Vibrations era, Paranoia showed the band moving toward heavier, more aggressive production while keeping the melodic instincts intact. It was a deliberate pivot away from the more accessible direction of Common Courtesy and won back fans who felt the band had softened. The breakdown has a genuine menace that not everything in the ADTR catalogue manages.
2016
10
Resentment
You're Welcome
One of the strongest tracks from the most recent album and a sign that ADTR can still write genuinely compelling songs in their third decade. The production is slicker than earlier records, incorporating electronic elements without losing the core identity. The chorus is one of McKinnon's best vocal moments in years, and the heavy sections still hit with real conviction.
2021

For the full ranking see the best A Day To Remember songs guide.

Discography

A Day To Remember Albums: Where to Start

Every studio album with honest notes on who each one is for.

2005
And Their Name Was Treason
Start here if: you want the raw early sound
The debut, self-released when the band were teenagers. Raw production, heavier than what followed, and a useful document of where ADTR started before the pop punk elements became dominant. Not the best starting point but essential for completists.
2007
For Those Who Have Heart
Start here if: you want the breakthrough moment
The album that broke ADTR into the wider heavy alternative scene. The balance between pop punk and metalcore is less refined than Homesick but the energy is raw and convincing. The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle and Fast Forward to 2012 are fan favourites.
2009
Homesick
⭐ Best starting point
The album that defined A Day To Remember and the clearest distillation of everything the easycore genre could be. The Downfall of Us All, If It Means a Lot to You, Have Faith in Me and Mr. Highway's Thinking About the End are all here. Start here, always.
2010
What Separates Me From You
⭐ Second best starting point
The polished follow-up that pushed the pop punk hooks further without abandoning the heavy side. All I Want, 2nd Sucks and It's Complicated make it almost as strong as Homesick, and some fans prefer it for its tighter production.
2013
Common Courtesy
Start here if: you want the fan favourite
Released independently against Victory Records' wishes during a legal dispute, and all the more beloved for it. Right Back at It Again, Sometimes You're the Hammer... and I'm Already Gone are among the best songs in the catalogue. The context of the band fighting for creative independence gives it extra emotional weight.
2016
Bad Vibrations
Start here if: you want the heavier later era
A deliberate pivot back toward heavier territory, with darker lyrics and more aggressive production than Common Courtesy. Paranoia and Bad Vibrations are the standouts. A more intense listen than most of the catalogue — rewarding for existing fans, trickier for newcomers.
2021
You're Welcome
Start here if: you want current ADTR
Their most polished and commercially minded album, with electronic production elements and a cleaner sound than earlier records. Divisive among longtime fans but contains some of McKinnon's sharpest hook writing. Resentment and Degenerates are the picks.
History

A Day To Remember: Key Moments

2003
Formation in Ocala, Florida
A Day To Remember form as a cover band in Ocala before developing original material. Jeremy McKinnon joins as vocalist, with Tom Denney on guitar — a partnership that would shape the band's early sound and songwriting identity.
2005
Debut album self-released
And Their Name Was Treason is self-released while the band are still teenagers. It circulates in the hardcore and metalcore community and catches the attention of Victory Records, who sign the band and re-release it the following year.
2007
For Those Who Have Heart breaks them through
The second album marks the first time ADTR's dual pop punk and metalcore identity fully coheres. It introduces them to a wider alternative audience and establishes the band as one of the most exciting acts in the scene.
2009
Homesick defines the band
Homesick is released and immediately becomes the defining easycore album. The Downfall of Us All and If It Means a Lot to You reach audiences far beyond the scene. Tom Denney leaves the band the same year, replaced by Kevin Skaff.
2011
Legal dispute with Victory Records begins
ADTR file a lawsuit against Victory Records alleging unpaid royalties and breach of contract. The dispute becomes one of the most public label battles in the heavy alternative scene and drags on for years, affecting the band's release schedule and commercial momentum.
2013
Common Courtesy released independently
Against Victory Records' wishes and while legal proceedings are still active, ADTR release Common Courtesy independently. The decision costs them distribution but earns enormous fan loyalty. It debuts at number 9 on the Billboard 200 — a remarkable result for an independent release.
2016
Bad Vibrations and heavier direction
Bad Vibrations sees ADTR deliberately push toward heavier territory. The legal dispute with Victory Records is eventually settled. The band signs with BBBBR and later Fueled By Ramen, giving them stable label support for the first time in years.
2021
You're Welcome and mainstream pivot
You're Welcome is released after multiple pandemic-related delays. Its cleaner, more electronic sound divides opinion but demonstrates ADTR's continued commercial ambition. The album tours extensively once restrictions lift, reaffirming the band's status as a major live draw.
Test Yourself

A Day To Remember Trivia Quiz

Five questions — how many can you get right?

Where to Start

Best ADTR Songs by Listening Mood

Not sure where to begin? Use this as your entry point.

First song ever
All I Want
Signature track
The Downfall of Us All
Something emotional
If It Means a Lot to You
Pure heavy energy
Mr. Highway's Thinking About the End
Best pop punk moment
Right Back at It Again
Best deep cut
Sometimes You're the Hammer...
Best live track
The Downfall of Us All
Best recent track
Resentment
Questions

A Day To Remember FAQs

When did A Day To Remember form?
A Day To Remember formed in Ocala, Florida in 2003, initially as a cover band before developing their own material and eventually signing to Victory Records.
Who are the current members of A Day To Remember?
The current line-up is Jeremy McKinnon (lead vocals), Neil Westfall (rhythm guitar and vocals), Kevin Skaff (lead guitar and vocals), Joshua Woodard (bass) and Alex Shelnutt (drums). Original guitarist Tom Denney left in 2009 and was replaced by Kevin Skaff.
What genre are A Day To Remember?
A Day To Remember are most accurately described as easycore — a subgenre combining pop punk song structures and melodic vocals with metalcore breakdowns and hardcore energy. They are also variously labelled pop punk, post-hardcore and alternative metal depending on the album and the critic.
What is A Day To Remember's best song?
The Downfall of Us All is widely considered their signature track — the song that best represents what ADTR do and the one most fans would name first. If It Means a Lot to You is their biggest emotional crossover moment, and All I Want is their most immediately accessible pop punk anthem.
What is the best A Day To Remember album to start with?
Homesick (2009) is the clear starting point — it contains the band's most beloved songs across both their heavy and melodic sides, and defines what ADTR are about better than anything else they've recorded. What Separates Me From You (2010) is a strong second choice for new listeners.
What was the Victory Records dispute about?
ADTR filed a lawsuit against Victory Records in 2011 alleging unpaid royalties and breach of contract. The band released Common Courtesy in 2013 independently while the case was still active. The dispute was eventually settled, and the band subsequently moved to BBBBR and later Fueled By Ramen.
Can I play a rock guessing game with A Day To Remember tracks?
Yes — RockHeardle includes A Day To Remember tracks. Guess the song from a short audio clip, free to play.