Pierre: “It’s a toss-up between “Basket Case” by Green Day and “What’s My Age Again?” by blink-182. Both songs paved the way for all the pop-punk bands, like us, that followed in the early 2000s. “Basket Case” in 1994 was a huge hit and exposed the world to that angsty punk attitude combined with catchy melodies and hooky lyrics. Then in 1999, “What’s My Age Again?” pushed the pop side even further and was all over mainstream and pop radio around the world. You couldn’t turn the dial without hearing it.”

Chuck: “I absolutely agree with Pierre that it’s a tie between “Basket Case” and “What’s My Age Again?” for the two most influential pop-punk songs of all time. These two bands and songs changed everything for the pop-punk community and have defined the sound of the last 20 to 25 years of the scene. But to make it more fun, I’m gonna ignore these two and offer two alternatives: “Self-Esteem” by The Offspring, released in 1994 just like Dookie by Green Day, and “American Jesus” by Bad Religion, that came out in 1993. Smash, The Offspring’s album, sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and catapulted punk indie label Epitaph on top of the world, allowed them to sign and bring to mainstream success bands like Rancid and NOFX, fueling the rise of pop-punk and setting up the second explosion in 1999 when blink-182 released Enema of the State. And Bad Religion influenced all these bands years before: Recipe for Hate, their 1993 album, was their first release on Atlantic after leaving Epitaph, giving pop-punk bands the permission to sign to major labels and aim for mainstream success.”

Which pop-punk song do you wish you had written and why?

Pierre: “The Descendents’ “I’m The One.” This one is a little more punk than pop, but I remember being blown away when I heard it for the first time in 1997. I love Milo [Aukerman’s] growly vocals and the ripping guitars throughout the song. It’s catchy, but badass and makes you want to jump around in the mosh pit with your fists in the air.”

Chuck “There’s so many amazing pop-punk songs I wish I had written, and this is such a difficult question to answer. I hesitated between “Linoleum” or “Lori Meyer” from NOFX’s classic Punk In Drublic album, “Move Along” by The All-American Rejects (I got shivers down my spine when I first heard that chorus… so powerful and emotional) or even The Ataris’ iconic “San Dimas High School Football Rules,” but at the end of the day, the one song I always go back to as my favorite is “Going Away To College” by blink-182. It’s my favorite off Enema of the State, an album that completely changed my life. I remember coming home with an advanced copy of the record that Mark Hoppus gave to me a few months before it was released, and I knew after one listen that it would change the whole game. That song was so poignant and powerful to me. I never understood why they didn’t release it as a single. I think it would have been an incredible fourth single and would have made the band even bigger — if that’s even possible.”