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Marianas Trench is a pop punk/pop rock/prog pop theatrecore* band from Vancouver, Canada. I’ve been a fan of these guys since grade 7 and they still are to this day my favourite band of all time.
It’s really hard to pin them down to a single genre since they’ve thrown everything from acapella to classical in their music over time but they started out as a pop punk band originally. They make mostly concept albums (nearly all their albums have some kind of story behind them) and Josh Ramsay (lead singer, guy in the red pants) is an amazing songwriter and vocalist. All 4 members can sing as well, even the drummer (hence the awesome 4 part harmonies!)
Of course I’m a little biased but I think they’re definitely one of the most unique and underrated bands out there and I really wish more people knew about their music.
If you’re a fan of pop punk, musical theatre arrangements or just musicians that actually do something different than everyone else for once please give them a listen!
*my personal made up genre name for them!
Album Ratings
Fix Me (2006)
7/10
Their only non concept album. As a tween my music taste was more on the pop side so I didn't really appriciate this album for what it was back then. It grew on me over time and I think it's pretty underrated tbh.
Masterpiece Theatre (2009)
10/10
In case it wasn't already obvious by the colour palette of this page this is my favourite album of theirs! :D it's the album that introduced me to them in the first place and it's Broadway musical inspired with rock mixed in (aka, me-coded) All of the songs are ✨iconique✨ and I love how the final song has little callbacks to every other song on the album. This is peak MT right here!
Ever After (2012)
9.9/10
The concept for this one is based on an original fairytale that Josh wrote (which someone has reposted here) Very Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland inspired which I also love (and also very me-coded). This album is especially cool because if you listen to the songs in order each song fades into the next one! The only reason why it's not rated a 10 is because I like MPT a wee bit more lol. But this one is my second favourite.
Astoria (2016)
7.6/10
Astoria is 80s inspired (a decade I wasn't even alive for so I can't say much lol) Josh said at the time this album came out that he was going through a lot of personal struggles (his mother was very ill, relationship problems etc.) so some of the songs on here are pretty emotional. The song Forget Me Not actually makes me tear up nearly every time i hear it.
Phantoms (2019)
6/10
Phantoms, my beloathed (not really lol) but yeah this is my least favourite one. Edgar Allen Poe inspired, but also somehow the most synth poppy album they've done so far. At the time it came out I was really starting to miss the guitars :( The only reason why it even got a 6 is due to The Killing Kind (which is one of the best closers they've ever done imo)
Haven (2024)
8.5/10
This one’s a concept album based off The Hero’s Journey plots in stories, so each song represents one part of the journey. Idk how they managed to do it but this album was somehow a perfect mix of their old and new stuff (was very happy to hear the guitars again!) It was a really nice way to wrap up the saga that started with Masterpiece Theatre onwards. I'm curious to see what they'll do next!
Song Recs
Thanks to the ppl @ r/MarianasTrench for the help!
if you prefer heavier music
- Say Anything
- Shake Tramp
- Cross My Heart
- Alive Again
- All to Myself
- Feeling Small
- Low
- Far From Here
- September
if you prefer poppier music
- Glimmer
- Haven't Had Enough
- Who Do You Love
- Only The Lonely Survive
- Down To You
- Truth Or Dare
- Wish You Were Here
- Remember Me By
- Pop 101 (*this is a song poking fun at pop music)
if you want something chill/acoustic
- Alibis
- Beside You
- Forget Me Not
- Good To You (ft. Kate Voegele)
- So It Goes
- Nights Like These
personal faves
- Cross My Heart
- Celebrity Status
- Stutter
- Who Do You Love
- A Normal Life
- Masterpiece Theatre III
- Desperate Measures
- ...honestly just the entirety of Masterpiece Theatre lol
if you want something epic/dramatic/musical theatre-y
refer to this playlist!
Bonus: Josh did a cover of Defying Gravity from Wicked (it's really good!)