Are Superheaven and Basement TikTok Bands?

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Welcome back everyone to the No Skip Blog! Today we will be delving into the TikTok triumph of emo bands.

Emo grunge has always been an underground genre, tailored for the doomer incel dudes with an immense array of guitar effects and an equally hefty dose of gatekeeping. However, it hasn't diminished the songs and bands from being absolutely awesome, brimming with a plethora of innovation and profound emotion, in 2023 something truly unexpected occurred. Two pioneers of the early 2010s emo grunge scene, Basement and Superheaven, have experienced a surge in popularity that has elevated their monthly listeners despite both bands being inactive for years. This resurgence is attributed to their success on TikTok. But why did this happen? And what implications does this hold for the future of this genre?

Emo music finds itself in a rather unique position at the moment with a surge of late 2010s bands, more closely associated with midwest emo, gaining commercial prominence — think The Front Buttons, Hot Mulligan, Mom Jeans, and Modern Baseball — owed to a robust social media presence. Whether through their own efforts or as part of a TikTok trend, the genre is expanding. We stand on the cusp of another commercial zenith for emo music. But what about the bands that have been dormant for a while with an even more niche sound?

Emo grunge happens to be one of my favorite subgenres, blending two of my preferred sounds into a symphony of beautiful waves with raw, visceral emotion that defines emo music. Bands like Citizen, Balance and Composure, Title Fight, and early Turnover were true innovators of the early 2010s, pushing the boundaries of emo. Yet, two of the most notable names were Pennsylvania’s Superheaven and the UK’s Basement. With two exceptional albums at the turn of the decade, Superheaven's 2013 release Jar, and Basement's 2012 record Colourmeinkindness, this propelled the genre forward, leaving an unforgettable mark on the small but passionate community that has grown around this subgenre. Looking ahead Superheaven would go on to release one more album, Ours is Chrome, in 2015, delving even deeper into grunge territory. Meanwhile, Basement would release two additional albums, Promise Everything in 2017 and Beside Myself in 2018. Yet, after these releases both bands fell silent, sporadically playing shows and touring. However, even without new music for years they are now bigger than ever. Superheaven has sold out the majority of their 10-year anniversary tour for Jar. But why? TikTok.

Both bands have been featured in a variety of TikToks, showcasing their two most popular hits, Superheaven's Youngest Daughter and Basement's Covet. Now they've gained millions of streams in a remarkably short span of time, soaring from around 200k monthly listeners to nearly 2 million each at the time of this writing. From my research, many of these TikToks range from being entertaining memes to categorizing the bands as "divorced dad rock," a term used to describe bands from the late '90s and early 2000s that dominated the airwaves, such as Staind, Nickelback, and Seether. Specifically, bands that spearheaded the post-grunge movement were subsequently running it into the ground. However, Superheaven and Basement don't have much in common with those bands aside from their shared influences from the grunge scene of the early '90s. But, I believe there's much more to it.

Throughout the early 2020s we've witnessed the resurgence of nu-metal and shoegaze courtesy of TikTok, particularly with the younger generation, Gen Z. This is evident in the resurgence of Limp Bizkit, Korn, and especially Deftones, who have become favorites among goth girls everywhere. No longer is their fanbase confined to sweaty middle-aged men; it now encompasses a blend of them and alt girls who would stomp on your head and not feel bad about it. With this influx of Gen Z alt TikTokers they're bound to seek something beyond the introductory bands, something to expand their musical horizons. In this context, bands like Superheaven and Basement are the perfect candidates for this crossover of emo, alternative rock, and grunge.

Even though I wouldn't necessarily classify these two as "divorced dad rock," as long as they're gaining traction it's a win-win. If they end up being grouped with the resurgence of bands like Nickelback and Daughtry, so be it. Now you might be sitting behind your keyboard clenching your teeth and balling your fists thinking how dreadful it is that TikTok fans are discovering your favorite bands, but truthfully it's a wonderful thing. Ultimately, we should be cheering for our favorite bands to thrive and reach new audiences. I often see folks in music forums and groups griping about "normie" music, yet those very same people get upset when casual fans stumble upon their favorite bands, adopting a hypocritical stance that hinders the growth of these bands. Witnessing the success of your favorite bands can be tough because it means relinquishing a certain level of exclusivity but you want to see them succeed, right? Make no mistake, I know I'll never catch Hot Mulligan in the basement of a pizza shop again but nevertheless, it's incredibly gratifying to witness their growth and evolution and to see so many people embracing emo music. Now they're even opening for Fall Out Boy.

Honestly, TikTok is doing wonders for the emo and alternative scene and music at large. We've witnessed numerous bands emerge from the DIY scene thanks to social media, including Heart Attack Man, Saturdays at Your Place, and Prince Daddy and the Hyena. Simultaneously, we've seen bands kick start their careers like TRSH and Dear Maryanne. Social media provides a much more efficient way for bands to connect with their target audience than slogging through the DIY local scene and hoping for a break. This has instigated a complete shift in the music industry, offering more agency to individuals and making it easier to delve deeper into their interests. As a result, more obscure bands are poised to be bigger than ever before. In the case of Superheaven, Basement, Title Fight, and other bands in the emo grunge and emogaze sphere they've managed to tap into an entirely new audience that may have never discovered them without platforms like TikTok. With this surge in numbers perhaps these bands will be more inclined to release new music and embark on tours once again. One can only hope.

As alway, thanks for reading and happy listening!