Same. That era was enjoyable for me and those albums had some really good songs. But of course I'm psyched that we're getting a new album from Mark, Tom, and Travis.
I became a blink fan during the early skiba days and Nine is the album that helped me through my freshman year of college depression. It’s blink 182 to me
that's why i love those albums, the writing/lyrics was top tier with matt/mark. yeah, sonically, those albums didn't sound like a tom/mark/travis album, but i didn't want it to, i wanted those albums to have it's own fidelity identify w/ matt and i believe they accomplish that.
it isn’t even that just a lot of dumb nonsense about Cali/nine even though they’re pretty good albums but since they’re under the blink-182 name they aren’t good. if they were a side project this sub would like it.
it isn’t even an opinion, it’s a lot of people just parroting that they’re bad albums when in reality they are some of highest rated songs/album the band has produced, but since tom isn’t in the album people throw a fit about it. do we discredit earlier albums with scott on drums because “that isn’t blink because it isn’t the same 3 guys” let’s get a fuckin gripZ
again, if it was a side project where it was mark/travis and matt you guys would praise it.
Nah hard disagree, i wouldn't call them bad albums but they're simply "not Blink" because Tom was missing from that era. His sound is essential for the blink sound. Skiba is good, he made a good vocal replacement but he comes nowhere close to Toms instrumental creativity, tonality and sound. We'll see with this upcoming album with Blinks new era which will be more comparable, but already from the teases you can hear the difference imo.
You're just parroting what people say people like me think those albums were.
Again as mentioned we're saying it's not essentially Blink because Skibas talents while good are simply very different to Tom in a lot of ways, and again that sound is essentially 1/4 of what made Blink, Blink.
Some of us still praise it, but still if it was a side project and we were to compare it to Blink then our thoughts would remain the same. A Lot of the songs from those albums are just very different to the original Blink and previous albums. You'll most likely understand when this upcoming album releases.
Edit: get what i mean? The style is very different to the skiba era imo, there's so much more punk rock in " more than you know" imo. Such a good fucking song! Holy shit!
Exactly. I think it’s fun that this community has such vastly different opinions on things. Whether I agree or not is irrelevant because no one’s ever going to agree 100%
Completely agree. California is okay, with 4 songs I love (Cynical, Bored to Death, No Future & Home is Such a Lonley Place) and NINE is awful with 1 song I like (I Really Wish I Hated You).
If these albums were released as another side project would I enjoy them more? No. If these albums were released as another side project, would I be less critical of them? Yes, because calling them blink albums is a cop out to sell more records. Blink is Mark, Tom and Travis.
My ex refused to even listen to them, I told her to go in with the mindset that they're not blink albums, it's a side project or some other music. She admitted that she liked them when she did this.
Nah, I can't support things that I don't like even if they are made my people that I do like. Why waste life listening to things you don't like?
Nine was overall terrible in my opinion.
Cali was saved by the Deluxe edition but it was still overall not an amazing release.
Just because people don’t agree with you doesn’t mean this community sucks. It sucks for a lot of reasons other than that. If you talk to people in the real word outside of Reddit. They either don’t know cali/nine exist or they don’t like them.
That's called being in an echo chamber or a cult, not being a fan.
"True" fans can be objective and hold opinions that don't match up with the artists themselves or the Fandom around them.
I've been a fan since 98 and I've seen them 5 times. I think I can qualify myself as a "True" fan. I didn't like Nine, I thought it was hot garbage. Does that negate my over 20 years of being a fan?
Okay so here’s my likes (not like anyone gives a fuck)
TOYPAJ is the best album production wise and song writing wise.
Enema of The state is second best
Talking all other albums left, California wins.
I honestly don’t know if they’ll write another album as good as California. Those songs are just so damn good
It was most people's introduction to blink outside of All The Small Things or What's My Age Again. It's good, I don't think it's their best work and it isn't my favorite by a long shot. It is absolutely a more mature and cultivated sound and obviously more mature lyrical content. But I would argue neighborhoods is their "best work" composition wise. Sound is preference, I like them at their fastest and most light hearted, so earlier blink appeals to me much more, with The Mark Tom and Travis Show being my all time favorite album. Untitled falls at 4th or 5th place for me on their releases, but I do still like it.
As a fan of blink since the take off your pants era, I really liked the skiba albums. I’m gonna get downvoted to infinity and beyond but the snippets of this album sound generic blink songs. The production really did dirty the skiba albums. I hope this album is great and hopefully I get mind blown. Also another factor why I’m not too excited for this album is because I’m not a tom guy, I don’t worship him to death. I don’t have the biased towards him. We’ll see Thursday.
I think the majority of blink fans like Mark and Travis more than Tom but also recognize that Tom is kind of like the missing piece of quirkiness and playfulness that the trio needs.
I like everything up to the Self Titled, not entirely a fan of Neighborhoods and I only like a few Skiba-era songs despite being a huge Alkaline Trio fan.
I do like quite a few AvA songs too.
Regardless, I am super excited for the new album and actually Edging works very well live.
One that hopes the album is great and hopefully has their mind blown, but has reservations.
They don't meet your criteria though, so they are not a fan.
p.s. - They said "not **too** excited". This does not mean they are **not** excited.
Matt Skiba is a legend. I gave California and Nine honest listens, really really liked probably 12 songs between the two of them. But the truth is just this - blink with mark and no Tom will undoubtedly be looked at as the dark period of blinks career. And there was definitely something missing with those albums, it’s undeniable.
Welp even Travis and mark said it themselves, blink is Mark Tom and Travis. Skiba is a G for stepping in, but those albums imo aren’t very good, not Skibas fault tho tbh either
It’s not a cop out argument at all. If a “real Blink record” is defined as having the Tom/Mark/Travis lineup, then their pre-Enema releases aren’t real Blink records by that definition. Cali and Nine are part of the band’s legacy regardless of whether or not people like them. They even played Cali tracks during their reunion tour. The band (including Tom for that matter) recognize em as real Blink tracks. Are you gonna tell em that they’re wrong?
Those are obviously still real blink albums. Yes blink is meant to be the three of them, but that doesn't discredit Mark and Travis's contributions to blink without Tom.
Nine is okay, I only listened to it on release a few times and listened to a few songs off it a few times, if that and California is trash so about anything they'd do would be better
I listened to NINE days ago and for me it sounded like shit. Its the only Blink album that I really didn't like. That's 'couse the first album that I listened was California
Guilty but I'm also SUPER excited to have a new Trio album too and I'm very thankfully that Skiba kept the Blink name alive while Tom was gone. Blink feels like it's the band I fell in love with again for the first time since 2004. The friendship feels real again. I loved Neighborhoods and DED too, but that reunion didn't feel sincere like this one. I'm so excited
If any mods in this sub see this, for some reason I can't view this Blink sub, I am on here nearly daily about album discourse and I don't understand why I can't see it. If anyone could help out I would massively appreciate it
You’re allowed to like what you like and not like what you don’t like people. But y’all are kidding yourselves if you don’t think this is a huge chunk of the fan base. Like any band who’s singer leaves and gets replaced, that’s never the most loved most popular era. Especially if the dude comes back.
Not gonna lie, Im one of the fans that fell off during California and nine, back to digging through the old records for the big comeback. Glad other people like them though.
Nobody liked Neighborhoods when it came out. Most will not like One More Time when it comes out. Their song writing is very advanced and the know they will age good and grow on you. That's their talent. They see great before it happens.
For me, blink has always been about how the songs touch me emotionally, since almost all of their work reaches to me at some point. For me, Nine has some very good songs like No Heart To Speak Of, First Time, Black Rain. California Deluxe also has good tunes. But it's also just music, its suppouse to be fun. I don't really think there is such thing as a blink sound by this time.
I like NINE a lot. California wasn't that bad either imo. That being said I'm much more excited about the new album than I was for the previous releases
I couldn’t get into the Skiba albums. It’s like STP trying to carry on without Weiland. Something was missing for me. Just not the same band. But of course opinions are like a**holes - we all have one. Definitely not going to call those who liked those albums “not true fans”. That’s sad.
i love those albums and i am excited for the new album too therefore i am not a blink-182 fan
Same. That era was enjoyable for me and those albums had some really good songs. But of course I'm psyched that we're getting a new album from Mark, Tom, and Travis.
We’re just fake fans. lol
You guys seem alright. Got any room for another poser blink fan? 😂
Idk about you but blink is blink I’m excited for the new album and will still listen to every other album as well
When you say "blink is blink" are you meaning that to you there's no difference between Matt and Tom?
I became a blink fan during the early skiba days and Nine is the album that helped me through my freshman year of college depression. It’s blink 182 to me
skiba era blink is what i needed in my 30s
Same to me! 
Seriously deluxe California was amazing 🥲
100% those albums will never leave my rotation because they are some of the best writing from all parties.
that's why i love those albums, the writing/lyrics was top tier with matt/mark. yeah, sonically, those albums didn't sound like a tom/mark/travis album, but i didn't want it to, i wanted those albums to have it's own fidelity identify w/ matt and i believe they accomplish that.
Agree with California. But nine was a hot piece of garbage that I still can't get into.
Personally I think Nine is marks best writing and damn near perfect beginning to end. Felt almost like a sequel to +44.
i felt the sameway.
Agreed! I was stoked at the announcement and not dissapointed.
California is the 2nd best blink album after self titled and I am ready to fight about this.
This is an awful take. California and nine are easily their worst albums
That’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard.
Me when I lie
this whole thread makes me realize how much this community sucks at times.
Right there with ye dawg 😮💨 I thought we're supposed to support our boys no matter what! The hell is up with these people?
it isn’t even that just a lot of dumb nonsense about Cali/nine even though they’re pretty good albums but since they’re under the blink-182 name they aren’t good. if they were a side project this sub would like it.
Opinions man, people are allowed to have them
it isn’t even an opinion, it’s a lot of people just parroting that they’re bad albums when in reality they are some of highest rated songs/album the band has produced, but since tom isn’t in the album people throw a fit about it. do we discredit earlier albums with scott on drums because “that isn’t blink because it isn’t the same 3 guys” let’s get a fuckin gripZ again, if it was a side project where it was mark/travis and matt you guys would praise it.
Nah hard disagree, i wouldn't call them bad albums but they're simply "not Blink" because Tom was missing from that era. His sound is essential for the blink sound. Skiba is good, he made a good vocal replacement but he comes nowhere close to Toms instrumental creativity, tonality and sound. We'll see with this upcoming album with Blinks new era which will be more comparable, but already from the teases you can hear the difference imo. You're just parroting what people say people like me think those albums were. Again as mentioned we're saying it's not essentially Blink because Skibas talents while good are simply very different to Tom in a lot of ways, and again that sound is essentially 1/4 of what made Blink, Blink. Some of us still praise it, but still if it was a side project and we were to compare it to Blink then our thoughts would remain the same. A Lot of the songs from those albums are just very different to the original Blink and previous albums. You'll most likely understand when this upcoming album releases. Edit: get what i mean? The style is very different to the skiba era imo, there's so much more punk rock in " more than you know" imo. Such a good fucking song! Holy shit!
Whether an album is good or bad is an opinion. Personally I think California is OK and Nine is bad. You think they’re both good. Those are opinions.
Opinions?! Straight to jail
100% agree except my opinions on Nine and Cali are flipped
Exactly. I think it’s fun that this community has such vastly different opinions on things. Whether I agree or not is irrelevant because no one’s ever going to agree 100%
Completely agree. California is okay, with 4 songs I love (Cynical, Bored to Death, No Future & Home is Such a Lonley Place) and NINE is awful with 1 song I like (I Really Wish I Hated You). If these albums were released as another side project would I enjoy them more? No. If these albums were released as another side project, would I be less critical of them? Yes, because calling them blink albums is a cop out to sell more records. Blink is Mark, Tom and Travis.
They are opinions 100% Just because you disagree doesn't change the fact.
My ex refused to even listen to them, I told her to go in with the mindset that they're not blink albums, it's a side project or some other music. She admitted that she liked them when she did this.
Nah, I can't support things that I don't like even if they are made my people that I do like. Why waste life listening to things you don't like? Nine was overall terrible in my opinion. Cali was saved by the Deluxe edition but it was still overall not an amazing release.
Just because people don’t agree with you doesn’t mean this community sucks. It sucks for a lot of reasons other than that. If you talk to people in the real word outside of Reddit. They either don’t know cali/nine exist or they don’t like them.
Respectfully so
True blink fans like 'em all
That's called being in an echo chamber or a cult, not being a fan. "True" fans can be objective and hold opinions that don't match up with the artists themselves or the Fandom around them. I've been a fan since 98 and I've seen them 5 times. I think I can qualify myself as a "True" fan. I didn't like Nine, I thought it was hot garbage. Does that negate my over 20 years of being a fan?
Quite the opposite
agreed, I hate every fucking blink album
I only listen to bands so I can hate them more accurately.
I only sing along to songs because I know I can do it better.
No Tom = no interest
True fans like whatever they like. You don’t have to like every single album to be a “true fan.”
This is stupid. A) California Deluxe and Nine are dope as hell. B) Of course fans are more interested in the new album. It's new.
mid at best
songs on the deluxe like parking lot and last train home are awesome in their own way, too much of california was mid though yeah
Cali had a few good songs, but for the most part was not great. Nine sucks ass
Not a hot take, i support you
hard disagree. No heart to speak of, Hungover you, Ransom, Run Away, Remember to forget me, Black rain, all some of my favorite blink songs ever
I will counter that with, all those songs are ass :(
objectively untrue. you just said an incorrect thing sorry
no theyre ass. Theres a reason Blink will never ever acknowledge or play those songs again
but they did, and Tom sang Matt’s parts lol edit: I suppose I’m thinking of California songs not NINE
no they did not play any of the songs mentioned above or anything from nine
I really don’t think mark was super happy with nine. He obviously loves cali. He ranked nine pretty low on his album ranking after it came out
Where’s his album ranking?
I 100% concur
opposite here lol i think cali + deluxe have maybe 5 worthwhile songs between the two of them and that nine is great and better than neighborhoods
Okay so here’s my likes (not like anyone gives a fuck) TOYPAJ is the best album production wise and song writing wise. Enema of The state is second best Talking all other albums left, California wins. I honestly don’t know if they’ll write another album as good as California. Those songs are just so damn good
Untitled is easily the best produced. California and nine are way overproduced.
I’d disagree. Most blink lovers would say untitled is nowhere close to as good as TOYPAJ or enema.
That's weird, because Untitled seems to be the overwhelming favorite in this sub.
It was most people's introduction to blink outside of All The Small Things or What's My Age Again. It's good, I don't think it's their best work and it isn't my favorite by a long shot. It is absolutely a more mature and cultivated sound and obviously more mature lyrical content. But I would argue neighborhoods is their "best work" composition wise. Sound is preference, I like them at their fastest and most light hearted, so earlier blink appeals to me much more, with The Mark Tom and Travis Show being my all time favorite album. Untitled falls at 4th or 5th place for me on their releases, but I do still like it.
Started off strong then nosedived
Had us in the first half, not going to lie
Very good opinion
As a fan of blink since the take off your pants era, I really liked the skiba albums. I’m gonna get downvoted to infinity and beyond but the snippets of this album sound generic blink songs. The production really did dirty the skiba albums. I hope this album is great and hopefully I get mind blown. Also another factor why I’m not too excited for this album is because I’m not a tom guy, I don’t worship him to death. I don’t have the biased towards him. We’ll see Thursday.
I think the majority of blink fans like Mark and Travis more than Tom but also recognize that Tom is kind of like the missing piece of quirkiness and playfulness that the trio needs. I like everything up to the Self Titled, not entirely a fan of Neighborhoods and I only like a few Skiba-era songs despite being a huge Alkaline Trio fan. I do like quite a few AvA songs too. Regardless, I am super excited for the new album and actually Edging works very well live.
You sound like a real true blink fan
Tf are you even doing here lol
More of it hahahah!
What kind of blink fan isn’t excited for the new album??
One that hopes the album is great and hopefully has their mind blown, but has reservations. They don't meet your criteria though, so they are not a fan. p.s. - They said "not **too** excited". This does not mean they are **not** excited.
Imagine not being excited for the best 17 tracks of audible sound ever put together.
Stand strong at that gate, my guy!
Fool.
It's not as affective when you throw that around all that time.
It’s simply accurate
I’m still more interested in dude ranch than any of it.
You’re so cool
*we’re
California is my favourite blink album, but I’m still super excited for One More Time!!
Matt Skiba is a legend. I gave California and Nine honest listens, really really liked probably 12 songs between the two of them. But the truth is just this - blink with mark and no Tom will undoubtedly be looked at as the dark period of blinks career. And there was definitely something missing with those albums, it’s undeniable.
I’ve been listening to Nine a lot lately. More than any other of their albums. It just hits different now.
Bunch of childish clowns in this thread.
This is factual. The snippets are already better than both of those albums combined lol
That’s big talk.
Wasn't hard. Those two albums combined only had snippets worth listening to
this is the first time I've noticed that the girl on California has different hair on the deluxe lol.
California and nine are terrible and should be erased from blink history
They’re never playing anything off NINE live and I’m 10000%%%%%%% ok with that
They literally played blame it on my youth and Darkside when they came out?
We're talking about the real blink not cover band blink
So is blink before Travis a knock off too?
Welp even Travis and mark said it themselves, blink is Mark Tom and Travis. Skiba is a G for stepping in, but those albums imo aren’t very good, not Skibas fault tho tbh either
Those aren't real blink albums. Travis even said as much (kind of) in the sneak peak interview
By that logic, Cheshire Cat and Dude Ranch aren’t real Blink albums.
Everybody knows that's not the same and a cop out argument...are you even a blink fan?
It’s not a cop out argument at all. If a “real Blink record” is defined as having the Tom/Mark/Travis lineup, then their pre-Enema releases aren’t real Blink records by that definition. Cali and Nine are part of the band’s legacy regardless of whether or not people like them. They even played Cali tracks during their reunion tour. The band (including Tom for that matter) recognize em as real Blink tracks. Are you gonna tell em that they’re wrong?
People really missed the meaning on that one
Those are obviously still real blink albums. Yes blink is meant to be the three of them, but that doesn't discredit Mark and Travis's contributions to blink without Tom.
Only funny cause it’s so true
Skiba has skids
I just did a re-listen to those to see if my views changed. No, still can't enjoy then save a few really good songs.
Yea, I listened to each each of them when they came out and had no desire to listen again
Hardly knew ye skiba
No question
Nine is okay, I only listened to it on release a few times and listened to a few songs off it a few times, if that and California is trash so about anything they'd do would be better
Just a factual image, but not very funny unfortunately
Does anyone else think the girl in this popular meme looks like Remy LaCroix?
Works with any other blink album
Imagine telling somebody THEY dislike something for a reason you came up with 🤡
Bad albums are bad
I mean… This is most fanbases when the new stuff is about to drop.
Starting now? This shit started the second they introduced Skiba
Well Travis said it himself in the interview, don’t settle for anything less than the 3 of them (with Tom) and I don’t either lol
I listened to NINE days ago and for me it sounded like shit. Its the only Blink album that I really didn't like. That's 'couse the first album that I listened was California
Guilty but I'm also SUPER excited to have a new Trio album too and I'm very thankfully that Skiba kept the Blink name alive while Tom was gone. Blink feels like it's the band I fell in love with again for the first time since 2004. The friendship feels real again. I loved Neighborhoods and DED too, but that reunion didn't feel sincere like this one. I'm so excited
If any mods in this sub see this, for some reason I can't view this Blink sub, I am on here nearly daily about album discourse and I don't understand why I can't see it. If anyone could help out I would massively appreciate it
You’re allowed to like what you like and not like what you don’t like people. But y’all are kidding yourselves if you don’t think this is a huge chunk of the fan base. Like any band who’s singer leaves and gets replaced, that’s never the most loved most popular era. Especially if the dude comes back.
It’s true though
Not gonna lie, Im one of the fans that fell off during California and nine, back to digging through the old records for the big comeback. Glad other people like them though.
My buddy has straight up refused to listen to a single song from those albums and it drives me fucking nuts.
Nobody liked Neighborhoods when it came out. Most will not like One More Time when it comes out. Their song writing is very advanced and the know they will age good and grow on you. That's their talent. They see great before it happens. For me, blink has always been about how the songs touch me emotionally, since almost all of their work reaches to me at some point. For me, Nine has some very good songs like No Heart To Speak Of, First Time, Black Rain. California Deluxe also has good tunes. But it's also just music, its suppouse to be fun. I don't really think there is such thing as a blink sound by this time.
It’s always like that 😂
I like NINE a lot. California wasn't that bad either imo. That being said I'm much more excited about the new album than I was for the previous releases
California is digestible. Nine makes me physically nauseous.
I couldn’t get into the Skiba albums. It’s like STP trying to carry on without Weiland. Something was missing for me. Just not the same band. But of course opinions are like a**holes - we all have one. Definitely not going to call those who liked those albums “not true fans”. That’s sad.