Recommendation for the Week, 10/10-10/16

High school. For some, it was the most glorious days of our lives. For others, it was the awkward time where you had to put up with a bunch of idiots before you got to college and left it all behind. Whatever clique, demographic, or mindset you fell under during those dreaded/wonderful four years, however, one thing is always constant: teen angst. It could have come in the form of a big test, a crazy boyfriend/girlfriend, the side effects of a drunken mistake, or any other crazy story you can tell me about your high school. Love it or hate it, there's no denying that your high school years caused you to do a great deal of growing up (whether you choose to do it or not, however, is a completely different story), and that brings us to this week's recommendation. This is my top ten teen angst songs, the songs that helped me find something to hold onto, something to let me know that someone else knew what I was going through (as cliche as that sounds).

10. Good Charlotte- "The Anthem": Alright, I know what you're thinking: how could a horrible band like Good Charlotte get into this list? Truth is, I'm not even sure why its in here. But there's something magnetic about  "The Anthem" that just attracts the misguided youths of today, even though Good Charlotte's punk ways (and talent, for that matter) have gone by the wayside in recent years. Regardless, confused high school kids will find something to connect to almost immediately in this song, making it a perfect fit for a teen angst playlist.
Most Angsty Line: "At my high school, it felt more to me like a jail cell, a penitentiary."

9. Matchbook Romance- "My Eyes Burn": While it can be argued that this belongs more to the break-up playlist I constructed last week, it seems that teen angst and heartbreak have become synonymous over the years, and "My Eyes Burn" is the prefect mix of the two. While "Monsters" is by far the most notable song from MbR's career, there is certainly a great amount of respect paid to the emo classic Stories and Alibis, the band's first full-length. "My Eyes Burn" continues to carry youths through tough times today, and the fact that the band who wrote it broke up years ago shows how powerful and relatable the song truly is.
Most Angsty Line: "Sometimes I feel like I could drop off the face of the Earth. It seems I do more harm than good, I don't know if it's worth me losing sleep over this."

8. Atreyu- "Lip Gloss and Black": While Atreyu released Congregation of the Damned last year, it can be said that they're not even a band anymore. Their meteoric decline from a heartfelt screamo band to the sad attempt at radio rock they are now occurred almost as fast as their rise to the top of the metalcore scene. However, they were thankfully able to bless us with "Lip Gloss and Black," a self-destruction set to Atreyu's dual-guitar attack and perfect balance of clean and screamed vocals. "Lip Gloss and Black" is still the song they end their sets with, and considering Atreyu have released four albums since Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (where the song made its debut), there is still a replay value that not only keeps older Atreyu fans coming back for more, but intrigues legions of new ones as well.
Most Angsty Line: "I'll show you that place in my chest where my heart still tries to beat."

7. Taking Back Sunday- "You Are So Last Summer": Another song that could have been included in the break-up playlist, but this song just feels more at home in the teen angst songs because of its self-examining nature. Adam Lazarra croons throughout the tack in one of his finer vocal performances, and this track is one of many stellar ones off of the band's classic Tell All Your Friends. In addition to the video for this song being awesome, there's also a deeper meaning of the song that can be found in the band's live show, as legions of jaded teenagers shout Lazarra's lyrics back at him.
Most Angsty Line: "She said 'Don't let it go to your head, boys like you are a dime a dozen.'"

6. Senses Fail- "Bite to Break Skin": Throughout the lengthy career of Senses Fail, Buddy Neilson's honest, revealing lyrics have given teens a new hero to look up to, even if Neilson is kind of on the short side. Regardless, "Bite to Break Skin" may be the song we look back on as Senses Fail's best contribution to the scene. The killer intro riff to the song, in addition to the song's impeccable breakdown ending add up to a swirl of emotion that ignites the soul of the inner teenager in all of us. While Senses Fail has pushed forward to release three full-lengths since "Bite to Break Skin" appeared on Let it Enfold You (The Fire hits stores next Tuesday, October 19th), the song's lasting power has added to the band's longevity, giving Neilson even more opportunities to bear it all on each release.
Most Angsty Line: "Angels are rendered useless, good has lost its heart."

5. Sum 41- "Motivation": While "Fat Lip" was my first introduction to Sum 41, it was "Motivation" that really drew me into the band. And while most fans of the band will point to "Still Waiting" or "The Hell's Song" as the band's best work, it's "Motivation" I keep going back to so I can get some anger or aggression out in my room. While the song perfectly depicts that empty, motivationless state you often fall into in your teenage years, it does so with a catchy chorus that doesn't take away from Sum 41's punk roots.
Most Angsty Line: "Maybe it's just something I can't get, but lately, I feel like I don't give a s***."

4. Bayside- "Tortures of the Damned": While this could have easily been Bayside's gold track "Devotion and Desire," but this gives me an opportunity to shed a light on Bayside's stellar career beyond "Devotion and Desire," and "Tortures of the Damned" is one of the best tracks to do that with. It's verses are as dark as they come, and while the chorus offers some hope, the bridge after the second chorus destroys all of the hope to create one of the best teen angst songs you haven't heard yet. So click the link on the song title and enjoy, kids. Bayside are about to show you how real music should be made.
Most Angsty Line: "Look at me now; I'm on the tracks with my back towards the last train leaving town."

3. From First to Last- "Note to Self": When you name your debut album Dear Diary: My Teen Angst has a Bodycount, you belong on this list. And there may be no better band at truly depicting teen angst than From First to Last, due in part to the fact that then-frontman Sonny Moore was fifteen when Dear Diary was written. "Note to Self" is a stinging attack on the self, and Moore's cries keep breaking down the emotional walls of teenagers to this day. Though the band imploded after Dear Diary, it should be noted that their contribution in the form of "Note to Self" continues to be played at a high rate, and may very well be remembered as the essential song of the emo era.
Most Angsty Line: "Note to self: I miss you terribly. This is what we call a tragedy. Come back to me."

2. The Used- "All That I've Got": In truth, there isn't a song written by The Used that isn't about teen angst, making "All That I've Got" a mere placeholder for the band's entire discography. Regardless, one song had to be picked, and I chose this one because it is arguably The Used's biggest single, and the closest the band got to bringing the darker side of emo into the limelight. Though they were surpassed by My Chemical Romance (hint, hint), there are still plenty of teens who pledge their allegiance to The Used, and songs like "All that I've Got" will ensure that the band is remembered for years to come.
Most Angsty Line: "I need something outward, someone please just kill me, hit me, knock me out, and let me go back to sleep."

1. My Chemical Romance- "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)": I remember watching TRL and hearing this song and seeing the video for the first time. I was floored by the honesty and the overall shock factor MyChem fused into their blend of emo, and the new face of rock and roll was found. "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" is by far the best song to depict teen angst, as anyone who has been through high school understands what its like to feel down and out at one point or another. It's one of the few inevitabilities left in the world, and it's one of the hardest to deal with, but thanks to My Chemical Romance, we now have a song to make the pain hurt a little less, and we should all be grateful for it.
Most Angsty Line: "You really need to listen to me, because I'm telling you the truth. I mean this, I'm okay. (Trust me, I'm not okay.)"

And behold, my high school soundtrack is complete. While there are a few songs on this list I'm not necessarily proud of, there are quite a few I'll come back to to this day to relive those awkward high school/teenage years. So now it's your turn. What made your list? Leave it in the comments, and may the teenager in all of us live on forever.