We Have Mathematically Proven That Pop-Punk Equals 323

Hear us out.

Back in the early 2000s, pop-punk was everywhere. Blink-182, Sum 41, New Found Glory, Green Day and a whole bunch of other bands were making music that would end up shaping an entire generation of kids.

Including us.

Then, in 2005, Blink-182 went on an indefinite hiatus.

And while pop-punk didn't exactly die that day, something changed. The golden era was coming to an end. Music was moving in different directions, and the sound that had dominated our teenage years slowly started disappearing from the mainstream.

But someone had to hold the fucking fort.

Enter Sum 41.

While Blink-182 went through breakups, reunions, lineup changes and another breakup, Sum 41 kept doing their thing.

They evolved, experimented, got heavier, came back swinging and continued carrying the flag for a generation of pop-punk kids.

Of course, they weren't alone. Plenty of bands kept the scene alive. But there's something about Sum 41 that deserves recognition. They were there when it all exploded, and they were still there when the next generation started discovering it.

Then, in 2022, something happened.

Blink-182 was back. Again.

Not just Blink-182, but Mark, Tom and Travis. Together again, for the kids.

And suddenly, it felt like the early 2000s were making a comeback. Pop-punk was finding its way back into the spotlight, younger bands were picking up guitars, and the music we'd grown up with was reaching a new audience.

Bands like The Paradox, Magnolia Park and Meet Me @ The Altar were bringing new life to the genre, proving that pop-punk wasn't just something we used to listen to. A whole new generation was making it their own.

Meanwhile, Sum 41, the band that had helped keep the genre alive through all those years, were preparing to say goodbye, eventually playing their final show in January 2025.

One chapter closing. Another reopening.

Now, here's where things get stupid.

We started Sorry in Advance because we love making music. The kind of music we grew up listening to. Fast guitars, catchy melodies, questionable humor and lyrics about things that probably could have been handled better.

Our very first single was called 3:23 AM.

The number 323 has been part of our identity ever since.

And then, completely out of nowhere, we discovered something.

Blink-182 + Blink-182 - Sum 41.

What the actual fuck?

After all these years, it turns out that the bands that helped shape our sound have been hiding our number in plain sight.

Is it a coincidence? Absolutely.

Are we going to pretend it's some kind of mathematical proof that Sorry in Advance was destined to exist?

You're goddamn right we are.

Thanks for coming to our TED Talk.

Sorry in Advance.