Joyce Manor is a legendary emo/pop-punk band from Torrance, California, who originally started as a two-piece acoustic band but transformed into something much bigger.

Guitarist Chase Knobbe and guitarist/vocalist Barry Johnson teamed up in 2008 as a solely acoustic band who opened for other bands. According to the Joyce Manor Tumblr blog, Johnson was asked if his band could open for a friend’s band in Los Angeles, and Johnson was not going to say no. When the friend asked what Johnson’s band’s name was, he quickly replied with the name Joyce Manor–named after an apartment complex that Johnson walked past every day.  By 2009 they welcomed Matt Ebert to play bass, and they have been making history in the emo and pop-punk scene ever since.

It took the band two years after it formed to release their first full, self titled, album in 2011.

Joyce Manor packs punchy tunes with emotional lyrics to resonate with their fans. “Constant Headache” from their first album is their most popular song for that exact reason. Fans at their live shows can be found screaming the lyrics so much that Johnson will stay silent during some parts of the song just to listen to fans. In multiple songs on the first album, you are met with what one can only describe as a yell from Johnson. It’s loud, it’s angry and it’s angsty; then three quarters through the song, it suddenly drops to a mid-tempo hum, leaving the lyrics to hit your core even harder.

Just a little over a year later, after they released their self-titled album, they hit the crowd with an album that felt different than the first. In Jan. 2012, “Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired” was released. This album may be their shortest album, sitting at just over 13 minutes, but it is not one to dismiss. This album almost feels like a fever dream–with a few songs having slight voice-changing effects. Every song is different. There is even a cover of The Buggles hit song “Video Killed the Radio Star.”

Over the next ten years Joyce Manor released four more albums including “Never Hungover Again”, “Cody”, “Million Dollars to Kill Me” and “40 oz. to Fresno”. All of which were well-received by their fan base. Joyce Manor simply does not miss, and their fans make sure to let everyone know!

That led to a four year wait for their newest album. Then on Jan. 30, 2026, Joyce Manor released “I Used to Go to This Bar.” With this album, Joyce Manor kept their melodramatic style in their music, while also having lyrics that make you think about life itself. Songs from the album like “Well, Whatever It Was” and the title track “I Used to Go to This Bar” will make you reflect on life lessons you have gained through past experiences.

So, if you are looking to dive into this genre of music, Joyce Manor would be a great place to start. They are currently touring and show no signs of stopping! Check out their website here for tour dates and announcements.