Younger than Gen X punk heroes like Billie Joe Armstrong and Mark Hoppus; older than Willow and Trippie Redd; the foursome balances energy and experience. As a new generation resurrects angsty unrest on TikTok and Machine Gun Kelly puts guitars back on the mainstream chart, STATE CHAMPS double down on the vibrant pop-punk they’ve championed for a decade. They were several steps ahead of the seismic sonic shift.
Derek DiScanio, Tyler Szalkowski, Ryan Scott Graham, and Evan Ambrosio deliver a strong message. Produced by Drew Fulk (Lil Wayne, A Day To Remember, Ice Nine Kills) aka WZRD BLD, Kings Of The New Age is a big album, without sacrificing the heart cherished by a legion of fans.
Our singer Derek had a girl basketball team in his high school and they went to State Championships. We had a show, like the day after, and we still didn’t have a name yet. They won and Derek had a party at his house after. Everybody was screaming “State Champs” and we were like “That’s could be a great name to use” and we never changed.
Evan ambrosio
Kerrang! gave the band’s first album, The Finer Things, a rare 5K review in 2013. Rock Sound and Alternative Press served up adoring cover stories. Around the World and Back entered the Billboard Current Rock Albums chart at No. 3 and made Rock Sound’s Top 10 Albums of 2015. Living Proof followed in 2018. Billboard called them “modern-day pop-punk torchbearers” the same year. They are an arena-ready rock band with the freedom of punk’s soul. 2022 belongs to STATE CHAMPS.