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Atlanta’s The Paradox is driving a Black pop-punk revolution

Forget everything you thought pop-punk looked like. Over the past five years, pop-punk and emo streams have surged, driven by TikTok trends and a new wave of artists reshaping the genre. Leading that charge is Atlanta’s The Paradox — a Black pop-punk band breaking stereotypes and sharing stages with legends like Green Day and Jack White. Their rise proves pop-punk has no boundaries, as similar artists bring Black roots back to the forefront of rock. Join the AJC’s Jordan Pettiford as she explores her own passion for the music and the movement redefining what the genre means today. Credits: AJC | Spotify | The Paradox, Pierce The Veil/YouTube | theparadoxband, 2anith, 4m4ris, sagepxyy/TikTok | the paradoxband, magnoliapark, mmataband/Instagram | NBC

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AJC | Dec 15, 2025

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