The Long Island scene is a storied place in alternative music history. In the early 2000s, it was a breeding ground for post-hardcore, alternative rock, and emo, bringing bands like Glassjaw, Taking Back Sunday, and the Movielife to the masses. Since then, that space has continued to shift and expand, ushering in a new generation of upstarts like Koyo, who inject Long Island’s rich tapestry into everything they do. After polling our readers about the New Jersey scene last month, we decided to stay on theme and ask them about the best Long Island bands. Their answers reflected respect for the past and the present. Find the top fan picks ranked below.
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5. Brand New
Back in the 2000s, the Long Island scene was emotionally raw, heavy, and bursting with community, packing out VFW halls on the weekends. That proved to be a launching pad for Brand New’s evolving sound. Coming up alongside Taking Back Sunday and Glassjaw, their music reflected alienation, heartbreak, and disillusionment, intensified by their environment. Though they didn’t always reference Long Island in their work, they told real stories about where they lived. Their Devil and God… cut “Limousine” is based on the story of 7-year-old Katie Flynn, who was riding in a limousine with her mother after attending a family member’s wedding. They were hit by a drunk driver, who killed Katie and the driver, Stanley Rabinowitz, on impact.
4. Gone Stereo
Gone Stereo don’t even have a debut album out, but our readers called them one of Long Island’s finest. The five-piece give love to early 2000s pop punk (think Bayside and MxPx) while building upon Long Island’s sprawling history with ambition and respect. All of the members go back, entrenched in its rich community. “The Long Island music scene was unbelievable back in the late ’90s,” the band explained in a 2023 interview. “No matter what show you went to, there were dozens of people there…. The best part about this whole thing is that some of us here have met in the past when we were kids and, at one time or another, played shows together. Now, all of these years later, we are still here and still playing music.”
3. Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday remain pivotal to the Long Island scene, influencing countless bands and helping solidify its reputation as a hotspot for emotionally intense alternative music. It’s no wonder their 2002 debut album, Tell All Your Friends, became such a landmark release, though they haven’t let it box them in (“To think for one second that all we’re capable of is our first record is a goddamn mistake,” frontman Adam Lazzara told AP). When we asked Long Island up-and-comers Koyo to tell us their favorite songs from the area, they singled out “Timberwolves at New Jersey.” “This is one of the first songs I ever learned on guitar. Whenever we soundcheck, there’s a 50/50 I’ll play the intro chords,” guitarist TJ Rotolico said.
2. Glassjaw
Glassjaw are essential to the Long Island scene. Emerging in the ’90s, they made an indelible mark within post-hardcore, metalcore, and hardcore, inspiring a legion of imitators along the way. Bouyed by Darl Palumbo’s angelic croons and throat-shedding screams, the band created a template that loads of other bands continue to reference (everyone from letlive. to Every Time I Die, the latter of which invited the Glassjaw vocalist to hop on their 2005 song “Champing at the Bit”). Even though they transcended their Long Island roots, it’s clear that they wouldn’t exist without that formative scene lifting them up in the first place.
1. Half Dizzy
If this poll proves anything, it’s that the new generation has some serious heat. Half Dizzy are a five-piece out of Long Island who bring the energy of ’90s skate punk and ska into the 2020s, drawing from Lagwagon, Rancid, and Millencolin. Their latest single, “Fade Away,” was recorded at Little Eden in Asbury Park, New Jersey, by longtime Bouncing Souls guitarist Pete Steinkopf. Nostalgia can be dangerous, but Half Dizzy strike a careful balance, channeling their elders with wildly catchy choruses while never lacking in energy.