27 Albums That Shaped the First 27 Years of My Life, #22: Better Luck Next Time - Third Time's a Charm

As I quickly approach my 27th birthday (an age, coincidentally, that many musicians met their own mortality), I have been thinking about the role that music has played in my life. I have not played an instrument for nearly sixteen years and have never been in a band, but I would still consider myself an audiophile. The 26000 songs on my hard drive would agree with me as well.

Because of all those things, I thought it would be as good a time as any to compile my list of the 27 albums that most shaped these first 27 years of my life. Starting Friday January 31, I will be posting one album from the list every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until we reach #1 just before my birthday.

Let me make one thing abundantly clear: I am not saying that these are the 27 greatest albums of all time. I am not so arrogant to believe that my personal opinion is the definitive voice on music. I like what I like. Hopefully you will be able to unearth some gems from my list. If not, that is alright. These songs and albums are important to me regardless of anyone’s opinions of them.

#22: Better Luck Next Time – Third Time’s a Charm
Release Date: December 10, 2005
When I first heard the album: January 2009

Why I loved it then: The period immediately after I graduated college was integral in me coming into my own and becoming the man that you know and tolerate today. I was always a fan of the pop punk genre, but to that point I had never really branched out past the “big names” of the genre. So I went on the Wikipedia page for “List of Pop Punk bands” and made it my goal to download at least one song from each artist. I found a lot of gems that way. Better Luck Next Time was one of these gems. “Third Time’s a Charm” immediately appealed to me because it was so decidedly pop punk. With its catchy choruses, infectious energy, and brilliant incorporation of the keyboards, it has been a staple in my playlist ever since.

Why I still love it now: If there was a Holy Trinity of pop punk, most would agree that its three members would be Blink-182, Green Day, and New Found Glory. However, if someone were to ask me for the one band that is quintessentially pop punk, I would direct them to Better Luck Next Time. They are unwaveringly and unashamedly ambassadors of the genre, and though they don’t have the popularity that they deserve in the United States, they are every bit as good as the bands that they could be compared to. This album (perhaps more than its successors) fully captured the magic that is Better Luck Next Time.

Lingering Lyric: “We will make it through/We will make it right/And we will see through one more awkward night”
Top Tracks: Carry On, Tomorrow Maybe, Dear Paige


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26. The Dangerous Summer - Golden Record
25. Just Surrender - If These Streets Could Talk
24. The Lumineers - The Lumineers
23. Relient K - Two Lefts Don't Make a Right... But Three Do