Photo Courtesy of Billboard
Machine Gun Kelly, also known as MGK, has gained a whole new group fans since he transitioned to the pop-punk genre when he released “Tickets to My Downfall.” Two years later, so much has changed. He got engaged to Megan Fox, released a song with Avril Lavigne and released a nail polish line. Now, he has released his second pop-punk album, “Mainstream Sellout.”
MGK released three singles for the album, and fans were a little skeptical of how the album would sound because of the how the second single “Emo Girl,” featuring WILLOW, became a joke on TikTok. It’s understandable why the song can be considered joke worthy, but the song itself isn’t bad. The third single “Ay!” featured Lil Wayne, and the music video was filmed on an iPhone. The song was not the best, but it was still enjoyable.
The last single, “Maybe,” was the best single MGK released for this record. It featured British band Bring Me The Horizon and brought excitement for the album’s release. Hopefully, this song will become more popular than “Emo Girl” as it delivers the complete opposite message of getting over somebody. It’s perfect to turn up when you see your ex pull up in the car next to you.
Besides the singles, there are some memorable tracks worth noting. The second song, “God Save Me,” is a dark, angst-ridden track that touches on personal struggles. It’s a reminder that we’re all kind of messed up and need someone to anchor us to reality. This is the type of song you put on when you’re struggling and need to blast some music.
The title track is where MGK snaps back at all of his critics. He sings about all of the hate he has gotten since transitioning to the pop-punk genre. While the criticism sucks, MGK isn’t going anywhere. There’s no need to judge someone’s choices, even if you don’t necessarily agree with them. As he says at the end of the song, “Fuck that dude.”
While MGK has transitioned to releasing more pop-punk music, he still goes back to his roots with some low-key rap songs such as “Ay!” and “Die in California.” The latter features Travis Barker’s son, Landon Barker, as well as Gunna and Young Thug. It’s pretty cool that the younger Barker got to collaborate with all of these popular artists and his own father. It is the perfect song to play when you are chilling out at home or by the pool this summer. Fans of The Kid LAROI will enjoy the similar sense of style and sound.
The album’s second to last track “Sid & Nancy” is a twisted song that fits MGK’s personality. The title references the famous controversial couple Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen. It’s about being so in love with someone that you want them to only be with you. This is the song you play when you’ve finally realized that you are in deeply in love with the person you are seeing.
Regardless of what you thought of this album, Machine Gun Kelly is going to remain a staple in the pop-punk genre. You can catch him on tour this summer where he’ll be supported by Avril Lavigne, blackbear, WILLOW, iann dior, Travis Barker and Trippie Redd. The album is available on all streaming services, and the CD can be purchased in stores. The vinyl will be available next month and will feature a new song.
