All Time Low. Fall Out Boy. My Chemical Romance. Panic! At the Disco. They are all great bands who fall into the pop punk category. But what is so special about pop punk that millions of people listen to it?

Pop punk breaks boundaries. You could sing about anything from anarchy to cupcakes and your track could be a hit. There are no rules with the genre, and the sound can be as heavy or light as you want.

There are many different "kinds" of pop punk. As mentioned before, there is some that is light, and some that's heavy. New Years Day has a dark, gothic-punk sound, while All Time Low has light, catchy music. If heavy music isn't your thing, you could listen to lighter bands and still be listening to pop punk.

The artists behind pop punk music are very inspirational. They've worked tremendously hard to make their dreams come true and encourage their fans to do the same. Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco supports gay rights and thinks sexual fluidity should be celebrated. Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance has struggled from alcoholism and prescription drug abuse in the last, but he fought to become sober and has been for years. Pop punkers are great role models for their fans.

But perhaps the main reason people listen to pop punk is that they can relate to it. From My Chemical Romance's "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" to All Time Low's "Something's Gotta Give," pop punk music carries messages that fans from 14 to 40 can identify with. And that's the bottom line. Listeners want something they can relate to, to reassure them that their struggles won't last forever, and their happiness can.