The Copyrights
Punk · US · Active since 2002

The Copyrights

High-octane Midwestern punk with gravelly harmonies and relentless energy. It is the sound of a basement show that never ends, built for road trips and late nights.

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Intro

The Copyrights deliver a masterclass in what fans call orgcore, a specific brand of melodic punk that trades polished pop sheen for Midwestern grit and working-class anxiety. Their sound is defined by a wall of distorted guitars and a rhythm section that feels like it is constantly leaning forward, threatening to spill over into chaos but always staying perfectly locked in. It is music that feels lived-in, smelling of stale beer and van upholstery.

What truly sets them apart is their vocal approach. Instead of a single frontman, they utilize multiple voices that blend into rough-hewn harmonies, creating a gang-vocal effect that feels inclusive rather than aggressive. Their songwriting manages to be incredibly catchy without being saccharine, often pairing upbeat tempos with lyrics about the mundane struggles of adulthood, missed opportunities, and the passage of time.

Start with 'Alone in a Dome' for their most refined production, or go back to 'Make Sound' to hear the raw energy that defined the 2000s punk underground. They are the perfect bridge between the classic Lookout! Records era and the modern Fat Wreck Chords roster, offering a sound that is both timeless and deeply rooted in a specific time and place.

The Copyrights are a pop punk band from Carbondale, Illinois, made up of Adam Fletcher (lead vocals, bass), Brett Hunter (vocals, guitar), Kevin Rotter (vocals, guitar), and Luke McNeill (drums). They are currently signed to Fat Wreck Chords. They are known for what Alternative Press calls "both the sloppy, slacker pop-punk of, say, early Green Day with the slightly more polished sheen of Teenage Bottlerocket or recent Bouncing Souls".
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Our Catalog7 Albums · 2003 · 2021
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