Since its formation in 1994, Fearless Records has been a guidepost for some of the most alluring acts within emo, post-hardcore, metal, and beyond. From Pierce the Veil’s label debut with Collide With The Sky, an album that took them to impossible heights, to the unforgettable Punk Goes… series, there’s been no shortage of stirring and storied moments for Fearless over the years. In celebration of its 30 anniversary, we asked our readers to name the best Fearless Records bands of all time, past and present. They sounded off with their favorites, and these are the top fan picks, ranked accordingly below.
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5. Movements
Movements have shared three albums thus far, all with Fearless. The SoCal quartet made a stunning introduction with their debut album, Feel Something, in 2017, which highlighted Patrick Miranda’s gripping, ultra-emotional vocals. Their other two albums, No Good Left to Give and RUCKUS!, kept pace, serving up the same heartfelt ambition and love for storytelling that unfolded across their debut. That latest record, especially, cast aside their “emo revival” sound and tapped into more disparate influences, with producer Will Yip essentially acting as a fifth member and helping the band break new ground.
4. Ice Nine Kills
Over the years, Ice Nine Kills’ music has come to represent the joy of a good slasher movie, joining the Fearless fold with their 2014 album The Predator Becomes the Prey. The band’s passion for horror drives them to imagine meticulous, unique concepts, one-upping themselves every time. 2015’s Every Trick In The Book, for one, was a feat, with each track revolving around a piece of literature, and their videos are always deeply detailed, such as The Silver Scream 2’s “Hip To Be Scared,” which pays homage to American Psycho and features Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix.
3. Mayday Parade
Though Mayday Parade are no longer a part of the Fearless roster, they made history during their tenure. The band began strong with their unforgettable debut, A Lesson In Romantics, which soared with angsty rippers that unraveled the difficulties of maintaining a relationship while on the road. Then they kept up the momentum with four additional records — Anywhere But Here, their self-titled, Monsters in the Closet, and Black Lines — before moving to Rise. From selling their CDs in Warped Tour parking lots to making a mark on two singular labels, Mayday Parade haven’t lost any of their spark.
2. Starset
Columbus, Ohio hard-rock crew Starset have crafted a world that’s enraptured our readers. On both of their albums with Fearless — Divisions and Horizons — the band have leaned into lofty, intricate concepts that rival the works of Coheed and Cambria. Blurring science fiction with real-life experiences, each of their records, including two with Razor & Tie, has built upon a story centered on a dystopian future that misuses technology — and all the disorder that unfolds along the way.
1. Pierce the Veil
Is anyone surprised that Pierce the Veil snagged the top spot? The band have been part of Fearless since their 2012 landmark, Collide With the Sky, which became a defining moment for the band that opened up brand-new possibilities and yielded their platinum-selling single “King For A Day” featuring Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens. (The LP is so iconic that PTV will perform it in its entirety later this year at When We Were Young.) They’ve gone on to release two more albums with the label, including last year’s Jaws of Life — a release that we named one of the best records of 2023 — and recently shared a distortion-heavy cover of Radiohead’s “Karma Police,” which is quickly becoming a live staple.
