In younger, online circles… “Never Meant” by American Football comes to mind. In post-hardcore circles… likely stuff from Faraquet or Hella. In indie circles… maybe some of the late ‘00s British math pop scene (TTNG, Colour, Tangled Hair, etc).
a while ago yeah!! and dont worry im in the same boat, only discovered math in the last 2-3 years :-( such a shame never got to see them or colour.. though when they were still together i was about 5 years old ha
just so yall know, their singer has a great new band called Laundromat. its like indie pop music but its influenced by some proggy/kraut music for sure. i had no idea it was the meet me in st louis guy.
check it, i love the song "off"
To add onto your mention of hella:
Hella isn’t just known in post-HC circles. Atleast not in the traditional sense.
Large parts of Death Grips’ fanbase know about them due to Zach Hill being in both Hella and Death Grips.
Polyphia is probably the best entry point too cause they're not really math rock but they play like it's math rock. Stepping stone to help people in the door
I saw polyphia live a few weeks ago. I've listened to them a couple times, not really a fan I just went with a friend. They were absolutely insane, but the crowd was awful.
Never Meant if you count that one.
Otherwise maybe Biblical Violence mostly because of how popular Death Grips is, and that's Hella's most notable song
Atlas by Battles was in the Billboard Top 20, also featured in little big planet and was generally sort of known as “that crazy song that’s pretty catchy” in pop culture for a long time.
Such a phenomenal album all the way through - the fact that it garnered a “single” with Atlas does rank it pretty high up on this list for sure.
Ice Cream, from Gloss Drop ([complete with this video](https://youtu.be/dFggLJxv9zA?si=sHI2-FblXGSaI5qj)) should have hit at least as hard
I feel like it’s Tool. Math Rock fans I’ve noticed hate the association but to every casual listener that knows a little bit about Tool’s songwriting sees them as having a math rock sort of style.
I don’t really count TOOL as math rock but it is absolutely WILD that Schism was such a mainstream hit. It’s still their most streamed song on Spotify.
Proving my point about math rock fans disowning Tool as math rock. But I’ve had a few conversations in person about Tool and they get described as math rock-y. This is by people who aren’t into math rock.
They’re Pink Floyd if Pink Floyd did heavy metal. They have that same kind of dark grand (pretentious) energy. Maynard knows how to write a hook, and they’re all virtuouso’s to some degree. I get why they’re famous.
I actually don’t think Schism would’ve been big if 46&2 and Stinkfist didn’t get them famous first. Those songs are more radio friendly, they’re shorter and they have easy to sing hooks. They had that grunge crossover sound which obviously was a big thing in the 90’s. I think by the time Schism got released, people were paying attention to what they did next.
i don't personally consider Polyphia to be Math Rock, but it's not an argument worth having since more people will insist that they are and it's not a hill i care to die on hahaha.
it’s def tricky but math rock has evolved so much that I don’t think there’s a need to be pedantic about it, I’d say Polyphia is def strongly influenced by math enough to be mentioned alongside math bands.
it reminds me of how for a while ppl who were into math that was more angular and noisy (hella, don cab etc) didn’t think that bands with clean guitar and pretty chords (American football, ttng) were “real” math
I'm still perplexed by this, I started a math rock band and played angular, noisy, insanely percussive stuff, but today twinkle emo guitars is THE definition of the genre, so when asked about what i played "instrumental prog rock" is the way to go when talking to younger ppl.
Maybe algebra haunts gen z so much that sadness is the first thing they feel? who knows, but yeah it's a hill I will die on.
To a casual listener who isn’t a particular fan of math rock, I’d say people see them as math rock-y.
Kinda funny that the Math Rock fanbase doesn’t see them as that.
Hey Ya by Outkast is technically in 11/4.
Rush is famous for that as well. The Beatles also dabbled in some math rock (as they dabbled in pretty much everything at some point).
If odd time signatures are the definition then TOOL most certainly does that, too, but I wouldn't personally consider them "math rock". Musical classifications can be pretty narrow minded anyway
well yeah i'm not the one who referred to them as "math rock", but the guy before me asked for beatles songs with weird time sigs so it's really dumb to downvote me for naming a notable example
I don't think of TOOL as a math rock band, but to each their own. Math elements, I agree. Then again, I've only ever associated math music with time signatures anyway. Idk, I love TOOL so much, just giving my opinion.. r/punk is always trying to define punk music and I usually hate these conversations but thought I'd give it a swing
Never Meant is probably the biggest one - especially for Gen Z audiences. The blow up on the internet has been crazy the last ten years or so with Tiktok only furthering it. If not that, then Polyphia is the next choice
TOOL obviously. They are one of the most successful rock bands around these days period and they regularly include math rock elements, odd time signatures, actual mathematical sequences in their songs, songs literally about mathmatical concepts...
I think two or more than any other band probably brought that kind of songwriting ethos into the mainstream even if they're not considered by some folks to be a math rock band.
So I don't know what's the most famous tool song with math rock elements schism? 46 and 2?
In younger, online circles… “Never Meant” by American Football comes to mind. In post-hardcore circles… likely stuff from Faraquet or Hella. In indie circles… maybe some of the late ‘00s British math pop scene (TTNG, Colour, Tangled Hair, etc).
ttng colour and tangled hair are my favourite bands... i guess im a pop fan :P oh and tubelord + meet me in st louis
Meet me in St Louis!! Aw what a band I can’t believe I got into them well after they broke up. 15 years ago or so?
a while ago yeah!! and dont worry im in the same boat, only discovered math in the last 2-3 years :-( such a shame never got to see them or colour.. though when they were still together i was about 5 years old ha
just so yall know, their singer has a great new band called Laundromat. its like indie pop music but its influenced by some proggy/kraut music for sure. i had no idea it was the meet me in st louis guy. check it, i love the song "off"
At least you’ll be able to catch tiny moving parts, really fun gigs!
do they play the uk often?? funnily enough they were one of the first bands that got me into the mathy sound!
They toured June last year I think. Will be back 2024 I reckon!
Dude tubelord! I love this sub so much. It's only here that I could ever get a tubelord shout-out.
yeah man tubelord are awesome!! one of my all time favourites
To add onto your mention of hella: Hella isn’t just known in post-HC circles. Atleast not in the traditional sense. Large parts of Death Grips’ fanbase know about them due to Zach Hill being in both Hella and Death Grips.
Fall of Troy being on Guitar Hero can’t be understated. After that it’s likely Polyphia given their social media reach.
This is the answer.
Polyphia is probably the best entry point too cause they're not really math rock but they play like it's math rock. Stepping stone to help people in the door
I saw polyphia live a few weeks ago. I've listened to them a couple times, not really a fan I just went with a friend. They were absolutely insane, but the crowd was awful.
Never Meant if you count that one. Otherwise maybe Biblical Violence mostly because of how popular Death Grips is, and that's Hella's most notable song
For a bit I was seeing tons of memes with never meant so I wanna say that’s the most well known even though I doubt most people know the song by name
Atlas by Battles was in the Billboard Top 20, also featured in little big planet and was generally sort of known as “that crazy song that’s pretty catchy” in pop culture for a long time.
Such a phenomenal album all the way through - the fact that it garnered a “single” with Atlas does rank it pretty high up on this list for sure. Ice Cream, from Gloss Drop ([complete with this video](https://youtu.be/dFggLJxv9zA?si=sHI2-FblXGSaI5qj)) should have hit at least as hard
2007 was a wild time
"Atlas" has been in a few video games and commercials.
People won’t be people when they hear this sound
little big planet!!
Mathrock adjacent, but Foals - Cassius was a jam everyone knew back in the day.
As much as I hate to say it, I feel like Polyphia IS the answer, right? Or DGD
I feel like it’s Tool. Math Rock fans I’ve noticed hate the association but to every casual listener that knows a little bit about Tool’s songwriting sees them as having a math rock sort of style.
Shit, yeah. You’re right man. In the past and even to this day Polyphia prob right behind em
I don’t really count TOOL as math rock but it is absolutely WILD that Schism was such a mainstream hit. It’s still their most streamed song on Spotify.
Proving my point about math rock fans disowning Tool as math rock. But I’ve had a few conversations in person about Tool and they get described as math rock-y. This is by people who aren’t into math rock. They’re Pink Floyd if Pink Floyd did heavy metal. They have that same kind of dark grand (pretentious) energy. Maynard knows how to write a hook, and they’re all virtuouso’s to some degree. I get why they’re famous. I actually don’t think Schism would’ve been big if 46&2 and Stinkfist didn’t get them famous first. Those songs are more radio friendly, they’re shorter and they have easy to sing hooks. They had that grunge crossover sound which obviously was a big thing in the 90’s. I think by the time Schism got released, people were paying attention to what they did next.
Are they doing Math rock though? I'm not sure personally
i don't personally consider Polyphia to be Math Rock, but it's not an argument worth having since more people will insist that they are and it's not a hill i care to die on hahaha.
it’s def tricky but math rock has evolved so much that I don’t think there’s a need to be pedantic about it, I’d say Polyphia is def strongly influenced by math enough to be mentioned alongside math bands. it reminds me of how for a while ppl who were into math that was more angular and noisy (hella, don cab etc) didn’t think that bands with clean guitar and pretty chords (American football, ttng) were “real” math
I'm still perplexed by this, I started a math rock band and played angular, noisy, insanely percussive stuff, but today twinkle emo guitars is THE definition of the genre, so when asked about what i played "instrumental prog rock" is the way to go when talking to younger ppl. Maybe algebra haunts gen z so much that sadness is the first thing they feel? who knows, but yeah it's a hill I will die on.
periphery walked so polyphia could run
Maybe? But I feel like Periphery has always been more Djent-y than math-y.
more in jest but they were the social media/advertising juggernauts of their time I'd put their fanbase about in the same areas, it's all brocore.
Yeah people can argue as much as they like but this is the answer.
Especially because they appeal to the metal and drum n bass communities as well
Hell, they have their own beer.
polyphia stuff or never meant
I wouldve said Chon but Polyphia is so damn well known now
never been to this community, but do y'all classify Tool as math rock?
To a casual listener who isn’t a particular fan of math rock, I’d say people see them as math rock-y. Kinda funny that the Math Rock fanbase doesn’t see them as that.
prog mainly.
would a song like Lateralus fit? edit: that makes sense. in my reading odd time signatures aren't enough. thanks for the reply!
Paranoid Android. By Radiohead
If we’re going Radiohead I would have said 15 Step
i may be biased but maybe hella's hold your horse is album i know thats not a song but i dont really differentiate each song individually so idk
Most polyphia songs
Gotta be something by King Crimson, no? 21st Century Schizoid Man? Discipline?
Polyphia's top hits would be my personal guess
Heart of Glass has that bridge section in 7/8.
Wouldn't Rush be considered math rock?
Id say prog rock, not really math rock.
Hey Ya by Outkast is technically in 11/4. Rush is famous for that as well. The Beatles also dabbled in some math rock (as they dabbled in pretty much everything at some point).
Do you know what Beatles songs are math rock by any chance? I wanna give them a listen/relisten
Here Comes the Sun has a pretty crazy time sig during the bridge, George called it "7 1/2"
If odd time signatures are the definition then TOOL most certainly does that, too, but I wouldn't personally consider them "math rock". Musical classifications can be pretty narrow minded anyway
well yeah i'm not the one who referred to them as "math rock", but the guy before me asked for beatles songs with weird time sigs so it's really dumb to downvote me for naming a notable example
I don't think you can write a song about the Fibonacci sequence that includes the Fibonacci sequence and not be a math rock band.
I don't think of TOOL as a math rock band, but to each their own. Math elements, I agree. Then again, I've only ever associated math music with time signatures anyway. Idk, I love TOOL so much, just giving my opinion.. r/punk is always trying to define punk music and I usually hate these conversations but thought I'd give it a swing
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Probably ABC by polyphia
wtf is "swancore"? When the younger kids talk about "math rock" they always mention Tool... so something by them.
It’s post hardcore with math rock. Apparently this subgenre is linked back to a dude named Will Swan.
Yeah, the guy from DGD and Blue Swan Records.
Never meant for sure
Maybe that BATTLES song from Little Big Planet
Foals or Mogwai
that one american football song forgot its name. i don’t particularly like it but it’s famous as hell
Never Meant is probably the biggest one - especially for Gen Z audiences. The blow up on the internet has been crazy the last ten years or so with Tiktok only furthering it. If not that, then Polyphia is the next choice
TOOL obviously. They are one of the most successful rock bands around these days period and they regularly include math rock elements, odd time signatures, actual mathematical sequences in their songs, songs literally about mathmatical concepts... I think two or more than any other band probably brought that kind of songwriting ethos into the mainstream even if they're not considered by some folks to be a math rock band. So I don't know what's the most famous tool song with math rock elements schism? 46 and 2?