With an album that signifies his departure from his previously established rap sound and his recent transition into early 2000s pop-punk, Machine Gun Kelly earns the first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. The Cleveland artist entered the music scene with an aggressive rap sound in 2012 with his debut album, Lace Up. Nearly a decade later, MGK’s switch to pop-punk is unveiled in Tickets To My Downfall, produced partly by Travis Barker from Blink-182.
Colson Baker, Kelly’s birth name, released Hotel Diablo, his fourth studio album, in 2019. The album ended with the song “I Think I’m Okay,” a track with a more rock-leaning sound and in collaboration with Yungblud and Travis Barker. The track ended up certifying platinum in the U.S. and was the beginning of his switch over to rock and punk music.
After recording “I Think I’m Okay,” Baker and Barker continued to work in the studio and recorded a new song called “bloody valentine.” Barker was asked to collaborate with Baker for the entire studio album and after agreeing, he became both a producer and the drummer for the entirety of the album.
Along with “bloody valentine” are 14 other tracks, four of which feature collaborations with artists such as Halsey, Trippie Redd, Blackbear, Iann Dior, and Pete Davidson. On his deluxe album, Tickets To My Downfall (SOLD OUT), the track: “body bag” features artists Yungblud and Bert McCracken.
According to Nielsen Music, the album has earned over 81 million streams and, in its entirety, sold over 63,000 copies.
Kelly’s transition to pop-punk wasn’t surprising with regards to his rock ‘n’ roll attitude and look that screams alt. He made his career from raising eyebrows, joining the rap game that didn’t match his look whatsoever, and feuding with Eminem. While his shift could’ve been fuel for hate comments and harsh criticism, the album received an overwhelming influx of positive reactions as his conversion was welcomed with open arms.
His voice fits the genre far more than it did rap and the themes in his music remain consistent. For years, Kelly has been singing about heartbreak and drugs, but with this new sound, the lyrics seem to make a stronger impact. Pop-punk is definitely a better platform for unleashing angst and this is something that Baker takes into account and runs with.
In fact, while his sound may have changed, this album actually isn’t too different from his past work. Baker has made it clear that he wants to make music that makes him smile rather than merely making it as a form of fan service, but I doubt his following has decreased with this recent turnover. If anything, his following seems to have increased as the pop-punk genre neatly corresponds with his and his fans’ edgy and Hot Topic-esque aesthetic (note: when I say Hot Topic, I mean Hot Topic from the early 2010s… not what the store has become in the last few years).
Although each song revolves around a similar message, there is never a moment where it comes off repetitive or melodramatic. His trauma has been present in all five studio albums and as a result, his music feels less snotty and more genuine. The songs may be very much rock-leaning, but there are various lyrics that seem to pull on heartstrings and force you to see him outside of the bulletproof bubble of fame we acknowledge daily.
“WWIII,” “kiss kiss,” and “drunk face” are extremely reminiscent of 2000s pop-punk, but tracks like “lonely,” “play this when I’m gone,” and “my ex’s best friend” have a more modern take and definitely mirror his fans’ aesthetic. Nonetheless, each track on the 15-track album (and 21-track deluxe album) blatantly echoes the highs and lows of his personal life and career; this delivers a sense of realism and accentuates his decision to pursue a music genre that reflects his identity. Tickets To My Downfall alludes to Colson Baker’s humanity and defines him as a new — and welcomed – entry in the revitalized pop-punk universe.