I'm curious how everyone here first discovered Green Day.
For me, it was back in middle school.
A friend told me, "We're playing this song at our school festival," and handed me a cassette tape with Basket Case on it.
That was the exact moment I fell in love with Green Day, and they've been my favorite band ever since.
What's your story?
I'm currently planning an album release, and it got me wondering...
What's the ideal number of songs for you?
Do you prefer a short album with no filler, or a longer one with more variety?
What's the sweet spot? 10 songs? 12? 15?
We’re a small pop punk band from Osaka, Japan.
We’re recording our next album and seriously thinking about pressing 1,000 CDs.
We know CDs aren’t exactly “cool” in 2026… but we still love physical releases and want to make something worth owning.
If we do it, we don’t just want to sell a CD.
We want to build a bundle that people would actually be excited to get.
Right now we’re thinking things like:
signed CDs
CD + shirt bundle
stickers / patches
maybe handwritten lyrics or something more personal
But honestly, we’re open to ideas.
What would make you actually think, “yeah I’d buy that”?
You bought a ticket for one band.
Then the opener came out and somehow became the band you couldn't stop talking about afterward.
What's the best example of an opening band completely stealing the show for you?
Did you end up becoming a fan?
Maybe even a bigger fan than the band you originally came to see?
What made you care about a small band?
Not a famous band.
Not a band that already had a huge following.
What's the reason you started caring about a small band?
Was it:
There are so many good bands out there, but only some manage to build a real connection with people.
I'm curious what made you go from simply hearing a band to actually following and supporting them.
We're a small pop punk band from Osaka, Japan.
We're currently recording a new album and planning to press 1,000 CDs.
Some people tell us CDs are completely dead, while others say bundles and direct sales still work.
For smaller independent bands, what has actually worked for you recently?
Physical releases?
Bundles?
Touring?
Targeted ads?
Email lists?
Something else?
I'd love to hear real experiences rather than general advice.
I'm from Japan and play in a small pop punk band.
I was wondering how smaller bands are getting physical releases (vinyl, CDs, etc.) overseas these days.
Are there any labels, distros, or DIY collectives that still work with unknown bands from outside North America or Europe?
I'd love to hear about any good experiences you've had.