Pop punk legends All Time Low have released their first song of 2021. Titled “Once In A Lifetime,” the new single dropped today, March 24. As the band wrote on Instagram, it “feels good to put out more music while we can’t play shows for you all.”
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The four-piece band has done everything in their power to remain the best musical group possible during the pandemic. Not only did they do weekly livestream shows, interact with fans, share artwork, and do an entire virtual tour, but they released an album.
At the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, All Time Low dropped Wake Up, Sunshine. This was the alternative rock group’s 15th full-length album – coincidentally including 15 tracks. The amazing record featured the band’s biggest hit this far. “Monsters,” featuring blackbear, was one of Wake Up, Sunshine’s premiere singles.
To this day, over a year since its release, it’s all over alternative radio. It also spent multiple weeks at No. 1 on various charts around the world. While this is an amazing feat for any band, it was especially amazing for All Time Low having been their first number one single. Even their most memorable and well-known tracks, “Dear Maria, Count Me In” and “Weightless,” didn’t chart like “Monsters” did.
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Blackbear just seems to have a knack for helping people in the alt world become successful. Maryland’s own All Time Low has been a phenomenon for almost two decades, but with blackbear they had a No. 1. Cleveland native Machine Gun Kelly had the same success with blackbear;s feature on his hit, “my ex’s best friend.”
“Monsters” became so popular and deeply loved in 2020 that it not only had an acoustic version drop, but a remix. This stellar remix was years in the making, having been lifelong friends with the superfan turned pop sensation. Demi Lovato was who joined blackbear on this amazing All Time Low song.
Once again, “Monsters” shot up the charts and took over streaming platforms with the star-studded remix. This level of success for such a genuine, hard-working, and authentic rock band is well-deserved. (Not to mention that the four members of ATL have been best friends and bandmates since they were in high school!)
Adding to All Time Low’s 2020 rollercoaster were performances on Good Morning America and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Each time the band took the stage, they performed “Monsters” off of Wake Up, Sunshine.
Hit After Hit – “Once In A Lifetime” Is Yet Another All Time Low Banger
The “Monsters” era has come to a close, though, regardless of its continued success. It’s now time for “Once In A Lifetime” to shine.
Like just about everything All Time Low does, this song is a fun, alternative ode to youth. Living life in the moment and taking chances – good or bad – is how memories get made. Whether it’s having a good time, falling in love, or throwing a house party in the house you broke into, there’s an element of fun, youthful abandonment in it all.
In the music video, the band is throwing a full-on concert in the living room of a mansion. As they sing this soon-to-be hit song and rock out on their instruments, fans get a glimpse of a couple.
The couple starts off buying a scratch-off ticket and, while feeling lucky, go have some mischievous fun. They sneak into an elaborate mansion and have themselves a little fun before inviting some friends over. A few of those friends include the four members of All Time Low who are essentially performing at this secret house party.
At the end of the video, as a song comes to a close, the girl wins big on the scratch-off ticket. If she had never bought it on a whim she never would have had a chance to win.
Like the song states, “Once in a lifetime, never the right time.” This sentiment means that nothing is ever timely, but every moment can be timeless. Through the pop punk sound and authentic alternative rock approach, this track perfectly paints that picture.
Possibly the greatest moment in the song and the music video is All Time Low name-dropping themselves. That’s right, after all these years, All Time Low used the phrase that the band is named after in a song.“Try to forget you, got to pretend to, ‘till I hit an all time low,” frontman Alex Gaskarth sings.
“Once In A Lifetime” is rocking, danceable, and the perfect anthem for a post-pandemic summer. (Safely, of course. Don’t break into any houses!)
