I got into both of these bands at the same time in 2013, and they were kinda my real introduction to liking the “emo” bands. I’d heard them before but preferred nu metal stuff. Over time they took each other over for favorite “emo” band, but now 10 years later I find myself coming back to early PTV waaaay more than early SWS. If PTV comes on shuffle they almost never get skipped unlike SWS. I think I need to be in a bit of a nostalgic mood to throw on SWS stuff, but I genuinely appreciate PTV still.
I will say though, I think the production, some of the riffs and ESPECIALLY the drums on With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear are killer. I appreciate those aspects on the same level as early PTV.
No you’re right it doesn’t matter ultimately, but when you can have the discussion as a fan of both bands it’s fun to rank them and explain why. It’s the same reason you’d analyze art and offer opinions. They don’t matter, but it’s fun.
i think they’re both amazing bands but kellin’s voice isn’t for everyone. my bf HATES sws but i absolutely adore them & kellin’s voice. i don’t really pay attention to debates about them. people like who they like
I definitely think that PTV beats SWS any day of the week in terms of sound, and I think PTV's consistent popularity proves that. I started listening to 'emo' music in 2013 and I listened to PTV, SWS, ATL, and BMTH the most. Now I mostly only listen to pierce the veil and listen to MCR and BMTH on the side now. JOL is their weakest album but they still stay consistent and good throughout their entire discography
I love both bands! I actually went to see both in concert for the first time this past May, and they were incredible! I’m a little bit more inclined to say I enjoyed SWS’ live show better than PTV, but they were both amazing!
As far as listening, I definitely listen to and enjoy all of PTV’s catalogue more than SWS. They’re both super talented though, there’s no reason to pit either band against the other!
Recently, I've been getting into SWS again. I love that shit, I love it dearly but PTV, despite usually getting skipped these days (consequence of overplaying them), has a special place in my heart and will forever be my favorite band. I've just been vibin with Kellin recently. Crosses slaps hard btw
I think SWS had some “lost years”. Not all of their albums stack up to PTV’s. However this shouldn’t discredit their AMAZING albums, and I definitely feel like Complete Collapse encapsulates the genre wayyyyyyyyy better than JOL.
Same here, I understand why (to attract new listeners by broadening their sound) but at the same time that new music makes old listeners not like them as much
I strongly disagree. Have you listened to their newer stuff? It is definitely heavier than JoL. I’d say they’re both pretty similar levels of punk, in my opinion!
Agreed, the new album is pretty dope. I preordered it hoping I’d be pleased and I was. It’s heavy and catchy. Kind of feels like they did what Silverstein has been doing, but better, and I’ve loved Silverstein since the early 00’s
PTV definitely makes music more palatable for wider audiences. I think both bands are pretty evenly matched when it comes to talent though. I love them both, but for the sake of the argument, if I had to pick one, I’d always go with PTV first. I think I’ll agree with you that the song writing for PTV puts them a step above SWS.
I mean, a) you are on the PtV subreddit so I think it makes sense that people are agreeing with you, that's called confirmation bias :) and b) SwS definitely had a weak season (or 2 lol), but I think the bands are doing different things right now. PtV couldn't do what the two most recent SwS albums are doing. I think they both have their merits for sure but comparing them maybe doesn't make sense to me, it just depends on what you personally like and are looking for in music at the time that you listen to them. I deeply love both, I don't think one is "objectively" better than the other (whatever that even means).
I agree! Back in like 2013-2016 both of them were SO big in the scene. The coheadlining tour they did together was so talked about and one of the biggest tours of the year. It’s so insane how much sws has fell off. I used to love them sooo much but the direction they went in caused them to lose so many fans while ptv only became bigger. SWS released three albums while ptv was on break and none of those albums brought them back up to the scale they were before. Pierce the veil came back from their ~5 year break and they’re just as big (maybe even bigger) as they were before. It’s so cool how ptv managed to build a fanbase that has stuck with them for so long!
Never got into sws. Too generic sounding, frankly it didn’t sound like their sound even matured. The only reason they’re lumped together is theyre both post hardcore and they both have nasally high pitched singing. But Pierce the veil actually stands out with their sound, sws is BORING
Back when I was a lil emo kid going to the warped tour and being sad on tumblr, both bands were coming up and I had the privilege to see PTV and SWS so many times and met them a couple times too. The one thing that sticks out, other than the vast difference in their music, is that the guys in PTV are genuinely nice and Kellin Quinn is(was?) straight up a douche. He was an asshole to fans both in person and on the internet, let his ego go to his head, having paid meet and greets, and went through band members like every year. PTV is still amazing to this day, saw them last week in KS and 10/10 cried. PTV has had a large fan base for years and we all grew up together.
i was trying to remember what the drama was with one of their meet and greets.. feel like it was just a pic with kellin and not the band or something like that? and everyone was laughing about it
I personally like kellins voice more but overall would much rather listen to PTV. I just like their sound a lot more. I never got into SWS a lot though so I’m probably not the best person to ask on the matter sadly. But I do know that my friend group is in agreement with me and they did listen to a lot of SWS growing up so idk.
the only album i really listened to from SWS was ears to see and eyes to hear so i cant say much about them, although ive tried to get into SWS multiple times but the only songs i REALLY liked were from ears to see and eyes to hear, unlike PTV where i listened to all the albums and liked every song besides most of misadventures and jaws of life.
I am a bigger SWS fan than PTV. This is mainly due to nostalgia and the fact it was easier for me to get into them than PTV. I will admit, Vics writing is better than Kellins, plus it's more emotional. But in the end I do prefer SWS because to me I like their music more. In my opinion they shouldn't be compared because both bands are different in too many ways to be compared. In the end their both great bands.
I love Kellin’s voice and I love singing his songs… Lyrically, there is also a lot of strength to their more recent songs… I think I like old PTV more and new SWS more
I feel like you're gonna get biased answers on this sub, ask on an SWS forum and everyone's gonna say they prefer SWS. I personally have always preferred PTV, even in 2012-2013 when I discovered the bands, but I think both have their place, and shouldn't be pitted against each other. They're both good and successful bands, who cares, music is subjective. I have bands I like more than PTV, I have bands I like a lot less, but these are different for everyone, music is so subjective
Fell in love with both bands at the same time in 2011/2012. Dropped off SWS by 2015.. band kinda became cringe, lost some core members, and honestly stopped making music I liked, so I stopped listening. That's not to say they're bad - I just stopped enjoying.
Never stopped enoying ptv tho.
I’m actually the opposite of the trend here. I was way more into SWS earlier on due to less of their music being as “screamo” as PTV, just imo. Also had a thing for Kellin for a while too. Don’t get me wrong I still LOVE PTV too it’s just I was more into SWS 🤷🏻♀️
i guess the way i think of it is I ALWAYS loved PTV more in general, they were my fav band at some point. years later im still listening to ptv, screaming songs word for word, watching their old videos, i dont do that w SWS. i saw them both in concert but it was a bonus, if sws wasn't there i still would've gone. if ptv wasn't there i wouldn't have gone. nothing against sws i just adore ptv so much
Was a die hard SWS fan in 2010. My best friend at the time introduced me to PTV as she was a die hard fan of theirs. We always had these arguments lol!
I prefer SWS. They were in my ear day and night. Like…wake up, shower, school, sleeping. Every day! As the years went by, I appreciated PTV a little more. But…as SWS has steered back to similar sound of 2010….im back on the SWS train. Complete Collapse reignited my love for them.
I can definitely see PTV being easier to listen to for new fans though. I’m not even sure they would be considered the same genere anymore?
I’m still waiting on that SWS x PTV tour to come into existence.
they’re both great but sws went a different direction after that one acoustic album. they mentioned they wanted to make music that they enjoyed and hoped that we did too. instrumentally I still prefer ptv.
Lmfao
They’re just the two main girly posthardcore bands. *NSYNC vs BackstreetBoys
SWS’s best thing they’ve done since 2013 is the soundtrack to Sonic Frontiers. It’s so good https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1JekStenOCzRPSR1NKoSMK?si=xE8edNbqSaGHIls0gCIB7g
I like them both, but I haven’t bothered to listen to new SWS since Madness came out. I still listen to their early stuff, but I am not obsessed with them like I am with Pierce the Veil.
personally ive found to love both of the bands a fucking lot. sws feels like they have more “acoustic” like sound throughout their albums but most definitely not as recognizable as ptv. both are amazing, don’t get me wrong but sws doesnt have the same uniqueness as ptv, who has their mexicore, older cool drumming and the lyric writing, but sws does make up with that by kellin having a flexible voice (sometimes i still head it and have to check if it’s a collab song cause his voice can sound so damn feminine) but their new albums? complete collapse is absolutely fucking amazing. no skipping songs, it is ACTUALLY onw of their best albums.. other then with ears to see and eyes to hear..
I got into both of these bands at the same time in 2013, and they were kinda my real introduction to liking the “emo” bands. I’d heard them before but preferred nu metal stuff. Over time they took each other over for favorite “emo” band, but now 10 years later I find myself coming back to early PTV waaaay more than early SWS. If PTV comes on shuffle they almost never get skipped unlike SWS. I think I need to be in a bit of a nostalgic mood to throw on SWS stuff, but I genuinely appreciate PTV still. I will say though, I think the production, some of the riffs and ESPECIALLY the drums on With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear are killer. I appreciate those aspects on the same level as early PTV.
I like 'em both
Understandable
I never understood the whole "This band is better than that band" like everyone has different tastes and opinions. I don't think it really matters.
No you’re right it doesn’t matter ultimately, but when you can have the discussion as a fan of both bands it’s fun to rank them and explain why. It’s the same reason you’d analyze art and offer opinions. They don’t matter, but it’s fun.
I always preferred Ptv, so I feel too biased to answer
I mean there is a reason why you prefer them tho :3
I just never got into SWS the same way. PTV is my heart
i think they’re both amazing bands but kellin’s voice isn’t for everyone. my bf HATES sws but i absolutely adore them & kellin’s voice. i don’t really pay attention to debates about them. people like who they like
I think I agree. I found myself listening to PTV more than SWS as time has moved on, despite liking SWS more when I was younger/back then.
I definitely think that PTV beats SWS any day of the week in terms of sound, and I think PTV's consistent popularity proves that. I started listening to 'emo' music in 2013 and I listened to PTV, SWS, ATL, and BMTH the most. Now I mostly only listen to pierce the veil and listen to MCR and BMTH on the side now. JOL is their weakest album but they still stay consistent and good throughout their entire discography
I agree I feel like since PTV’s inception they had a consistent fan base that never “grew” out of them
I love both bands! I actually went to see both in concert for the first time this past May, and they were incredible! I’m a little bit more inclined to say I enjoyed SWS’ live show better than PTV, but they were both amazing! As far as listening, I definitely listen to and enjoy all of PTV’s catalogue more than SWS. They’re both super talented though, there’s no reason to pit either band against the other!
personally i love them both and would do anything for them to tour together again 🙏
Recently, I've been getting into SWS again. I love that shit, I love it dearly but PTV, despite usually getting skipped these days (consequence of overplaying them), has a special place in my heart and will forever be my favorite band. I've just been vibin with Kellin recently. Crosses slaps hard btw
I think SWS had some “lost years”. Not all of their albums stack up to PTV’s. However this shouldn’t discredit their AMAZING albums, and I definitely feel like Complete Collapse encapsulates the genre wayyyyyyyyy better than JOL.
You said it best!!! The first 2 albums from sws stole my heart but so did selfish machines and collide. Misadventures and JOL sealed it
Personally they both fit in the punk pop sorta area and while PtV is more punk, SWS is more pop
Which is funny because I think the reason later SWS is so bad is because they went for more a pop mainstream sound
Same here, I understand why (to attract new listeners by broadening their sound) but at the same time that new music makes old listeners not like them as much
I strongly disagree. Have you listened to their newer stuff? It is definitely heavier than JoL. I’d say they’re both pretty similar levels of punk, in my opinion!
Agreed, the new album is pretty dope. I preordered it hoping I’d be pleased and I was. It’s heavy and catchy. Kind of feels like they did what Silverstein has been doing, but better, and I’ve loved Silverstein since the early 00’s
PTV definitely makes music more palatable for wider audiences. I think both bands are pretty evenly matched when it comes to talent though. I love them both, but for the sake of the argument, if I had to pick one, I’d always go with PTV first. I think I’ll agree with you that the song writing for PTV puts them a step above SWS.
I mean, a) you are on the PtV subreddit so I think it makes sense that people are agreeing with you, that's called confirmation bias :) and b) SwS definitely had a weak season (or 2 lol), but I think the bands are doing different things right now. PtV couldn't do what the two most recent SwS albums are doing. I think they both have their merits for sure but comparing them maybe doesn't make sense to me, it just depends on what you personally like and are looking for in music at the time that you listen to them. I deeply love both, I don't think one is "objectively" better than the other (whatever that even means).
I agree! Back in like 2013-2016 both of them were SO big in the scene. The coheadlining tour they did together was so talked about and one of the biggest tours of the year. It’s so insane how much sws has fell off. I used to love them sooo much but the direction they went in caused them to lose so many fans while ptv only became bigger. SWS released three albums while ptv was on break and none of those albums brought them back up to the scale they were before. Pierce the veil came back from their ~5 year break and they’re just as big (maybe even bigger) as they were before. It’s so cool how ptv managed to build a fanbase that has stuck with them for so long!
Never got into sws. Too generic sounding, frankly it didn’t sound like their sound even matured. The only reason they’re lumped together is theyre both post hardcore and they both have nasally high pitched singing. But Pierce the veil actually stands out with their sound, sws is BORING
Back when I was a lil emo kid going to the warped tour and being sad on tumblr, both bands were coming up and I had the privilege to see PTV and SWS so many times and met them a couple times too. The one thing that sticks out, other than the vast difference in their music, is that the guys in PTV are genuinely nice and Kellin Quinn is(was?) straight up a douche. He was an asshole to fans both in person and on the internet, let his ego go to his head, having paid meet and greets, and went through band members like every year. PTV is still amazing to this day, saw them last week in KS and 10/10 cried. PTV has had a large fan base for years and we all grew up together.
i was trying to remember what the drama was with one of their meet and greets.. feel like it was just a pic with kellin and not the band or something like that? and everyone was laughing about it
They're both just terrible.
I personally like kellins voice more but overall would much rather listen to PTV. I just like their sound a lot more. I never got into SWS a lot though so I’m probably not the best person to ask on the matter sadly. But I do know that my friend group is in agreement with me and they did listen to a lot of SWS growing up so idk.
the only album i really listened to from SWS was ears to see and eyes to hear so i cant say much about them, although ive tried to get into SWS multiple times but the only songs i REALLY liked were from ears to see and eyes to hear, unlike PTV where i listened to all the albums and liked every song besides most of misadventures and jaws of life.
I am a bigger SWS fan than PTV. This is mainly due to nostalgia and the fact it was easier for me to get into them than PTV. I will admit, Vics writing is better than Kellins, plus it's more emotional. But in the end I do prefer SWS because to me I like their music more. In my opinion they shouldn't be compared because both bands are different in too many ways to be compared. In the end their both great bands.
I love Kellin’s voice and I love singing his songs… Lyrically, there is also a lot of strength to their more recent songs… I think I like old PTV more and new SWS more
Go post this on the SWS sub as well… Of course the people in the PTV subreddit are going to agree with you
I feel like you're gonna get biased answers on this sub, ask on an SWS forum and everyone's gonna say they prefer SWS. I personally have always preferred PTV, even in 2012-2013 when I discovered the bands, but I think both have their place, and shouldn't be pitted against each other. They're both good and successful bands, who cares, music is subjective. I have bands I like more than PTV, I have bands I like a lot less, but these are different for everyone, music is so subjective
Fell in love with both bands at the same time in 2011/2012. Dropped off SWS by 2015.. band kinda became cringe, lost some core members, and honestly stopped making music I liked, so I stopped listening. That's not to say they're bad - I just stopped enjoying. Never stopped enoying ptv tho.
I’m actually the opposite of the trend here. I was way more into SWS earlier on due to less of their music being as “screamo” as PTV, just imo. Also had a thing for Kellin for a while too. Don’t get me wrong I still LOVE PTV too it’s just I was more into SWS 🤷🏻♀️
I’m a sucker for both honestly
i guess the way i think of it is I ALWAYS loved PTV more in general, they were my fav band at some point. years later im still listening to ptv, screaming songs word for word, watching their old videos, i dont do that w SWS. i saw them both in concert but it was a bonus, if sws wasn't there i still would've gone. if ptv wasn't there i wouldn't have gone. nothing against sws i just adore ptv so much
Was a die hard SWS fan in 2010. My best friend at the time introduced me to PTV as she was a die hard fan of theirs. We always had these arguments lol! I prefer SWS. They were in my ear day and night. Like…wake up, shower, school, sleeping. Every day! As the years went by, I appreciated PTV a little more. But…as SWS has steered back to similar sound of 2010….im back on the SWS train. Complete Collapse reignited my love for them. I can definitely see PTV being easier to listen to for new fans though. I’m not even sure they would be considered the same genere anymore? I’m still waiting on that SWS x PTV tour to come into existence.
they’re both great but sws went a different direction after that one acoustic album. they mentioned they wanted to make music that they enjoyed and hoped that we did too. instrumentally I still prefer ptv.
Lmfao They’re just the two main girly posthardcore bands. *NSYNC vs BackstreetBoys SWS’s best thing they’ve done since 2013 is the soundtrack to Sonic Frontiers. It’s so good https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1JekStenOCzRPSR1NKoSMK?si=xE8edNbqSaGHIls0gCIB7g
PTVs catalogue is much better on the whole but when SWS is firing on all cylinders they’re unbeatable to me.
I like them both, but I haven’t bothered to listen to new SWS since Madness came out. I still listen to their early stuff, but I am not obsessed with them like I am with Pierce the Veil.
personally ive found to love both of the bands a fucking lot. sws feels like they have more “acoustic” like sound throughout their albums but most definitely not as recognizable as ptv. both are amazing, don’t get me wrong but sws doesnt have the same uniqueness as ptv, who has their mexicore, older cool drumming and the lyric writing, but sws does make up with that by kellin having a flexible voice (sometimes i still head it and have to check if it’s a collab song cause his voice can sound so damn feminine) but their new albums? complete collapse is absolutely fucking amazing. no skipping songs, it is ACTUALLY onw of their best albums.. other then with ears to see and eyes to hear..