Tickets to My Downfall Review: MGK Goes Pop Punk
Rapper Machine Gun Kelly goes pop punk in his new album “Tickets to my Downfall” released in September of 2020 through Bad Boy Records and Interscope Records.
"Machine Gun Kelly @ London Concert Theatre 2014" by thecomeupshow is licensed with CC BY-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/
Tickets to My Downfall, a top charting album with 15 tracks by Machine Gun Kelly, was a first for the rapper. Not only was this his first platinum album, but he also dropped his rap persona and began singing alongside Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker who helped with writing and producing on most of the songs on the pop punk album. In a Grammys interview MGK talked about how music popularity comes in phases. Hip-hop rolled the last decade and now the times are changing, so he’s changing along with it.
MGK’s rock side began to come out after his role as Mötley Crüe Drummer Tommy Lee in the Netflix original The Dirt. Soon after the movie’s release in March of 2019 MGK put out “I Think I’m Okay,” a song off of Hotel Diablo, alongside Barker on Drums and YUNGBLUD on vocals. The friendship that formed between MGK and YUNGBLUD appears to be a big inspiration for both artists. Although YUNGBLUDS relationship with artist Halsey and the song “11 Minutes” was a strong start to the British artists career his work with MGK truly began to put him on the map.
In the time after “I Think I’m Okay” was released and the budding friendship between MGK and YUNGBLUD became a fan favorite MGK’s image began to drastically change. Specifically, he began constantly rocking the color pink, a trademark of YUNGBLUD’s. His comic Hotel Diablo released in September of 2021 and his film Downfalls High released in January of 2021 seems to pull influence from YUNGBLUD’S image as well. YUNGBLUD himself has released a comic book series titled Twisted Tales of the Ritalin Club starting in 2019. Even though MGK had always admitted his love for graphic novels and no one has a copyright over a color the timing of this friendship and the release dates of these works seem suspiciously influenced by his pal YUNGBLUD.
This new sound, image and visual creativity influenced by YUNGBLUD, Barker and his role in The Dirt are front and center in his debut pop punk and rock guided album Tickets to my Downfall.
“Title Track”
The first song off of the album accurately sets the theme for what’s to come as listeners continue to make their way through the album. Listeners hear a preview of MGK’s music style, edgy themes and emotional lyrics that are threaded through all of the songs in the album
This first song is an emotional response to fame and the relationships that come with it between fans and friends.
“I had to get to a certain height to then decline and crash, and people are aware of this height that I’m at, and they don’t want to see it rise anymore; they want to see it crash. There had to have been a journey for people to care about to still be tuned into, to then see destroyed.” Said MGK when explaining why Tickets to my Downfall could not be his debut album in a Kerrang interview.
Describing his downfall is a bit ironic due the overwhelming positive response and awards he’s gotten for this album, but facts do not always accurately translate into the emotions people feel. Especially when fluctuations of celebrity friendships and the reasoning behind them are rarely factually portrayed in the media.
Verse one: “I sold tickets to my downfall/ It sold out in minutes/ I saw friends in the front row/ They'll leave when I'm finished/ And the light in my name's gone/ 'Cause the ones who gas you up/ Only come around when the flame's on and/ (I gave you my life, oh, oh-oh)/ Ayy, fuck it”
MGK’s emotional theme and his idea of reaching the height of fame and moving friendships is seen in the very first verse of the album. The song also starts off with a soft, ballad-like sound that’s heard later in the album.
Moving into the pre chorus after the first verse MGK erupts into his fun and edgy pop punk sounds. This is the sound that make you want to jump around surrounded by your friends just as MGK has said he was hoping it would. Just like any classic 2000’s pop punk album the lyrics are laced with emo imagery, which according to a tweet by the artist has been overly contextualized at surface level by journalists. “I use a razor to take off the edge” is one of the commonly under analyzed lines that is always described as being related to self-harm or drug use. Regardless of MGK’s true meaning of lines similar to this one it’s hard to find any other meaning in the lyric other than describing self-destructive behaviors the artist may practice, even if it isn’t necessarily drug use of self-harm.
“Kiss Kiss”
There does not seem to be much to this song other than a glimpse into MGK’s party life, something that seems to go hand in hand with fame, especially as a professional musician. But, as MGK said in his previously mentioned tweet “it’s poetry not drunken buffoonery,” so nothing on this album should be taken at face value. Whether that is the case or not in this song having this fast-paced upbeat song accompanied by words like “jump” adlibbed into some of the choruses and lyrics all about his party lifestyle he successfully creates a have fun party with your friend’s vibe just like he was hoping. Even listening to this song sitting down in my headphones I cannot help but dance around a bit in my seat.
“Drunk Face”
In this song we hear MGK embrace his hip-hop roots through a trap beat that plays in the first chorus that starts out the song and more throughout the song underneath Barkers drumming. Starting a song off with a chorus is not the most common formatting in the music industry but using this less common format on a Tickets to my Downfall song seems appropriate as the album as a whole is pushing commonality and what would be expected from MGK.
This song is about the intoxicating feeling that can come with relationships. This is stated right off the bat in the chorus stating, “I’m back on those drugs I quit” and then “I’m back on that girl I quit.”
In his second verse we hear the lyrics “I’m a Hollywood whore, I don’t ask names,” which is a tribute to the song “Hollywood Whore” release in 2019. A Hollywood whore is someone that is desperately trying to reach stardom; this could be a response to his deep hope of becoming a famous rapper at a young age and the things he was doing to get there.
“Bloody Valentine”
Tickets to my Downfall was kicked off with a strong start by the release of “Bloody Valentine.” MGK’s current girlfriend, actress Megan Fox appears in the music video for “Bloody Valentine.” Having her star in this music video makes it hard to not speculate that this song is not a love song to her. The lyrics about wanting a real love that lasts but being willing to make it one night if that’s what it has to be. That and the way that the lyrics are far off from MGK’s normal message about the negative aspects of relationships furthers the reasoning for why this song could very well be a love letter to Fox. The two seem to have a relationship filled with true love and even refer to themselves as twin flames, so it would not be shocking to learn that Fox changed MGK’s perception of relationships and love.
During the pre-chorus when MGK is singing “in my head, in my head” he blends together my and head making it sound as though the ‘h’ is dropped. These types of vocals are something you would expect to hear out of Blink-182 lead singer, Tom DeLonge.
The title of “Bloody Valentine” and the hot pink and black color scheme on the cover art for its original release bears a striking resemblance to the cover art for Loveless an album by alternative band My Bloody Valentine. With such aggressive similarities “Bloody Valentine” was most likely influenced by My Bloody Valentine in some way.
“Forget Me Too” (ft. Halsey)
Halsey is no stranger to putting out pop-punk and rock music. Just as MGK is going from rap to pop-punk and rock music Halsey is known for her cross-genre music.
The theme of “Forget Me Too” is a little closer to what fans would usually expect when hearing MGK speaking on a relationship that can definitely be describe as toxic. The plot line follows ex’s who are trying to move on but tend to end up waking up with each other. This follows very closely to the plot in “Why Are You Here,” a single released in 2019.
“Lonely”
“Lonely” is one of the most emotional songs on the album. The song is about his aunt, who he said was his closest family member, and father who both passed away. In the first verse MGK talks about living in the basement of his aunt’s house with his dad where he wrote his first rap, surrounded by two of his biggest fans and influences, even if his relationship with his dad was not always so positive. The pre-chorus switched between “and then he said goodbye way to soon” the first time we hear it and “and then she said goodbye way to soon” the second and last time it’s heard equally representing both family members that meant the most to him.
The outro of the song includes a recording of one of the last things MGK and his dad spoke about. In the Kerrang article MGK talked about the decision to put the recording into the song and how he was encouraged to talk to his father about himself.
“I think I ultimately chose to put it on the album because it can maybe help people understand my psyche a little more, that even before I came out of the womb, I was already trying to take myself out of this world – almost feeling like I shouldn’t be here or something.” Said MGK.
This song is full of heartfelt, pure emotional lyrics and is accompanied by a beautiful sound. This song does not deserve to be skipped when it starts playing, but anytime it plays the listener is always going to be at risk for sobbing for 3 minutes and 10 seconds straight—at least.
“My Ex’s Best Friend” (ft. Blackbear)
“My Ex’s Best Friend” is probably the most popular songs on the album. The song follows the narrators personal, moral struggle with deciding whether or not he should be getting together with his ex’s best friend. Problematically he ends up giving in a falling in love with her, although he doesn’t seem terribly upset about that.
Regardless of the lyrics this is a fun song with a fun sound. With Blackbear accompanying MGK, their strong fan bases and the fun sing along nature of the song it makes sense that this would end up as one of the most popular songs on the album.
“Play This When I’m Gone”
Dedicated to MGK’s daughter Casie, this song reads as a letter to her and ensures that he will not have any regrets when his time comes, as he wrote in an Instagram post. The last line of the first verse says “I just looked at your picture, so the last thing I did was see you” stressing the importance Casie has on his life.
In the Chorus MGK brings out his paternal side consoling his daughter, even after he is gone, and telling her that even though the situation is not alright it is okay if she cries.
The second verse addresses his absence in the beginning of her life. While he was out trying to make a name for himself Casie was growing up. In the second half of the verse, he expresses his protective nature and how part of him does not want the world to touch her, which as the daughter of a major celebrity is virtually impossible.
The bridge and outro are MGK repeatedly telling Casie that he’ll miss her when he’s gone. This theme of death and a loved one makes this a very heartfelt and emotion song similarly to “Lonely.” Just like “Lonely,” as well, do not be surprised if you are in tears by the end of the song.
Tickets to my Downfall
Working alongside Barker and using vocals you would expect from DeLonge makes it seem like MGK is trying a little too hard to turn himself into the next Blink-182. Along with trying too hard, some of MGK’s lyrics appear to be present because they sound emo, which is expected in pop punk music, more than because that is what he is feeling and how he is feeling it. Other than that, I have no complaints about this album. It is filled with fantastic music and lyrics, and many of the songs give listeners a look inside of MGK’s world and brain. This was a fantastic album, and it has fully deserved the recognition it has received.
