Blink-182’s California turns nine this week—and honestly, how has it been that long? Released on July 1, 2016, this was the album that had everyone asking the same thing: What’s Blink gonna sound like without Tom?
Spoiler alert: it sounded pretty great.
After Tom DeLonge left (again), the band brought in Matt Skiba from Alkaline Trio, and suddenly Blink was back in the studio, working on what would become their most talked-about release in years. California felt like a reset—still pop punk at its core, but a little shinier, a little sadder, and a lot more grown up.
“Bored to Death” instantly hit that sweet spot of moody nostalgia, and songs like “She’s Out of Her Mind” and “Los Angeles” showed the band trying new things without totally ditching what made them Blink in the first place. Even the silly tracks—yeah, we’re looking at you, “Built This Pool”—reminded us that they hadn’t lost their sense of humor along the way.
The album shot to No. 1, got a Grammy nod, and brought a whole new wave of fans into the fold. For those of us who grew up with Take Off Your Pants and Jacket and Enema of the State, California was like a surprise reunion with an old friend—you didn’t realize how much you missed them until they showed up with a new haircut and something real to say.
Nine years later, it still holds up. It’s not just “the one without Tom”—it’s the album that proved Blink-182 could evolve without losing their soul.
Happy birthday, California. You were bold, messy, emotional, and fun as hell. Just like the band themselves.
