Stereo Skyline

Though Stereo Skyline's image is that of peppy pranksters making carefree pop, the group's backstory is one of rival artistic differences and considerable personnel upheaval (10 members in four years). Singer and keyboardist Matt Villani, previously of Valet Parking, put together Stereo Skyline by drafting musicians from several other pop-punk bands in and around East Meadow, N.Y. The band self-released its debut EP, Worst Case Scenario, in 2006. Shortly afterward, Villani surrendered lead vocal duties to guitarist Kevin Bard. While undergoing a few more lineup changes, Stereo Skyline dropped a second, self-titled EP. At this point, Villani's relationship with the rest of the band was not good. The guy who actually started the band found himself on the outside looking in by late 2008. His gradual estrangement coincided with a shift in musical style, from pop-punk to more of a bubblegum power-pop for the 21st century. The band -- now consisting of Bard, Clayton Johnson, Brian Maddox and Rob Michelsen -- signed with the Columbia label and released Stuck on Repeat in 2010. The lead single was the infectious "Tongue Tied."