Rise Against

It’s easy to write off Chicago-bred Rise Against as just another quasi-political punk band that hit it big after signing to the majors. And although both statements ring true—2008’s platinum-selling Appeal To Reason was a huge commercial success that also pushed the group’s liberal leanings, and 2011’s Endgame follows a similar blueprint—Rise Against has swayed critics by exuding a sense of self-awareness, something that certainly seems lacking among other bands of its ilk. The third song on the record, “Make It Stop (September’s Children),” was written as a statement of support for LGBT rights after the September 2010 suicides of five gay teens. The band released a cover of Bob Dylan’s “The Ballad Of Hollis Brown,” on the latest Amnesty International compilation, Chimes Of Freedom. Their latest release, an EP titled Satellite, was released earlier this month.

Updated 04/25/2012