{{Short description|2001 single by Blink-182}} {{Other uses|Rock Show (disambiguation){{!}}Rock Show}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox song | name = The Rock Show | cover = Blink-182 - The Rock Show cover.jpg | alt = | border = yes | type = single | artist = Blink-182 | album = Take Off Your Pants and Jacket | released = {{start date|2001|5|7}} | recorded = January–March 2001<ref name="linernotes1"/> | studio = {{hlist|Signature Sound (San Diego)|Larrabee West (Hollywood)|Cello (Hollywood)}} | venue = | genre = * Pop-punk<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.chron.com/29-95/2011/07/the-top-10-blink-182-songs-of-all-time/|title=THE TOP 10 BLINK-182 SONGS OF ALL TIME|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=April 6, 2015|archive-date=April 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412093649/http://blog.chron.com/29-95/2011/07/the-top-10-blink-182-songs-of-all-time/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * emo<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/michelelbird/songs-every-emo-kid-couldnt-stop-blasting-in-the-00s|title=28 Songs Every Emo Kid Couldn't Stop Blasting In The '00s|work=BuzzFeed|date=April 18, 2018 |access-date=April 18, 2018}}</ref> | length = 2:51 | label = MCA | writer = * Mark Hoppus * Tom DeLonge * Travis Barker | producer = Jerry Finn | prev_title = Man Overboard | prev_year = 2000 | next_title = First Date | next_year = 2001 | misc = {{External music video|{{youTube|z7hhDINyBP0|"The Rock Show"}}}} }} "'''The Rock Show'''" is a song by American rock band Blink-182 for the group's fourth studio album, ''Take Off Your Pants and Jacket'' (2001). It was released as the lead single from the album on May 7, 2001. The track shares writing credits between guitarist Tom DeLonge, bassist Mark Hoppus, and drummer Travis Barker, with Hoppus serving as its primary composer. Built around a fast, three-chord structure and a compact runtime of under three minutes, the song tells the story of falling in love after meeting a girl at a concert.
Drawing on the band's early experiences touring punk rock clubs, the song is influenced by acts such as the Ramones and the Descendents. Its lyrics explore young love, teenage rebellion and impulsivity. The band intentionally set out to create a simple, catchy track, writing it in response to pressure for an anthemic summertime single. It includes lyrical references to the Warped Tour, a traveling punk showcase that the band had previously headlined. The song was produced by Jerry Finn.
"The Rock Show" achieved strong alternative radio success in the United States—peaking at number two on ''Billboard''{{'s}} Modern Rock Tracks chart—while also charting widely across Europe. Critical reception to the song was generally positive, with reviewers highlighting its simplicity, energy, and nostalgic appeal. The music video for "The Rock Show" depicts Blink-182 using their label's budget on a series of chaotic, humorous stunts and public pranks, presented in a deliberately DIY, anarchic style that mocks the excesses of high-budget music videos. ==Background== Blink-182 emerged from the Southern California punk scene in the nineties, first performing in small clubs across the region. Among their regular haunts were venues such as the Showcase Theatre in Corona and the all-ages venue SOMA in San Diego. SOMA—then located at 5305 Metro Street—was a gritty, do-it-yourself space housed in a converted industrial building that hosted both emerging punk acts and established bands such as Green Day and Rancid.{{sfn|Hoppus|2001|p=70}} In their early years, Blink-182 played dozens of shows there. Guitarist Tom DeLonge later recalled the venue's rough conditions: "It was covered with graffiti, it stunk, it was made of concrete and metal so the sound sucked and the toilets were always overflowing. It was the best—we loved it."<ref name="tourprogram">{{cite book|title=Blink-182: Take Off Your Pants and Jacket Tour 2001 Official Program|year=2001 |publisher=MCA Records |page=2 }}</ref>
By the time Blink-182 began writing "The Rock Show", the group had transitioned far beyond small-capacity venues. Their 1999 album ''Enema of the State'' had propelled them to mainstream fame, leading to headlining tours in arenas and amphitheaters. The album produced multiple hit singles, and anticipation was high for a similarly successful follow-up. Seeking to move away from their increasingly comedic image, the band entered pre-production at DML Studios, a small practice studio in Escondido,<ref name="linernotes1"/> where they developed material with a comparatively darker tone.<ref name="mtv">{{cite web|author=Roger Coletti|url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/archive/b/blink01/|title=Blink-182: No Jacket Required|publisher=MTV News|year=2001|access-date=June 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104230934/http://www.mtv.com/bands/archive/b/blink01/|archive-date=November 4, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Kerrang05"/> Both their label and manager Rick DeVoe were eager for another broadly accessible single—particularly an upbeat, summer-ready anthem that could match the chart performance of the band's previous hits. After hearing their new material, DeVoe was receptive, but apprehensive that it did not contain a radio-friendly single.<ref name="av13">{{cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/blink-182-took-punk-to-no-1-for-the-first-time-with-a-1798241295|title=Blink-182 took punk to No. 1 for the first time with a masturbation pun|author= Kyle Ryan |date= October 8, 2013|newspaper=The A.V. Club|access-date=October 8, 2013}}</ref> The band acknowledged the critique, though principal songwriters Mark Hoppus and DeLonge found it frustrating. Hoppus was particularly incensed: "You want a fucking single? I'll write you the cheesiest, catchiest, throwaway fucking summertime single you've ever heard!"<ref name="linernotes1">{{cite AV media notes | title=Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2013 Vinyl Reissue)| year=2013 | others=Blink-182 | type=liner notes | publisher=Geffen / Universal Music Special Markets | location=United States | id=SRC025/SRC026/SRC027/SRC028|quote=This reference primarily cites the Mark Hoppus foreword.}}</ref>
In response, Hoppus and DeLonge wrote two additional tracks in a single evening: "First Date" and "The Rock Show." Hoppus composed the song on acoustic guitar at home, drawing inspiration from a simple narrative of falling in love at a concert. He estimated it took him only ten minutes to write the song.<ref name=Kerrang05>{{cite journal| author =Nichola Browne | date = November 20, 2005| title = Punk Rock! Nudity! Filthy Sex! Tom DeLonge Looks Back On Blink-182's Greatest Moments| journal = Kerrang!| issue = 1083| publisher = Bauer Media Group| location =London | issn =0262-6624 }}</ref> The band later solidified the song's arrangement at the warehouse for drummer Travis Barker's clothing line, Famous Stars and Straps.<ref name="canisay">{{cite book|last1 = Barker|first1 = Travis|last2 = Edwards|first2 = Gavin|title = Can I Say: Living Large, Cheating Death, and Drums, Drums, Drums|year = 2015|publisher = William Morrow|isbn = 978-0-062-31942-5|page=158}}</ref> The song resonated personally with all three members; Barker recalled growing up going to gigs by bands like Face to Face, the Dickies, and Rhythm Collision, where punk shows also served as spaces for socializing and meeting girls.<ref name="rsvideo"/> Altogether, Hoppus later viewed the song as an exercise in immediacy rather than overanalysis. “There was no way to overthink them. It was almost like anti-thought. [We were] just making something people would like,” Hoppus noted. The track was subsequently recorded for the album with producer Jerry Finn, whose production, according to Hoppus, helped shape the material into the polished, radio-friendly form the band believed was expected of them.<ref name="fah"/> Keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. was brought in to add an organ part to the song's outro. ==Composition== thumb|The band performing at a small punk club in 1995, the kind of setting that inspired "The Rock Show". "The Rock Show" shares songwriting credits between the band's three members, but was primarily written by Hoppus. The song is two minutes and fifty-one seconds long. The song is composed in the key of A major and is set in time signature of common time with a driving tempo of 182 beats per minute.<ref name=sheet>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/blink-182/the-rock-show/MN0046028|title=Blink-182 The Rock Show – Digital Sheet Music|work=Music Notes|date=May 19, 2008|publisher=EMI Music Publishing}}</ref> The band aimed to keep things simple with the song, which is based around three chords.<ref name="mtv"/> DeLonge and Hoppus share vocals on the song.<ref name="w749">{{cite web | last=Tribune | first=Chicago | title=Blink-182 matures, forgoes filler for thriller | website=Chicago Tribune | date=November 15, 2003 | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/11/15/blink-182-matures-forgoes-filler-for-thriller/ | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref> The song depicts Hoppus meeting the girl of his dreams at the Warped Tour, the traveling festival that became synonymous with the pop-punk and emo scenes of the era.<ref name="v936">{{cite web | last=Lewis | first=Randy | title=Blink-182 Gets Back to Its Punk Business | website=Los Angeles Times | date=September 18, 2001 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-sep-18-ca-46838-story.html | access-date=May 5, 2026}}</ref><ref name="v314">{{cite web | last1=Arango | first1=Tim | last2=Stevens | first2=Matt | title=California Today: When Extreme Wealth and Poverty Collide | website=The New York Times | date=July 5, 2018 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/us/california-today-los-angeles-homelessness.html | access-date=May 5, 2026}}</ref> The lyrics trace themes of teenage rebellion and impulsivity—depicting sneaking out, clashing with authority, and imagining escape. It aims to capture the spirit of bands the group idolized, including the Ramones, Screeching Weasel, and the Descendents.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web|author=Danny O'Connor |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/alt/lamacq_features/blink_182_may2001.shtml |title=Blink 182 Interview |publisher=BBC Music |date=May 16, 2001 |access-date=January 31, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010608213828/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/alt/lamacq_features/blink_182_may2001.shtml |archive-date=June 8, 2001 }}</ref> It has been variously referred to as a pop-punk or punk<ref name="c312">{{cite web | last=Granger | first=Jesse | title=Eminem, Queen, The Beatles and Marshmello: DJ Shea Theodore gets the Golden Knights pumped | website=The Athletic | date=January 8, 2020 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1518037/2020/01/08/eminem-queen-the-beatles-and-marshmello-dj-shea-theodore-gets-the-golden-knights-pumped/ | access-date=May 5, 2026}}</ref> song.
The band members expanded upon the song's genesis in a 2001 interview with BBC Music:
{{cquote|I think it's actually as if we built a punk rock time capsule and went back to five years ago when we were writing songs. We wrote that song as a mid-tempo punk-pop song about a girl, and it ended up being one of the better ones on the record.<ref name="bbc"/> }} ==Commercial performance== "The Rock Show" was initially serviced to three radio formats—alternative radio, mainstream rock, and active rock radio—between May 7 and 8, 2001.<ref name="rh1"/> It was later worked at contemporary hit radio beginning on June 26 of that year.<ref name="rh2"/> CD and maxi singles were released worldwide, supported mainly with the B-side "Time to Break Up".<ref name="m940">{{cite web | title=Blink-182 – The Rock Show | website=Discogs | date=June 25, 2001 | url=https://www.discogs.com/master/38124-Blink-182-The-Rock-Show | access-date=May 5, 2026}}</ref> To promote the song, the band performed it on MTV's ''Total Request Live'', as well as the ''Late Show with David Letterman''.
"The Rock Show" achieved moderate international chart success, with particularly strong performance on alternative radio. In the United States, the song first debuted on ''Billboard''{{'s}} Modern Rock Tracks chart at number 28 in the issue dated May 19, 2001;<ref name="bb">{{cite magazine|title=Modern Rock Tracks|magazine=Billboard|page=80|volume=113|issue= 20|issn=0006-2510|date=May 19, 2001|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BhQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA80|access-date=May 5, 2026}}</ref> it reached its peak position of number two on July 14. Overall, the song spent 26 weeks on the chart.<ref name="n787">{{cite web | title=Blink-182 - Biography, Music & News | website=Billboard | date=April 26, 2026 | url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/blink-182/chart-history/hsi/ | access-date=May 5, 2026}}</ref> Domestically, it also peaked at number 71 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100; it crossed over to mainstream audiences as well, peaking at number 33 on the Pop Airplay chart. Its sustained airplay across 2001 also translated into year-end recognition, where it ranked number 14 on the Modern Rock Tracks Year-End.<ref name="Year-End-Mod-Rock"/>
Internationally, the single saw its strongest commercial performance in Europe. It reached the top ten in Portugal and Scotland, and peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. Elsewhere, it achieved top 40 positions in countries including Ireland, Italy, Austria, Sweden, and Australia, while charting more modestly in Germany, France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The song also reached number 35 on the Eurochart Hot 100, which collected chart data from sales rankings across the region.
In the United Kingdom, it was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry, denoting sales of over 400,000 units. ==Critical reception== Critical reception to "The Rock Show" was generally positive, with reviewers highlighting its simplicity, energy, and nostalgic appeal. Rob Sheffield of ''Rolling Stone'' described the song as a "slice of suburban teen romance," drawing a comparison to the Ramones’ simple, fast-food take on love in "Oh Oh I Love Her So".<ref name=rs>{{cite magazine|author=Rob Sheffield |date=June 11, 2001 |title=''Take Off Your Pants and Jacket'': Review |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/take-off-your-pants-and-jacket-20010611 |issue=871 |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |location=New York City |issn=0035-791X |access-date=February 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928032607/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/take-off-your-pants-and-jacket-20010611 |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |url-status=dead |author-link=Rob Sheffield }}</ref> Similarly, Roger Catlin of the ''Hartford Courant'' praised it as one of the standout tracks on the album, emphasizing its "pure adrenaline and good cheer."<ref name="y616">{{cite web | title=Blink-182 Buckles Down On `Take Off Your Pants' | website=Hartford Courant | date=June 14, 2001 | url=https://www.courant.com/2001/06/14/blink-182-buckles-down-on-take-off-your-pants/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324042417/http://articles.courant.com/2001-06-14/entertainment/0106141236_1_blink-182-pants-and-jacket-sing | archive-date=March 24, 2016 | url-status=live | access-date=June 4, 2024}}</ref>
Other critics focused on its accessibility and mainstream appeal. Joshua Klein from ''The Washington Post'' called it "immediately likable" and ideal as "soundtrack fodder" for a teen film,<ref name="y837">{{cite web | last=Klein | first=Joshua | title=Lite Salad Days With Blink-182 | website=Washington Post | date=June 20, 2001 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2001/06/20/lite-salad-days-with-blink-182/4c755683-bdde-47cd-a4e5-848408e58c8a/ | access-date=June 4, 2024 | archive-date=December 28, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241228015044/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2001/06/20/lite-salad-days-with-blink-182/4c755683-bdde-47cd-a4e5-848408e58c8a/ | url-status=live }}</ref> while David Browne of ''Entertainment Weekly'' characterized it as carefree and "cutesy."<ref name=ew>{{cite magazine|author=David Browne|date=June 18, 2001|title=Take Off Your Pants and Jacket|magazine=Entertainment Weekly |url=https://ew.com/article/2001/06/19/take-your-pants-and-jacket/|access-date=June 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926191632/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,130871,00.html|archive-date=September 26, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Eric Aiese of ''Billboard'' examined the song through the lens of its airplay competition: "As the face of rock radio has yielded toward the emerging hard sounds on "nu metal", Blink continues to provide a contrasting voice [...] "The Rock Show" clearly shows the band's talent for writing—and performing—hooks."<ref name="bb01">{{cite magazine|author=Eric Aiese|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CRQEAAAAMBAJ&q=blink-182+rock+show&pg=PA24|title=Reviews & Previews: Singles|magazine= Billboard|date=June 16, 2001|page=24|volume=113|number=24|access-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref>
In retrospective analysis, Grant Sharples of Stereogum suggested the song distills Blink-182's core identity into a single nostalgic idea, encapsulated in the lyric "I couldn’t wait for the summer and the Warped Tour."<ref name="p934">{{cite web | last=Sharples | first=Grant | title=Take Off Your Pants And Jacket Turns 20 | website=Stereogum | date=October 26, 2025 | url=https://stereogum.com/2150366/blink-182-take-off-your-pants-and-jacket/reviews/the-anniversary | access-date=May 5, 2026}}</ref> The song made a reader's poll of the 10 best songs by the band conducted for ''Rolling Stone''.<ref name="n706">{{cite web | last=Greene | first=Andy | title=Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Blink-182 Songs | website=Rolling Stone | date=May 4, 2016 | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-blink-182-songs-69463/the-rock-show-162499/ | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref> Tom Connick in ''NME'' called the song a "classic track".<ref name="t696">{{cite web | last=Connick | first=Tom | title=Vans Warped Tour respond to rumoured appearances from My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Blink-182 and more | website=NME | date=February 18, 2018 | url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/warped-tour-2018-rumours-mcr-paramore-blink-2244812 | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref> ==Music video== [[File:Dodge Ram B150 van (1986-1993).jpg|thumb|A gray Dodge Ram Van, a similar model of which was used in the video for the song.]] The music video for "The Rock Show" depicts the band spending their major-label budget on a variety of chaotic stunts and humorous pranks.<ref name="r666">{{cite web | title=11 Destructive Music Videos | website=Paste Magazine | date=July 26, 2022 | url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/music-videos/11-destructive-music-videos | access-date=November 18, 2025}}</ref> The video's large budget—reportedly $500,000—was deliberately used for these extravagant stunts as part of its humor.<ref name="rsvideo">{{cite web|author=Jon Wiederhorn|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1443821/blink-182-wreck-stuff-rock-show.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325042521/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1443821/blink-182-wreck-stuff-rock-show.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 25, 2014|title=Blink-182 Wreck Stuff For 'Rock Show'|publisher= MTV News|date=May 17, 2001|access-date=April 28, 2013}}</ref> It depicts the trio trashing televisions and trains, taking homeless individuals for a spa makeover, handing out cash to strangers, and paying dancers to mow lawns.<ref name=shooman87>Shooman, 2010. p. 87</ref> Many of the people involved were bewildered when handed money during filming, with some even suspecting it was a scam.<ref name="c633">{{cite web | title=The Rock Show (Video History) | website=YouTube |publisher=Rock Sound| date=October 16, 2017 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl2atjtCQpM | access-date=November 18, 2025}}</ref> The video for "The Rock Show" attracted heavy airplay on MTV's ''TRL'', where it was retired from their countdown after 65 days, in August 2001.<ref name="trl">{{cite web | last=Campbell | first=Rachel | title=32 times the scene rocked the ‘TRL’ countdown | website=Alternative Press | date=October 5, 2017 | url=https://www.altpress.com/bands_on_trl_countdown/ | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref>
The video was directed by the Malloy brothers, who had previously gained experience making surf films.<ref name="y775">{{cite web| url=https://malloybrothers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ShotsMagazine_MalloyBrothers.pdf |first=Iann|last=Blair|title=The Malloys: Director Profile|publisher=Shots| access-date=November 18, 2025}}</ref> Marcos Siega, who had directed three of the band's previous videos, wrote a treatment for "The Rock Show" but was unable to get his schedule aligned to direct the clip.<ref>{{cite podcast |host= |date=November 2, 2025 |title=Ep 294: A Conversation with Marcos Siega (Director/Producer)|url=https://www.podioslave.com/ep-294-a-conversation-with-marcos-siega-directorproducer/ |work= |publisher= Podioslave Podcast |time= |access-date=November 17, 2025}}</ref> The band's label, MCA, initially wanted the video to focus on skateboarding, aiming to align the band with their SoCal subculture, but the band rejected the idea.<ref name="c633"/> "We had to really put our foot down [with the label]," Hoppus recalled, noting that their growing clout allowed them to get the video they wanted. Hoppus later recalled that the band conceived the video as a deliberately chaotic, DIY-style clip, using handheld cameras in the style of an "anarchic skate video". The project became a way to lampoon the often exorbitant music-video budgets that reached millions at the millennial peak of the record industry. Still: "That was a cheap video for a band of our size at that time," Hoppus said.<ref name="c633"/> Despite initial label skepticism, Hoppus observed that the resulting footage fit well with MTV's post-''Jackass'' programming, which embraced its anarchic tone. "We thought we’d made the ''Casablanca'' of punk videos," he remembered.<ref name="fah">{{cite book | last1=Hoppus | first1=Mark | last2=Ozzi | first2=Dan | title=Fahrenheit-182 | publisher=Dey Street Books | year=2025 | isbn=978-0-06-331891-5}}</ref> The gray 1985 Dodge van that the band used for the video was later bought and restored by fans,<ref name="k309">{{cite web | last=Neveu | first=Cameron | title=Blink 182's Dodge "Rock Show" Van Just Got New Owners | website=Hagerty Media | date=January 8, 2024 | url=https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/blink-182s-dodge-rock-show-van-just-got-new-owners/ | access-date=November 18, 2025}}</ref><ref name="t791">{{cite web | last1=Login | first1=Student | last2=Velazquez | first2=Theressa | title=A closer look inside Blink-182's "The Rock Show" van | website=News-Register | date=October 22, 2024 | url=https://nlcnewsregister.com/1783/arts-culture/austin-city-limits-week-one-review-2/| access-date=November 18, 2025}}</ref><ref name="x728">{{cite web | last=Lange | first=Ariane | title=Blink-182’s ‘Rock Show’ van lived in Sacramento for 2 decades. Here’s why and what’s next | website=Sacramento Bee | date=December 27, 2023 | url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article283350303.html | access-date=November 18, 2025}}</ref> where it has since been used as a traveling fan exhibit at Blink concerts.<ref name="a235">{{cite web | last=Malenfant | first=Marley | title=Find the iconic blink-182 van from 2001 'The Rock Show' music video at ACL Fest | website=Austin American-Statesman | date=October 4, 2024 | url=https://www.statesman.com/story/entertainment/2024/10/04/blink-182-the-rock-show-van-austin-city-limits-2024-acl-fest/75518226007/ | access-date=November 18, 2025}}</ref>
Other music videos have used a similar conceit, which critics have sometimes pointed out as reminiscent of "The Rock Show". Pop-punk band Knuckle Puck took direct inspiration for their 2017 clip for "Gone",<ref name="c638">{{cite web | last=Payne | first=Chris | title=Knuckle Puck Spoofs Blink-182's 'Rock Show' in Hilarious 'Gone' Video: Premiere | website=Billboard | date=October 19, 2017 | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/knuckle-puck-gone-video-blink-182-rock-show-8006579/ | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref> while Drake's 2018 video for "God's Plan" was deemed unintentionally similar.<ref name="z881">{{cite web | last=Puckett | first=Lily | title=Remember when Blink-182 made their own "God's Plan" video? | website=The FADER | date=February 16, 2018 | url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/02/16/remember-when-blink-182-made-their-own-gods-plan-video | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref> ==Live performances and covers== The band first debuted "The Rock Show" live. Since then, it has become a staple of the band's setlists, sometimes as an opener.<ref name="j403">{{cite web | last=Ragusa | first=Paolo | title=blink-182 Perform a Bunch of Rarities to Kick Off "Missionary Impossible Tour" | website=Consequence | date=August 29, 2025 | url=https://consequence.net/2025/08/blink-182-2025-tour-kick-off-videos-setlist/ | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref> The band continued playing the song with Matt Skiba, DeLonge's replacement from 2015 to 2022.<ref name="f829">{{cite web | last=Cosores | first=Philip | title=Live Review: Blink-182 at Orange County's Musink Festival (3/22) | website=Consequence | date=March 23, 2015 | url=https://consequence.net/2015/03/live-review-blink-182-at-orange-countys-musink-festival-322/ | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref> The band also played the song live on ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' in 2009, in what was their first televised performance after reuniting.<ref name="n304">{{cite web | last=Kreps | first=Daniel | title=Blink-182 Rock First Reunion TV Appearance on "Tonight Show" | website=Rolling Stone | date=May 19, 2009 | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/blink-182-rock-first-reunion-tv-appearance-on-tonight-show-71151/ | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref>
The song has been covered by numerous artists. Mayday Parade played their spin on the song on the final Warped Tour in 2018,<ref name="altp1">{{cite web | title=Watch Mayday Parade cover Blink-182 at Warped Tour | website=Alternative Press | date=June 22, 2018 | url=https://www.altpress.com/mayday-parade-blink-182-rock-show-cover-warped/ | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref> while the Paradox teamed with Travis Barker for a 2025 live cover.<ref name="k219">{{cite web | last=Dennis | first=Ryne | title=All Black pop-punk band The Paradox from GA opens for Green Day | website=Roll Tide Wire | date=August 13, 2025 | url=https://rolltidewire.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/08/13/all-black-pop-punk-band-the-paradox-from-ga-opens-for-green-day/85639653007/ | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref> The same year, pop-punk band Bowling for Soup covered this song to coincide with the announcement that they were playing the relaunched Warped Tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2025/music/news/simple-plan-bowling-for-soup-vans-warped-tour-2025-1236286815/|title=Simple Plan, Bowling for Soup Among First Group of Vans Warped Tour 2025 Performers (EXCLUSIVE)|website=Variety|date=January 27, 2025|last=Horowitz|first=Steven}}</ref> During their hiatus with Blink-182, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker regularly played this song in their band, +44. Guitarist and background vocalist Craig Fairbaugh replaced DeLonge on backing vocals. ==Track listings== {{track listing | headline = CD single 1 | all_writing = Blink-182 | total_length = | title1 = The Rock Show | note1 = radio edit | length1 = 2:51 | title2 = Time to Break Up | length2 = 3:05 | title3 = Man Overboard | note3 = radio edit | length3 = 2:46 | title4 = Man Overboard | note4 = video | length4 = 3:12 }}
{{track listing | headline = CD single 2 | total_length = | title1 = The Rock Show | note1 = album version | length1 = 2:51 | title2 = Aliens Exist | note2 = live from ''The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show'' | length2 = 3:43 | title3 = Adam's Song | note3 = enhanced video | length3 = 4:22 }}
{{track listing | headline = DVD single | total_length = | title1 = The Rock Show | note1 = album version | length1 = 2:51 | title2 = All the Small Things | note2 = video | length2 = 2:53 | title3 = Clips from 'The Urethra Chronicles{{'-}} | note3 = video, four 30-seconds clips | length3 = }}
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"|Chart (2001) !scope="col"|Peak<br/>position |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Australia|34|artist=Blink 182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=September 27, 2015}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Austria|38|artist=Blink 182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=September 27, 2015}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Flanders Tip|11|artist=Blink 182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=September 27, 2015}} |- !scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2001/MM-2001-07-21.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=19|issue=30|page=11|date=July 21, 2001|access-date=May 24, 2020}}</ref> |35 |- !scope="row"{{single chart|France|88|artist=Blink 182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=September 27, 2015}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Germany|55|artist=Blink 182|song=The Rock Show|songid=4791|access-date=October 30, 2018}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Ireland2|28|artist=Blink-182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=January 26, 2020}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Italy|24|artist=Blink 182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=February 1, 2015}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Dutch100|98|artist=Blink 182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=September 27, 2015}} |- !scope="row"|Portugal (AFP)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2001/MM-2001-08-11.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=19|issue=22|page=9|date=August 11, 2001|access-date=May 24, 2020}}</ref> |10 |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Scotland|10|date=20010714|refname=scotland}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Sweden|39|artist=Blink 182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=September 27, 2015}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Switzerland|84|artist=Blink 182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=September 27, 2015}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|UK|14|artist=Blink-182|song=The Rock Show|date=20010714|access-date=January 31, 2015}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Billboardhot100|71|artist=blink-182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=January 31, 2015}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|2|artist=blink-182|song=First Date|access-date=January 31, 2023}} |- !scope="row"{{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|33|artist=blink-182|song=The Rock Show|access-date=January 31, 2015}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"|Chart (2001) !scope="col"|Position |- !scope="row"|US Modern Rock Tracks (''Billboard'')<ref name="Year-End-Mod-Rock">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sBIEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA39-IA11|title=The Year in Music 2001: Hot Modern Rock Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=113|issue=52|page=72|issn=0006-2510|date=December 29, 2001|access-date=March 1, 2025}}</ref> |14 |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Blink 182|title=The Rock Show|award=Gold|relyear=2001|certyear=2025|source=radioscope|access-date=August 12, 2025}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Blink 182|title=The Rock Show|award=Gold|relyear=2004|certyear=2023|id=15378-1599-1|access-date=September 29, 2023}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States |May 7, 2001 |Alternative radio |rowspan="6"|MCA |<ref name="rh1">{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2001/RR-2001-05-04.pdf|title=Alternative: Going for Adds|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1400|page=153|date=May 4, 2001|access-date=June 3, 2021}}</ref> |- |May 8, 2001 |{{hlist|Mainstream rock|active rock radio}} |<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2001/RR-2001-05-04.pdf|title=Going for Adds|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1400|pages=140, 144|date=May 4, 2001|access-date=June 3, 2021}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|Australia |June 25, 2001 |CD |<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/issue591.PDF|title=The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 25th June 2001|publisher=ARIA|page=24|date=June 25, 2001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020220130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20020221-0000/www.aria.com.au/issue591.PDF|archive-date=February 20, 2002|access-date=June 3, 2021}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|United States |June 26, 2001 |Contemporary hit radio |<ref name="rh2">{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2001/RR-2001-06-22.pdf|title=CHR/Pop: Going for Adds|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1407|pages=49|date=June 22, 2001|access-date=June 3, 2021}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|Japan |June 27, 2001 |CD |<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.universal-music.co.jp/u-pop/mein/release/0106.html|title=新譜発売日一覧 6月分|trans-title=New Release Date List for June|publisher=Universal Music Japan|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011031162637fw_/http://www.universal-music.co.jp/u-pop/mein/release/0106.html|archive-date=October 31, 2001|access-date=August 27, 2023}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|United Kingdom |July 2, 2001 |{{hlist|CD|DVD}} |<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2001/Music-Week-2001-06-30.pdf|title=New Releases – For Week Starting July 2, 2001: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=23|date=June 30, 2001|access-date=August 14, 2021}}</ref><ref name="p073">{{cite web | title=BLINK STAR'S STALKER FEAR | website=NME | date=May 30, 2001 | url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/blink-182-239-1387296 | access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref> |} ==In popular culture== * "The Rock Show" appears in the video games ''Amplitude'', ''Guitar Hero 5'', ''Guitar Hero Live'', and ''Splashdown''. * The song is available as DLC for both ''Rock Band'' and its portable counterpart, ''Rock Band Unplugged''.
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Blink-182 songs}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rock Show, The}} Category:2001 songs Category:2001 singles Category:Blink-182 songs Category:MCA Records singles Category:Music videos directed by The Malloys Category:Songs written by Mark Hoppus Category:Songs written by Tom DeLonge Category:Songs written by Travis Barker