Neck Deep’s Life’s Not Out To Get You has long been regarded as a key modern pop-punk record. So much so that December has become something of a seasonal standard within the genre’s wider fanbase. Critics at the time were emphatic: Kerrang! awarded the album a perfect 100/100 and called it a must-listen for anyone who cares about pop-punk. NME described the record as anthemic and emotionally direct, while Alternative Press placed it among their Top 10 Essential Records of the year. Rock Sound praised the confidence and maturity of the writing, ranking it at number 3 in their end-of-year list. DIY echoed these sentiments, calling it both quintessential and refreshing. The album still stands as a reference point – not just for its singles, but for the way it pushed the band forward and helped set the tone for a new generation of pop-punk. It remains a record that gets pointed to when the conversation turns to what modern pop-punk can achieve at full tilt.