All of us want to hear someone we love or look up to tell us that they’re “Very Proud of Ya.” And while we can’t help with any familial or partner issues, we can tell you one place you can hear those words, no matter what you’ve gotten yourself into. All you need to do is get a copy of the AFI album titled, Very Proud of Ya. Now you’ve got a reminder that someone out there is proud and a bonus awesome album to listen to.

Once you get that emotional validation and give the album a listen, we’re sure you’ll become AFI fans. How could you not? Their songs are full of addictive rhythms, punk themes, and goth vibes that speak to the inner high-schooler in all of us.

AFI: A Fire Inside

AFI isn’t just a random group of letters the bandmates chose. It stands for “A Fire Inside,” which the band definitely has – and has since they were founded in the mid-90s. The band was originally made up of Davey Havok, Markus Stopholese, and Adam Carson, but there have been almost too many personnel changes to keep track of.

It seems that the members of AFI live up to their band name and don’t always get along, but that’s okay. We like hearing the new sounds that appear in their music when they add (or subtract) someone to the band.

Dreamworks Makes Their Dreams Come True

In the early 2000s, AFI was signed to the major record label, Dreamwork, and given the green light to put out their first big-studio debut album. Singles from that album (Sing the Sorrow) went platinum and made sure everyone knew about this 3-letter band from the middle of California. The band has continued to evolve since that first peak of success, from its album label (now Interscope) to the current lineup of the band.