SIDELINES Returns With Breakup, Emo-Pop Anthem 'Sleep Alone'

Melbourne’s dark prince of emo-pop revival, SIDELINES, returns with his emotionally charged second single ‘Sleep Alone’, out Friday, May 30.

Deeply embedded in the Melbourne music scene, SIDELINES first emerged as the frontman of beloved pop-punk/emo outfit Snark and now performs as guitarist/vocalist with All Regards.

As a solo artist, he’s making his mark — quickly following up his debut single ‘End of an Era’. SIDELINES fuses the emotional rawness of emo with the polished hooks of synth-infused pop, crafting music that feels like a diary you can scream along to.

His second offering, ‘Sleep Alone’, is equal parts comforting and cathartic — a breakup anthem soaked in heartache and clarity. Featuring soft guitars, crisp pop drums, grooving bass lines, and SIDELINES’ signature mournful vocals, the track builds from aching verses into a stadium-sized chorus. It’s a song made for long night drives, late-night spirals, or letting it all out at top volume.

Lyrically, ‘Sleep Alone’ explores the instinct to avoid loneliness — even at the cost of staying in something broken. The song begins in denial, bargaining to delay heartbreak, before shifting into quiet acceptance. SIDELINES wrote the track inspired by what he witnessed in close friends, using it to voice an emotional truth: sometimes, choosing to be alone is the ultimate act of self-preservation.

“In the bridge, the lyric shifts from ‘I can’t sleep alone’ to ‘we all die alone’ — which is a bit of an emo twist on the chorus (I couldn’t help myself),” SIDELINES shares. “In isolation, it’s a depressing lyric, but to me it’s also a truth that kind of sets you free.”

Keep an eye on SIDELINES as ‘Sleep Alone’ lands on Friday, May 30.