If at some point of your life you identified yourself as “emo” then the infamous band My Chemical Romance (also known as MCR) is definitely no stranger to you. The pop/rock punk-pop band started in the early 2000s by Gerard Way lead singer and drummer Matt Pielser in Newark New Jersey. After witnessing the tragic event of the World Trade Center attack on 9-11, Way was inspired to start a band. And then birthed an emo bunch that created fast-paced, and what some would call “aggressive” energetic music. If not all, many of My Chemical Romance’s songs touched the hearts of youth, especially Myla Anderson, a Senior of Hays High School describing the group as her “it band” always bringing back bittersweet memories in 8th grade. Reagan Flores, 11, said the band gave her “something to hold onto back into middle school.” It was almost like a “physical body” that held all of her wild emotions that she was dealing with back then.

I’m Not Okay, Helena, Teenagers, and Welcome To The Black Parade are just some of the most popular songs produced by the band. With fans all around the world, the group’s sudden disbandment on March 22, 2013, after the release of Conventional Weapons brought many emos to their knees with (and I cannot stress this enough) tremendous sadness. So why did such a successful and universally loved band break up? Gerard said in a 2014 NME interview that the split was “nobody’s fault,” and that they felt like “it was time.” “You should always be doing new things and changing and growing as a human being,” said Way, he then adds it was a “Mission accomplished!”

With all of that being said, it’s not hard to believe that it was truly the end of an emo-rocking era for the band right? There were many discussions and high hopes for the reunification of MCR despite the officialized breakup.To some of our great beliefs, after six years, My Chemical Romance announced their long-awaited reunification on October 31, 2019. The dearly beloved emo kings reunite to perform their first live show for their U.S tour in seven years at Los Angeles’ Shrine Expo. Maddie Kane, 11, admits that at one point she lost hope that there would ever be a reunion. However, she wasted no time expressing her skyrocketing excitement when she heard of the news. “When I found out they were getting back together I ran downstairs and begged my mom to buy me tickets.” 

Within six hours, the U.S tour completely sold out. 

Fans all across the United States anticipate for the long-awaited iconic reunion of the pop-rock band spreading their chaotically soul-fulfilling music for many to enjoy. It’s safe to say that emo is never dead as long as “Welcome To The Black Parade” reigns on.

Here are some of my personal favorites by the band: