Last night, if you listened really closely, the unmistakable sound of former emo’s digging out their eyeliner and black parade jackets could be heard around the world, and not because they desperately needed a last-minute Halloween costume!
After seven years (who else feels really old right now?), the thing that we had never dared to hope might happen finally came true on All Hallows Eve… They’re back!
Yes, it’s true, the emo gods that are My Chemical Romance have returned with three simple words accompanying their first-ever Instagram post; ‘Like Phantoms Forever…’. The caption refers back to the band’s second EP, released way back in 2002, but it’s unclear exactly what this means yet. What we do know, is that the band will be playing their first show together since 2012 on December 20 in LA. Fans are still speculating as to whether the band will do a full reunion tour or release new music in 2020.
Talk of a reunion has followed the band ever since their split, but many had resigned to the fact that the band might be over for good considering the success of Gerard Way’s comic The Umbrella Academy, which was recently adapted into a TV series by Netflix, and the members’ respective solo careers. This all changed though, when Joe Jonas let slip, back in June, in an interview on KISS FM that MCR had been rehearsing next to the Jonas Brothers in New York. At the time, Frank Iero denied the rumours that a reunion was imminent. Who would have thought that after all this time Joe Jonas would go ahead and spoil the surprise!?
So, what comes next? The truth is, we still don’t really know. What the band’s future is beyond their show in December remains the subject of much speculation, but you can be sure that MCRmy will be ready, clutching their eyeliner in anticipation. In the meantime, here are our top five MCR classics to satisfy your inner emo. Killjoys make some noise!
5. Helena (Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge)
Okay, I’ll be honest; I’m mostly just including this one because I share my name with it, but it really is a great song! It was the third single from Three Cheers, and it has one of my favourite MCR choruses ever! It doesn’t get as much love as the other songs on this list but is still a banging hit in the MCR catalogue.
4. Teenagers (The Black Parade)
If you don’t know all the words, were you ever really an emo kid? Teenagers was the final single from the band’s third album, The Black Parade. The song is completely different from anything else MCR ever did, yet Gerard Way’s vocals and the catchy chorus make it work, and it has truly stood the test of time and remained one of the band’s best hits.
3. Na Na Na (na na na na na na na na na) (Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys)
Yes, I counted the number of ‘na’s in the title. No, I’m not okay (but more on that in a moment, trust me). Now I have a confession: I haven’t been an MCR fan from the very beginning (I was only 6 when their first album came out, and I know there are students here who were toddlers back then! Now I feel really old!) Na Na Na was the song that really got me into the band when I was about 15 and sparked the true beginnings of my emo phase. I still feel cheated that I had so little time before MCR split, but at least I had Danger Days!
2. I’m Not Okay (I Promise) (Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge)
The lead single from the band’s second album, I’m Not Okay was a breakout track for the group and remains one of the most loved tracks. The anxiety-ridden lyrics that are all too relatable, and the frenetic panic of the bridge, met with a snarky ‘trust me’, make this emo anthem one for the ages.
1. Welcome to the Black Parade (The Black Parade)
Topping this list is of course, the title track of MCR’s third album. Released back in 2006, the opening note to this song still has the power to summon emo kids from miles around. In 2017, the song’s video was voted MTV’s greatest video of the century, and the military jackets remain one of the band’s most iconic looks of all time.
Featured Image by Michael Spencer