The Black Parade

Yesssss this definitely needs to be here! 5

I think Pop Punk is really THE genre of Millennials. It's something that Millennials invented that no other generation really likes. I remember in the early 2000s that my parents (and my friends' parents) were completely baffled by it. It appears that Gen Z is following in step, appraising it as a weird quirk of their parents' (or older siblings') era. But I fucking love it and they're all wrong.

I mean, this is almost as fundamental as Enema of the State and Weezer. I believe this was also a snub.

Catapulted right back to my past! This album is just so amazing! It's memory will carry on ;-)

Defining emo-era album. MCR nailed it on this one.

I've heard of these but didn't know what sort of music. Brilliant!

They were coming from the big success of 'Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge', and I seem to remember no one gave a damn about what they were going to release, as if their second album had been a little flash of genius that could not be repeated. But it did. And with the conceptual 'The Black Parade' they improved on everything from their predecessor: better songs, better production, absolutely cool image, epitomizing everything that a cool emo band should be, and bringing the genre to its best moment. This was their creative pinnacle, which they could not even approach in their two subsequent works, but how good it was, and what memories it brings back to all of us who lived it at the time! Very close to the 5*

Surprised this isn't on the list already. I've heard the name before, but I'm a tail-end gen-xer, so this was a little past my time. Not what I was expecting at all. Way more ambitious than your average pop-punk band. Way more range and variety. Like Emo-Prog or something. Often reminded me of Pink Floyd throughout. Shit, I'd say this is a better pop-punk opera than "American Idiot" honestly. I feel like there's more layers and range here. The lyrics surprised me how often they caught me off guard and made me laugh. I'm actually quite impressed, although I must say the general sound is not one I'm a huge fan of. If I were younger this would almost certainly have become part of the fabric of my life, but there's something that holds me back from fully embracing this. A close second to Green Day in the pop-punk realm for me, which, again, is far from my preferred genre. But this is surprisingly listenable and even enjoyable for me. It could even grow on me over time with repeated listens but if I'm being honest I probably won't. Glad to have heard it though.

Accessible concept rock album with shades of Queen in some lead guitar sounds and quirky Vaudeville/music hall tunes. Some good pop songs. Yes, I think it's worthy of inclusion.

Musical taste will always be a subjective thing. Someone's opinion or taste should be treated as nothing more than that. And for this particular record all I have to say is: it is pathetic. This just sounds fake to me. It has no soul. It is a gimmick. It lacks basically eveything that I look for in music. To those who can really enjoy this: more power to you. I'll pass.

What a load of crap is this? Or am I just getting too old for this shit? Over the top and stripped of all emotion. Just not for me.

I've heard this album once before and at the time I remember thinking it was way better than expected, and I should listen to it again. I never did, but hey. Listening again in 2024, it's.... fucking amazing. I really should listen to this album regularly. It sniffs its own farts and the AESTHETIC is silly, but I don't care when it's this catchy. 5/5.

This album definitely should have been on the original list. It is a genre defining and decade defining. I was in high school when this came out and though I wasn’t into this kind of music, it was inescapable. It is a theatrical glam and prog rock inspired pop punk masterpiece. Listening to it now is interesting because it really stands on its own. It’s much more ambitious than other pop punk albums. Of course it’s over the top, but it fulfills its aesthetic goals perfectly. Its search for meaning in a world broken in the wake of 9/11 and the war on terror perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the time as well.

Fantastic! Never heard the album before but I've heard My Chemical Romance before. This is now a favorite of mine. Instant love. Thanks to the submitter! The whole album is really great. Love many of the songs but the ones that standout the most are: Dead!, Welcome to the Black Parade, Famous Last Words, Teenagers, The Sharpest Lives, I Don't Love You, Cancer, Mama, Disenchanted Just so much good on this album. Might be one of my favorites of the user submissions. 4.5

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: This is how I disappear, The sharpest lives, Welcome to the black parade, House of wolves, Teenagers, Disenchanted, Famous last words

should not be on this list

Alternative rock, emo, pop-punk, hard rock, punk rock, progressive rock. Me ha gustado bastante. Venga, vinilo a uno de esta nueva tanda.

An LP synonymous with the aughts – I may have been a goody two-shoes non-emo kid in middle school at the time, but even I felt the impact from this album. This is my first time listening in full, but about twice a year I turn on ‘Black Parade’ to jam out so I already knew the melodic gist and band. After a full run-through, I get the hype. The band has a very strong sense of melody, and nearly every guitar line/vocal blast is harmonized which makes everything feel rich and full. The songwriting is about what you would expect for an emo album of the time, but there are enough left hooks (the triumphant ‘Parade,’ the stomping ‘Teenagers,’ etc.) to make this LP distinctly unique to MCR and the sound they were establishing. Not every track breaks the emo-pop mold, but with Gerard Way’s cutting, distinctive vocals at the helm and some massive power chords behind him that’s about all the band needs to write a classic here.

Welcome is nearly perfect, shyly buried in the slower tracks, notable rhotics spread all around. At nearly twenty, the artifice flakes; Some of it's bound to be admirable, though, any way through.

On paper it seems like this band would be a good match to my tastes but I just can't get into them. The musicianship is good, I don't doubt they're doing just what they're intending to do, but I'm not a fan of the lyrics or singing.

Pretty good. Not a big fan of “pop punk” but this is better than most. 3 stars.

Another group I swore was on the list. No turns out I must be thinking of The Chemical Brothers. I wasn’t excited to listen until the first song started. Wow that is good! I’m a sucker for a concept album and this is a great one! You’re right… I should listen to this death-themed album before I die! Terrific!

We all know I'm a sucker for a rock opera.

I have enjoyed some isolated tunes from this group, but never an album. This album was well worth the listen.

I haven't heard a good epic concept album in a long time (historically speaking). My Chemical Romance did it! Glad to have been introduced!

Solid.

Enjoyably theatrical

I did not have an emo phase in middle school

I get it now. I finally get it with this band. That's not necessarily an endorsement or an admission I've fallen in love. But I get it now. Maybe this is the least emo output these fellas released upon the masses.

I was a little old for this when it came out, but enjoyed catching up today. Emo rock or punk pop aren't really my thing, but this is decent. Apparently it's a concept album. Rating: 3.5 Playlist track: Welcome to the Black Parade Date listened: 28/08/24

Surprisingly catchy and expressive with a compelling concept. This has a big sound that I don't hate, but the vocals are hard to like, running the gambit from soaring and theatrical to snotty and annoying. But even if it's not my thing, I can see that it's really a high water mark for its genre and a significant work for its time. Totally should have made the original list. Fave Songs: This Is How I Disappear, Cancer, Famous Last Words

My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy are the two bands that really tell you if someone grew up a millennial in the early 00s. This whole album is more of a nostalgic vibe than it is a good standalone album. It’s a bit long, the emo-pop sound goes more emo on some and more pop on the ones that are fun to listen to. This album has some solid creative marks and some overall really good songs. Not sure if this whole album will hold up over the years but some songs will. 6.8/10

This is time capsule fodder right here. For one moment in time this emo craze captured the youth in its histrionic chokehold and squeezed until our ears bled. I was a youth at this time and I mainly avoided the mainstream, but when I did sample from the emo buffet I preferred Fallout Boy.

Better than expected

The title song really sums up this band; an atmospheric opener with so much potential and ideas then it instantly breaks down into the most generic high school garage rock possible. 2.4