Seeing My Chemical Romance as the Crown Jewels of 2000s Emo Music
It seems they did. Emo was one of the soundtracks of my teenage years, and back then no band reigned supreme like My Chemical Romance. When it comes to the early 2000s emo scene, MCR was practically the anthem band. Every black eyeliner-smudged face and pair of ripped skinny jeans seemed to sing along to their angsty anthems. Seeing them now still blasts me back to those head-banging angst-filled days.
My First Taste of My Chemical Romance
My first taste of My Chemical Romance was their single “My Heart Will Go On”. I was hard-pressed to think of a more fitting Emo song that packs the punch. The opening notes alone are enough to send chills down your spine and tell you exactly what song is...
My Chemical Romance as the Quintessential 2000s Emo Band
Many point to My Chemical Romance as the quintessential 2000s emo band. Their 2004 album “The Black Parade” is a standout, capturing the essence of what makes emo music raw and emotional.
The Diversity of 2000s Emo Music
In general, it's hard to pick one artist to represent 2000s emo music at its best. That would really be subjective. Even picking one artist who definitively is the sound of emo during the 2000s is challenging. The 2000s were a decade when the emo genre was becoming ridiculously diverse. If it were the 80s, I could easily pick Rites of Spring as the definitive sound of emo because emo had only one genre, Emocore, at that time.
Brave Little Abacus: The Best of the Decade?
I would pick Brave Little Abacus honestly as the best, but their debut album was released in 2009 and their second album in 2010. Their first album was also from 2009. While their second album is indeed better, the quality of their debut is something that dominated the decade. It says a lot about the incredible quality of their work.
Top 10 Best Emo Albums of the 2000s
According to RYM, here is the top 10 best emo albums of the 2000s:
Masked Dancers: Concern in So Many Things You Forget Where You Are - Brave Little Abacus (midwest emo, math rock) The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me - Brand New (emo indie rock) The Moon Is a Dead World - Gospel Screamo (post hardcore) Dance Tonight! Revolution Tomorrow! - Orchid (emoviolence) Tell Me About the Long Dark Path Home - The Newfound Interest (midwest emo, post rock) Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge - My Chemical Romance (the only popular band you could call an emo artist, though definitively stopped being emo by their third album, emo-pop, pop punk, post-hardcore) 7 km de mi vida - Corea (screamo, post rock) City of Caterpillar - City of Caterpillar (screamo, post rock, post hardcore) Seeing Means More Than Safety - Jeromes Dream The Underdark - Funeral Din (post hardcore)My Chemical Romance holds a special place in my heart for representing the 2000s emo subculture, but it’s clear that the genre had a plethora of diverse and talented artists. It’s a strong decade overall with lots of experimentation and classic emo-violence.
While picking one artist is challenging, I can confidently say that Brand New’s “The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me” is a standout from the era, capturing the essence of 2000s emo in a way that is both intense and raw.