If you’re anything like me and went through a full-blown emo phase in high school, you’d be fully across My Chemical Romance and the news of their comeback.
Last week, MCR sent the emo and scene kids of yesteryear into an absolute tailspin when the band announced they’d be returning for a reunion show which sold out in just minutes.
Much to the delight of Aussie fans, it was also announced today that My Chem would be headlining Download Festival 2020 alongside the equally-as-nostalgic Deftones and Jimmy Eat World.
It’s a pretty exciting time for the kids who grew up on mid-00s emo and pop punk music, and it begs the question – what other iconic 00s emo bands need to return to the mainstream in 2019 and onwards?
Here are some suggestions from a former emo kid:
Taking Back Sunday
Remember Taking Back Sunday? This pop punk emo band was huge in 2006 with the album Louder Now, and most notably, their hit ‘MakeDamnSure’ which peaked at no. 2 on the US Billboard 200. Taking Back Sunday are much-loved for their tracks ‘Cute Without The ‘E’’and ‘You’re So Last Summer.’ Despite a fair few changes in band members, TBS are still making music and touring.
Alexisonfire
Compared to Taking Back Sunday, Alexisonfire was far more hardcore. The band, who described their music as “the sound of two Catholic high-school girls in mid-knife-fight,” were well-known for their post-hardcore sound and big tracks like ‘This Could Be Anywhere In The World’ and my personal favourite, ‘Pulmonary Archery.’ This year, Alexisonfire reunited, released two new tracks and toured the world.
Hawthorne Heights
Like Alexisonfire, Hawthorne Heights was heavy on the screamo. When I think of this band, the track ‘Ohio Is For Lovers’ comes to mind, and I’m not surprised – it has a whopping 36M streams on Spotify.
The Used
The Used were icons of the mid-00s emo scene. Their 2002 album In Love and Death, filled all our playlists with tracks like ‘The Taste Of Ink,’ ‘Blue and Yellow’ and ‘All That I’ve Got.’ If you’re having many happy flashbacks, the good news continues because The Used are currently working on their eighth album, set to drop next year.
Underoath
Christian hardcore band Underoath made waves in 2004-2005 with tracks like ‘Reinventing Your Exit.’ Despite announcing their split in 2013, Underoath reunited in 2015 and last year with their eighth studio album, ‘Erase Me.’
While many of these iconic bands are still making music and touring the world, does MCR’s reunion signify a return of emo music to the mainstream? My 13-year-old self truly hopes it does.