In the early 2000s, emo started to tap into the mainstream. From its humble beginnings in the late 1990s, emo was much more defined by the early 2000s. Bands of the genre didn’t immediately find success, as many genres were fighting to define the new millennium. Therefore, these debut emo albums got overshadowed by their follow-up release.
‘I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love’ by My Chemical Romance
This New Jersey band formed following the 9/11 attacks. Lead singer Gerard Way witnessed the attacks firsthand while working in New York City. Following this harrowing experience, Way decided to leave his corporate job as he felt a need to connect with people on a personal level. He then wrote the lyrics for “Skylines And Turnstiles”, which became My Chemical Romance’s first song.
My Chemical Romance‘s debut album was released on July 23, 2002. It’s an ambitious first album, filled with raw energy and more screams than we hear on later MCR releases. The songs were emo mixed with elements of post-hardcore. The album didn’t chart in the US. Their 2004 sophomore release, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, was the band’s breakthrough. It peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard 200.
‘tell all your friends’ by taking back sunday
Taking Back Sunday are among the pioneers of emo. Their 2002 debut album did generate fan favorites such as “Cute Without The ‘E’ (Cut From The Team)”, “You’re So Last Summer”, and “Great Romances Of The 20th Century”. Their debut wasn’t necessarily a failure. It peaked at No. 8 on the US Independent Albums chart and No. 9 on the US Heatseekers Albums chart. Additionally, the album charted on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 183. These were impressive chart positions for a genre that had yet to break into the mainstream.
Their 2004 sophomore release, Where You Want To Be, took the band to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Independent Albums chart. The lead single, “A Decade Under The Influence”, reached No. 16 on the Alternative Airplay chart. Their newfound popularity brought a lot of new fans back to their debut release, and “Cute Without The ‘E’ (Cut From The Team)” is now their second most-streamed track.
‘the all-american rejects’ by the all-american rejects
Ultimately, their 2003 debut release was successful, much like Taking Back Sunday. The All-American Rejects self-titled debut album peaked at No. 8 on the US Heatseekers chart and No. 9 on the US Independent Albums chart. It did peak fairly high on the Billboard 200 at No. 25. The album’s lead single, “Swing, Swing”, was a hit, reaching No. 8 on the Modern Rock chart and No. 17 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart.
Their follow-up sophomore album, Move Along, was a massive success, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and Top Rock Albums charts. Move Along generated 3 top-20 hits in 2005: “Dirty Little Secret”, “Move Along”, and “It Ends Tonight”.
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