My Chemical Romance, you either love them or hate them, right? Sometimes maybe they are a bit too poppy for their own good but also remember, they are...simply good. MCR is sometimes called emo, sometimes a bit glam, and sometimes just straight-up alternative.
For the record, MCR singer Gerard Way has oftentimes rejected that the band should be called emo. This stems from emo just becoming a subgenre when the band started and there being a link to suicide to the emo movement. MCR has almost always been open about the mental health of the members of the band and sought to distance themselves from any connection to suicide.
It should also be noted that the band has links with some communities that have struggled to find openness in their own parts of the world or hometowns. Gerard Way has even been called a "queer icon" though he himself is not queer, for instance. This was done with any kind of irony, and that the band actively tried to create a safe environment for all its fans appears to have been done not for prestige or sell records but to truly make everyone feel it's OK to be who you are.
Giving in to the greatness that is My Chemical Romance
And sure, My Chemical Romance has sold millions of records. They are, after all, a musical artist and this is how they make their living. I am not singing the praises of capitalism so much as pointing out the fact that when you buy tickets and records you are supporting the artist whose ticket and record you are buying. In this case, you would be giving money to MCR.
And that's OK because at the end of the day, My Chemical Romance are a band that makes rock music. They have never been perfect and some albums are better than others, but you could say this about any artist. Still, here are three songs you should listen to so you can finally give in to the fact that they make good music.