In the 2000s, My Chemical Romance became leaders of emo's third wave by combining goth-leaning rock 'n' roll with dark, comic-book-inspired storytelling. Formed by vocalist Gerard Way in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks—his song "Skylines and Turnstiles" is a direct response to the tragedy—the Newark, New Jersey band cut their teeth locally, building a loyal online fanbase with their first album, 2002’s I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. The group—which also includes guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and Way's brother Mikey on bass—charged their way into the mainstream with the singles “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” and “Helena” from their 2004 major-label debut, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. It was 2006’s multiplatinum-certified The Black Parade, a rock opera indebted to Queen and David Bowie, that cemented the quintet as ambitious conceptual artists. On the subsequent world tour, the band wore black marching-band uniforms and used dramatic stage flourishes—for example, the shows began with Gerard Way rolled onto the stage in a hospital bed—for theatrical effect. Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys followed in 2010 with a dystopian plotline and nods to Britpop, New Wave, and stomping glam. MCR split in 2013, but their celebrated 2019 reunion confirmed what longtime fans already suspected: Their music continues to resonate with younger generations.