My Chemical Romance has its first-ever No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, as The Black Parade surged from No. 139 to the top of the chart 20 years after its original release, Variety reported. The jump followed a deluxe reissue that earned 78,000 equivalent album units and pushed Olivia Rodrigo down to No. 2.
The Black Parade's 20-year journey, compiled by KBVN+
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 23 October 2006 | My Chemical Romance released The Black Parade |
| After release | The album peaked at No. 2, the band's highest chart position until now |
| 20th anniversary | The band marked the 20th anniversary with five nights at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, playing the album in full |
| After the deluxe reissue | The album jumped from No. 139 to No. 1 with 78,000 units |
On release, the sprawling rock opera, featuring the hits Welcome to the Black Parade and Teenagers, was hailed by critics as a big step forward for the four-piece, expanding the scope and ambition of their earlier work.
Records along the way
According to Variety, the band now holds the record for the longest wait for an album to reach No. 1, surpassing the near 16-year wait for Toby Keith's 35 Biggest Hits following his death in 2024. The Black Parade is also the first anniversary album ever to debut at No. 1. At the Hollywood Bowl shows, the band also recreated the album's world on stage.
This week's Billboard 200 top 10
| Rank | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Black Parade | My Chemical Romance |
| 2 | You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love | Olivia Rodrigo |
| 3 | I'm the Problem | Morgan Wallen |
| 4 | Dandelion | Ella Langley |
| 5 | The Great Divide | Noah Kahan |
| 6 | The Life of a Showgirl | Taylor Swift |
| 7 | Young Manhood and Other Donatable Organs | Zach Bryan |
| 8 | Stick Season | Noah Kahan |
| 9 | Habibti | Drake |
| 10 | The Art of Loving | Olivia Dean |
What comes next
The result shows how anniversary reissues can carry an older album back to the top, good news for fans of 2000s emo and rock. Variety did not report the band's plans after the anniversary shows. Next week's chart will show whether The Black Parade can hold off Olivia Rodrigo.