It’s been three years since New Jersey emo icons My Chemical Romance called it quits, but the band’s body of work remains as vital today as ever. Even with just four studio full-lengths to their credit, the band left an indelible mark on not just the post-hardcore scene, but modern rock as a whole, by crafting some of the most unique and ambitious records in recent history.

While the sounds on all four My Chem records vary widely from one to the next, the common thread is singer Gerard Way’s penchant for dreaming up concept albums. Early attempts I Brought You My Bullets and Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge loosely adhered to a thematic framework, while later releases skewed heavily toward Way’s lyrical narratives. In that span, the band also grew from NJ basement bangers into seasoned, astute players capable of channeling Queen and Bowie. It was, and still is, awesome to witness.

Although it’s not an easy task, we’ve ranked the band’s four releases from worst to first. That said, all are worthy of continued listening, even if you’re wearing less black eyeshadow than back in 2004.

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