From the impact in the music industry to the impact on fans. With songs that make you cry like you never have, and others that make you want to jump around and sing your heart out. Since day one Mayday Parade has held a special place in our hearts.
2006: Tales Told by Dead Friends
From the jump this EP shows just how dedicated this band is to what they do. With zero help from a label, they sold over 10,000 copies of their EP. How did they do it? Well I’m glad you asked. Before being one of the main acts at Warped Tour, Mayday Parade were those people that walked up and down the entry lines selling copies of the album. These efforts gained the attention of Fearless Records, who would then go on to sign the band in August 2006. Signing with a label opened a world of opportunities, one being a small tour later that year. Following the tour there would be a re-release of Tales Told by Dead Friends.
2007: A Lesson in Romantics
Released on July 10, 2007, A Lesson in Romantics was the band’s debut studio album. While on tour at the end of 2006, the band wrote all the songs that would make up their album. This album would arguably go on to be the most iconic Mayday Parade album to date. Being composed of songs like, “Jamie All Over”, “Jersey”, “Black Cat”, and “Miserable at Best”. This album earned the band two MTV VMA nominations for “When I Get Home You’re So Dead”. With the wide success of the album, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) had A Lesson in Romantics certified gold. In 2017, 10 years after the album’s release, an anniversary edition was released. The band also had a 10-year anniversary tour, where they would, front to back, play A Lesson in Romanics.
2009: Anywhere but Here
Prior to the release of Anywhere but Here, Mayday Parade signed with Atlantic Records. The focus of this album, for the band, was to not veer too far from A Lesson in Romantics. They wanted to “make heavy parts heavier, and sad parts more sad”. The label had a bigger role in the production of this album, and expected the band to release more of a pop album. This then put the band under a lot of pressure. The band had a hand in writing every song on the album, but also had co-writers for all the songs. After a few months of touring, and slowly revealing the album to fans, Anywhere but Here was released on October 6, 2009.
2011: Mayday Parade
Debuting at number 12 on the U.S. Billboard 200, this self-titled album will go on to be the bands second highest charted album to date. After recording an album with a major label, and it not going the way the band wanted it to, they went back to their way for this album. The entirety of Mayday Parade was written but only the band in a beach house in Florida. Mayday Parade, is the typical sound we know and love, with more song to fall in love with over and over. This album features song like “Stay”, “Oh Well, Oh Well” and “When You See My Friends”. On September 22, 2011, samples of each song were released to build the anticipation of their third studio album. On October 3rd,the album was officially released, selling 27,000 copies with-in its first week.
2013: Monsters in the Closet
After signing back on with Fearless Records, Mayday Parade was set to record their fourth studio album. As described by bassist Jeremy Lenzo, the songs “have a little bit of everything.” In July 2013, the album was announced and the cover art was revealed to fans. A few months later, on October 8th, the album was fully available. Selling 30,000 copies in the first week, Monsters in the Closetwas the bands most successful album in its debut week. This album includes songs such as “Ghosts”, “Girls”, and “Hear the Sound”. Following the release of the album the band went on multiple tours in the UK and Europe, and in the US, including the 2014 Warped Tour.
2015: Black Lines
With this album, the band wanted to release something that was a little different. Lead singer, Derek Sanders, felt that Monsters in the Closet was too much like their previous albums, and that the band was becoming too predictable. Black Lines has a rawer sound and has been described sounding more emo, or pop punk. Derek Sanders made the decision to record this album live to create that raw sound. “One of Them Will Destroy the Other” features vocalist from Real Friends, Dan Lambton. October 2ndthe album was available everywhere. A few tours and one Warped Tour later, the band was set to start working on a new project.
2018: Sunnyland
After a 3-year break from releasing music, Mayday Parade came back with a brand-new album. This album has a subtle, more mature feel than most of their other albums did, and was a complete 360 from the album they had previously released. While still the same tear jerking lyrics, and rocking melodies, this album was just another reason, to add to the list of reasons, why fans are so dedicated to this band. After the release, the band went on their Welcome to Sunnyland tour, featuring This Wild Life, and William Ryan Key of Yellowcard.
So, what are they up to now?
In 2019, Mayday Parade, along with a bunch of other bands, put together Sad Summer Fest. Just your average music festival, morning to night of some of your favorite bands, along with vendors set up as you walk around.
With it also being the anniversary of Anywhere but Here, the band announced on September 3rd, that there would be a 10 year anniversary tour kicking off on November 3rd.
What they say is true, Mayday Parade is an emotion.
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