My Chemical Romance release expanded Black Parade reissue for twentieth anniversary
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My Chemical Romance have unveiled a fully expanded 20th anniversary reissue of "The Black Parade," due out on 23 October via Reprise Records, and have released a previously unavailable 2007 live recording of "The Sharpest Lives" from a Hoboken gig to mark the announcement. The reissue collects, for the first time, everything the band completed during the original recording sessions, offering long-time fans a definitive edition of the influential 2006 record that helped define the emo genre and has since gone four-times platinum.
The expanded set keeps the original 14-track album and adds six bonus tracks: three live recordings from the band's October 2007 show at Hoboken's 200-capacity Maxwell venue, and three B-sides previously scattered across other releases, including the never-before-issued "Someone Out There Loves You." Artist James Jean, who designed the original artwork, has created three new pieces for the reissue, which will be released as a 2LP set, a 1LP hologram vinyl edition, and a One Step vinyl pressing limited to 7,000 copies made from the original analogue masters. The announcement coincides with the band's ongoing "Long Live The Black Parade" anniversary tour, which has moved from UK and European dates into North America.
- MCR reissue "The Black Parade" on 23 October for its 20th anniversary
- Six bonus tracks added, including unreleased "Someone Out There Loves You"
- Live Hoboken recording of "The Sharpest Lives" streams for the first time
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My Chemical Romance are an American rock band who formed in New Jersey in 2001 and became closely associated with the emo and pop-punk scenes of the mid-2000s. Their third studio album, "The Black Parade," came out in 2006 and is widely regarded as their most significant work, blending theatrical, concept-album songwriting with themes of death and loss. It went on to sell heavily, eventually being certified four-times platinum, and helped shape the sound and image of the genre for years afterwards.
A reissue is when a record label releases an older album again, often with extra material such as unreleased songs, live recordings or new artwork, typically to mark an anniversary or renewed interest from fans. These releases are common in the music industry and can range from simple remasters to more extensive packages aimed at longstanding collectors. Reprise Records is the label handling this particular release.
The band split up in 2013 before reforming several years later, and has continued to tour and mark milestones connected to their earlier work, including the current anniversary tour tied to "The Black Parade." This context matters because it explains why a 20-year-old album is generating fresh attention now, and why previously unheard recordings and unused material from that era still hold value for fans and collectors.
Full account
My Chemical Romance have marked the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough album The Black Parade with an expanded reissue, due out on 23 October through Reprise Records. The reissue retains the original 14-track album but adds six previously scattered or unheard recordings, continuing a run of anniversary activity the band has built around the record throughout 2026.
The additional material splits evenly between live and studio recordings. Three tracks are drawn from a gig the band played at the roughly 200-capacity Maxwell's venue in Hoboken, New Jersey, in October 2007, while the remaining three are B-sides from the same era, headlined by the previously unreleased 'Someone Out There Loves You'. As a taster, the band have put the Maxwell's live version of 'The Sharpest Lives' on streaming services for the first time; it had only existed before on the DVD packaged with their 2008 live release, The Black Parade Is Dead!
The reissue will be sold across several physical formats, including double vinyl, CD and cassette, with colour variants such as Bloodline Red, Baby Pink and Concrete Grey. A laser-etched hologram vinyl edition comes in a gatefold sleeve with a removable outer card, new artwork and an inner sleeve, while a separate, more limited pressing has been cut directly from the original analogue master tapes. Illustrator James Jean, who designed the original album cover, has produced three new pieces for the reissue, and the band described being grateful to have worked with him again after two decades. In a joint statement, the group reflected on not having anticipated the record's lasting impact when they made it, and said they wanted the collection of music and artwork to honour how much the album has continued to mean to fans.
The release lands as My Chemical Romance near the end of their 2026 Black Parade Tour, which is set to close with a run of shows at the Hollywood Bowl, including performances timed to Halloween. Before that, the band are due to headline the Louder Than Life and Aftershock festivals, with further dates in Southeast Asia planned before the end of the year.
Where outlets differ
The Consequence of Sound-style report goes into more detail on the touring schedule, noting the Hollywood Bowl closing shows, Louder Than Life, Aftershock and the Southeast Asia dates, plus retailer/ticket promotion details, none of which feature in the NME-style report.
The NME-style report includes a fuller version of the band's statement, including a closing line thanking fans for 'marching' with them, and specifies the announcement and streaming release fell on Thursday 10 September — details the other report omits.
The NME-style report specifies the analogue-master vinyl pressing is limited to 7,000 copies, a figure not given in the other account.
The two accounts describe the physical release slightly differently: one lists 2xLP, CD and cassette with named colour variants as the main formats, while the other frames it primarily around 2LP, hologram vinyl and the limited One Step vinyl pressing.
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