Album of the Day

My Chemical Romance's second album and first for major label Reprise, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge was a clear step forward from the New Jersey band's debut. Its cleaner production (by Howard Benson) and streamlined arrangements give the dark drama of these 13 originals maximum impact, and the 2004 set spawned three Modern Rock hits: “Helena,” “The Ghost of You” and emo anthem “I'm Not Okay (I Promise).” While some of the songs are tied together by the story of a dead gunfighter offered a deal by the Devil, My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way notes that “the record ended up being much more about loss and real life than anything” – in particular the recent death of his grandmother. A breakthrough hit, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge was eventually certified triple-Platinum.