It's time to face the truth: Growing up sucks. Is that a bold statement? Maybe, but it is one that holds some truth to it. Teenagers are constantly going through something. Therapy can be costly, but you know what is easily accessible? Music. Music can be a great form of escape for those who need it. Everyone has their own favorite album, a favorite song, and a favorite artist from their teenage years. Here are mine.
Everything in Transit, Jack's Mannequin
Jack's Mannequin was a band that was fronted by Something Corporate frontman, Andrew McMahon. Everything in Transit is the band's debut album, which was released in 2005. Popular songs on this album include The Mixed Tape, Dark Blue, and La La Lie. One of my earliest music memories is listening to this album from front to back as a child. When I was in highschool, I started circling back around to music I listened to as a kid and this was one of the first albums that I came back to.
American Idiot, Green Day
American Idiot was released in 2004 and it made an impact, with it even winning the 2005 Grammy award for Best Rock Album and it was nominated for the Album of the Year award as well. Described as a rock opera by the band, American Idiot dominated the charts with songs such as Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Holiday, and Wake Me Up When September Ends. The album would even go on to spawn a Broadway musical of the same name. When I was a sophomore in high school, I would listen to a lot of Green Day, with this album being my favorite.
The Black Parade, My Chemical Romance
Released in 2006, The Black Parade is the third album by My Chemical Romance and is also a rock opera. Popular songs off of The Black Parade include Welcome to the Black Parade, Famous Last Words, and Teenagers. It was honestly a tie between this and My Chemical Romance's second album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge for which one would end up on this list. I ended up choosing this one because I listened to it way more often as a teenager than Three Cheers. I love them both equally and consider them both to be amazing though.
Infinity on High, Fall Out Boy
As you can see from this list so far, it features music mainly from the mid-2000s. Infinity on High is not an exception, with it being released in 2007. This album features hits such as Thanks for the Memories (often stylized as Thnks fr the Mmrs), This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race, and Bang the Doldrums. Like Everything in Transit, I used to listen to this album a lot as a young child, due to my mom being a Fall Out Boy fan. There was a period where I didn't listen to this for a while and I ended up circling back to it as a sophomore and that reignited my love for Infinity on High.
A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, Panic! at the Disco
In 2005, Panic! at the Disco entered the music scene with their debut album, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out or AFYCSO for short. AFYCSO features the songs I Write Sins Not Tragedies, But It's Better If You Do, and Build God, Then We'll Talk. This album dominated my Spotify when I was a sophomore and junior with me listening to it on almost endless loops. While I may not be as big of a fan of Panic's latest work, AFYCSO will always hold a special place in my heart
