Feel old yet? These albums turn 20 in 2026

3 hours ago

Kyle Peppers,

2006: Movies like Cars and The Da Vinci Code ruled the box office, American Idol was still the highest-rated show on TV, and the Motorola RAZR was the must-have cell phone. It was also a time when alternative music wasn’t just trending – it was thriving!

Vocalist Way Of The U.s. Rock Band My Chemical Romance Performs During A Concert In Taiwan

Vocalist Gerard Way of the U.S. rock band My Chemical Romance performs during a concert in Taipei January 27, 2008. The concert is part of the band’s 2008 Asia tour. REUTERS/Nicky Loh (TAIWAN)

Twenty years ago, some of the most influential and genre-defining alt albums were hitting shelves on a constant basis. Take a quick stroll down memory lane to see which albums are celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2026!

The Black Parade (My Chemical Romance)

Following the success of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, MCR returned for their most ambitious project to date: a concept album revolving around a terminally-ill cancer patient.

Doused in theatricality and glam, The Black Parade would become a commercial hit, debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200 and spawning singles such as “Famous Last Words,” “Teenagers,” and, of course, “Welcome to the Black Parade” (who doesn’t recognize that first piano note?)

Although the band announced a break-up in 2013, they reunited for a handful of shows starting in 2019, before later embarking on a full-blown reunion tour. Fans can still catch MCR performing The Black Parade in its entirety in several cities this year.

Sam’s Town (The Killers)

How do you follow-up a hit like “Mr. Brightside”? Two years after their debut album Hot Fuss, The Killers released Sam’s Town, a nod to a casino and hotel in their hometown of Las Vegas.

With singles such as “When You Were Young,” “Bones,” and “Read My Mind,” the album has since went on to sell nearly five million copies worldwide, and was voted by Rolling Stone readers in 2009 as the most underrated album of the decade.

While lead singer Brandon Flowers would later focus on solo work, the band has gotten back together several times in recent years, with the latest reunion planned for the UEFA Champions League Final Kick-Off Show in Budapest later this month.

Stadium Arcadium (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Although the Red Hot Chili Peppers had been well-established since the mid-80s, their double album Stadium Arcadium became the band’s first #1 album in the United States.

The project produced five singles, including “Tell Me Baby,” “Snow (Hey Oh)”, and the lead “Dani California,” which was near-impossible to escape for fans of music video channels at the time.

Twenty years later, the Peppers are still regularly performing for fans, and released the documentary The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel on Netflix earlier this year.

Black Holes and Revelations (Muse)

Before gaining extra popularity with tweens and teens by providing a handful of songs for the Twilight series, English band Muse dropped Black Holes and Revelations to the delight of many critics and long-time fans.

Incorporating pop and electronic elements, the album featured singles with an unforgettable, otherworldly sound such as “Supermassive Black Hole” and “Starlight,” peaking at #9 on the Billboard 200.

After two decades, Muse is still going strong with tour dates and an upcoming album scheduled to release this summer.

Louder Now (Taking Back Sunday)

Taking Back Sunday’s third studio album Louder Now debuted loudly on the scene with the lead single “MakeDamnSure,” which ranked as one of Rolling Stone’s best songs of 2006.

Also featuring the singles “Liar (It Takes One to Know One)” and “What’s It Feel Like to Be a Ghost?” the album was on constant rotation for fans of the Amityville, New York-based group.

While the member lineup has shifted throughout the years, Taking Back Sunday continue to keep the era alive and have tour dates scheduled throughout the remainder of this year.

More albums turning 20 this year: