Mayday Parade are making sure their 20th anniversary hits just as hard as their earliest days—and today they’ve dropped Sad, the second part of their three-piece album trilogy. Following on from Sweet earlier this year, the new record is a perfect reminder of why the band still matter two decades on. It’s not just nostalgia either—this release feels like Mayday Parade at their most raw, heartfelt, and honest.
At the center of it all is “Promises,” a gut-wrenching focus track written by drummer and vocalist Jake Bundrick. It’s the kind of song that captures what Mayday Parade have always done best: laying out heartbreak in a way that feels all too familiar, like your own memories stitched into their lyrics. Jake described writing it during one of the hardest times in his life, and you can hear every ounce of that emotion in the track.
Sad also includes earlier singles “One Day at a Time” and “Under My Sweater.” The former leans into reflection and forgiveness, while the latter takes you straight back to the early 2000s pop-punk era that Mayday Parade helped shape. Produced with longtime collaborators Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount, the record finds that sweet spot between nostalgic energy and a more atmospheric, mature sound.
It’s wild to think this is the band’s first self-release since their 2006 debut Tales Told By Dead Friends—the little DIY EP they sold out of Vans Warped Tour parking lots. That EP went on to sell over 50,000 copies and set them on the path that’s brought them here: 1.43 billion streams, multiple platinum singles, and a catalog that’s defined modern emo for an entire generation. The trilogy really does feel like a full-circle moment.
And if you’re itching to hear these songs live, you won’t be waiting long. Mayday Parade are hitting the road with All Time Low across North America this fall before heading over to the UK and Europe in early 2026, with a massive London O2 date on the books. They’ll also be back at When We Were Young Festival later this month—proving once again that they’re still one of the most beloved names in the scene.
Sad is out now on all platforms. So, grab your headphones, let yourself sink into the emotions, and remember—20 years later, Mayday Parade are still making music that feels like it was written just for you.
