As one of the most enduring acts to rise from the underground in the mid-aughts, Mayday Parade has soundtracked both adolescence and adulthood for millions of listeners. Their music stands synonymous with the emo and pop-punk genres: 2007’s A Lesson In Romantics, their debut LP has been hailed as one of the best – and most influential – emo albums of all time by Alternative Press. Monsters In The Closet, their 2013 release, debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200, and tracks like the Platinum-selling “Jamie All Over,” Gold-certified “Miserable At Best” and “Oh Well, Oh Well” represent not only widespread commercial acclaim, but the sort of artist-audience relationship that’s fortified them across changing musical landscapes and the ebb and flow of an unforgiving industry.

Now, as they celebrate a remarkable 20 years as a band in 2025, the Tallahassee, Florida, five-piece are set to release perhaps their most aspirational effort yet: a three-part album showcasing their prolific, emotionally resonant songwriting. The first entry, Sweet, arrives April 18, 2025, led by the effervescent bounce of “By The Way,” a pitch-perfect blend of what’s made Mayday Parade a genre mainstay for decades: a tender, piano-led groove ultimately giving way to a crush of stereo guitars, ascendent melodies, and heart-on-sleeve lyricism.

“As we got closer to our 20th anniversary, it felt right to do something big and unexpected,” vocalist Derek Sanders says.