Twenty years after it stalled at No. 2, The Black Parade is finally No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — My Chemical Romance's first chart-topping album. Billboard announced the news on Sunday, November 1, 2026, confirming the chart dated November 7, 2026.
The Billboard 200 No. 1
"The Black Parade (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)" jumped from No. 139 to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the biggest jump to the top since Taylor Swift's "Fearless (Taylor's Version)" climbed 157-1 on the chart dated October 16, 2021.
The album earned 78,000 equivalent album units in the US in the tracking week ending October 29, 2026, according to Luminate, up 653%. Pure album sales accounted for 68,000 of that total, up 2,082%, with the rest coming from streaming-equivalent units of around 10,000.
For background on the band, read our My Chemical Romance biography.
The Longest Wait Ever
The 20-year wait is the longest ever for an album to reach No. 1 after its release. It beats Toby Keith's "35 Biggest Hits", which took about 15 years and 9 months to top the chart after his death in 2024.
The band waited 22 years and 4 months from their Billboard 200 debut with "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge", on the chart dated June 26, 2004, to their first No. 1. They are the third act in 2026 to wait at least a decade between a first entry on the chart and a first No. 1 album.
Why It Happened Now
The surge follows the release on October 23, 2026, of "The Black Parade (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)", exactly 20 years after the original album. The reissue was released in more than 20 physical variants and adds six bonus tracks, including the previously unreleased "Someone Out There Loves You", long known to fans as "Stay".
Read our guide to The Black Parade 20th Anniversary album.
The Original 2006 Story
"The Black Parade" was released on October 23, 2006, and debuted and peaked at No. 2, blocked by the "Hannah Montana" soundtrack, which sold 281,000 copies in its debut week against 240,000 for My Chemical Romance. The album is a rock opera about a cancer patient, known as The Patient, looking back on his life.
Lead single "Welcome to the Black Parade" peaked at No. 9 on the Hot 100 in January 2007 and was the band's first UK No. 1 single. Its Samuel Bayer-directed video was named one of MTV's greatest videos of the 21st century.
Also in the same reissue week, the album topped the UK Official Albums Chart for the first time on October 30. We covered that separately in our report on the My Chemical Romance first UK No. 1 album.
Watch the Official Video
Watch the official video for "Welcome to the Black Parade" below.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did The Black Parade hit No. 1?
Billboard announced on Sunday, November 1, 2026, that the 20th anniversary deluxe edition is No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart dated November 7, 2026.
How many units did it sell?
It earned 78,000 equivalent album units in the US in the tracking week ending October 29, 2026, including 68,000 pure album sales and around 10,000 streaming-equivalent units.
Why didn't it reach No. 1 in 2006?
It debuted and peaked at No. 2 in 2006, behind the "Hannah Montana" soundtrack, which sold 281,000 copies in the debut week against 240,000 for My Chemical Romance.
What is on the 20th anniversary edition?
The edition, released on October 23, 2026, comes in more than 20 physical variants and adds six bonus tracks, including the previously unreleased "Someone Out There Loves You".
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