Mayday Parade’s "Sweet" is the Emo Revival We Didn’t Know We Needed

Welcome back, boys. We missed you.

Mayday Parade is 20 years in and somehow still managing to kick us in the feels like it’s 2007 and we’re all discovering heartbreak for the first time. Their new EP Sweet (the first of a three-part rollout—yes, a trilogy!) is a warm, guitar-soaked hug to the old days and a confident step forward.

Right out of the gate, “By The Way” reminds us who they are: a band that’s survived scene phases, MySpace heartbreaks, and skinny jeans that probably should’ve been retired years ago. It’s catchy, it’s emo, it’s them. The kind of track that feels like screaming into your pillow, but in the best way.

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Pop-Punk Nostalgia With a Pulse

“Who's Laughing Now” might be the standout here—it’s a full send into pop-punk throwback territory, and it absolutely rips. With driving drums, palm-muted verses, and Derek Sanders delivering vocals that sound like they could still break up a high school relationship, this one deserves to be screamed in a crowd with your best friends (and maybe your ex nearby, just for dramatic effect).

The songwriting? Still sharp. The production? Crisp, clean, but not overdone. It’s clear these tracks were made with care—Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount, longtime collaborators, helped bring this one to life, and the chemistry’s still strong.

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“Pretty Good To Feel Something” – We Felt That

The closer of this EP isn’t trying to be the flashiest—it’s trying to be the truest. “Pretty Good To Feel Something” wraps the whole thing in gratitude and growth. It’s reflective without being overly sentimental. It's not a goodbye letter; it’s more like a soft reset. A deep breath before what's next.

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So What’s the Verdict?

If Sweet is the beginning of a new Mayday Parade era, we’re fully here for it. It captures what made us fall in love with them in the first place—those big choruses, the earnest emotion, the undeniable sense that this band gets it. But it also shows a maturity that only comes from sticking around, figuring things out, and still finding something worth singing (and screaming) about.

We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for the next two installments. If they’re anything like Sweet, we’re in for something really special.

Rating: 9/10