Mayday Parade is an American rock band from Tallahassee, Florida that formed in 2005. The band consists of Derek Sanders (lead vocals, keyboard), Brooks Betts (rhythm guitar), Alex Garcia (lead guitar), Jeremy Lenzo (bass), and Jake Bundrick (drums, percussion). Mayday Parade rose to prominence in 2006 following the release of their debut studio album A Lesson in Romantics. The band had several popular singles in the late 2000s and early 2010s such as “Jamie All Over,” “Miserable At Best,” and “Ghosts.” Mayday Parade has released a total of 6 studio albums over their 17+ year career. Their most recent studio album Sunnyland was released in 2018. The band has gone through some lineup changes over the years but Derek Sanders has remained the sole original member.
To answer the question posed in the title – yes, Mayday Parade is still actively performing and releasing new music as of 2023. They continue to tour and play festivals regularly. While they aren’t as popular as they were during their mainstream peak in the late 2000s, Mayday Parade still has a devoted fanbase that supports their new releases and attends their shows. Their longevity as a rock band is impressive given the ever-changing nature of the music industry.
Formation and Early Years (2005-2006)
Mayday Parade was formed in Tallahassee, Florida by Derek Sanders, Jason Lancaster, Jeremy Lenzo, and Scott Schoenbeck in 2005. The founding members had played together in various local punk rock bands. Sanders and Lenzo were formerly part of the band Kid Named Chicago. The band’s name was inspired by the distress signal “mayday” but with a play on words related to a parade. In July 2005, Mayday Parade started recording their debut EP Tales Told by Dead Friends. It was released in January 2006 on the local label Eulogy Recordings. The EP helped generate buzz for the band and they were soon signed by Fearless Records.
In August 2006, Mayday Parade released their debut full-length album A Lesson in Romantics. It included remastered songs from the Tales Told by Dead Friends EP as well as new tracks. The album was a success, selling over 10,000 copies in its first week and peaking at #8 on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart. It also spawned several popular singles such as “When I Get Home, You’re So Dead” and “Jamie All Over.” Mayday Parade continued touring heavily in support of the album, including dates on the Vans Warped Tour.
Original Lineup
The original lineup of Mayday Parade that performed on A Lesson in Romantics was:
- Derek Sanders – lead vocals, keyboard
- Jason Lancaster – rhythm guitar, vocals
- Jeremy Lenzo – bass guitar
- Scott Schoenbeck – lead guitar
- Jake Bundrick – drums, percussion
Mainstream Success (2007-2011)
In October 2007, lead vocalist Jason Lancaster left Mayday Parade to pursue his side project Go Radio. The band added Brooks Betts as their new rhythm guitarist and second vocalist. This cemented the lineup that would appear on Mayday Parade’s most popular albums. In January 2008, Mayday Parade announced they had been signed by Atlantic Records. Their second studio album Anywhere But Here was released in October 2009 through Atlantic/Fearless. The album expanded the band’s sound with a more polished pop punk sound. Anywhere But Here peaked at #31 on the Billboard 200 and was Mayday Parade’s biggest mainstream success.
The album produced several popular singles that received airplay on alternative rock radio stations. The track “The Silence” peaked at #16 on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart. Other singles like “Kids in Love” and “Anywhere But Here” also charted on the Alternative Songs chart. Mayday Parade continued heavy touring in 2009-2010 to support Anywhere But Here, including dates on the Vans Warped Tour and Australian tours.
Top Alternative Rock Singles
Song | Peak Chart Position |
---|---|
The Silence | #16 |
Kids in Love | #22 |
Anywhere But Here | #29 |
In March 2011, Mayday Parade released their third studio album titled Mayday Parade. It peaked at #12 on the Billboard 200, becoming their highest charting album to date. The album produced two more Hot 100 Alternative Songs hits with “Oh Well, Oh Well” (#30) and “Ghosts” (#27).
Lineup Changes and Self-Titled Album (2011-2013)
In August 2011, longtime guitarist Scott Schoenbeck left Mayday Parade. He was replaced by Alex Garcia who made his debut on the 2013 album Monsters in the Closet. During this time period, Brooks Betts switched from rhythm to lead guitar. In October 2013, Mayday Parade released their self-titled fourth studio album Mayday Parade. It peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200, matching their previous chart high.
The Mayday Parade album didn’t produce any major hit singles but the band continued their steady success with tours and festival appearances. They co-headlined the Glamour Kills Tour in 2013 with Man Overboard. In early 2014, Mayday Parade played the main stage on Vans Warped Tour for the first time. That July, the band announced they had left Atlantic Records and signed with Fearless Records once again. This ended their 6-year stint on a major label.
Recent Albums and Tours (2015-Present)
After signing back with Fearless Records, Mayday Parade started work on their fifth studio album titled Black Lines. It was released in October 2015 and charted at #16 on the Billboard 200. Black Lines didn’t produce any hit singles but the band continued touring successfully in support of it.
In January 2018, Mayday Parade announced their sixth studio album Sunnyland. It was released in June 2018 through Rise Records. The album had a summer pop feel and peaked at #38 on the Billboard 200. While it wasn’t their highest charting album, Sunnyland did well on Billboard’s Alternative Albums (#3), Rock Albums (#4), and Independent Albums (#4) charts showing their continued popularity in the rock scene.
Studio Album | Release Date | Label | Peak Chart Position |
---|---|---|---|
A Lesson in Romantics | 8/26/2006 | Fearless | #8 Heatseekers |
Anywhere But Here | 10/6/2009 | Fearless/Atlantic | #31 Billboard 200 |
Mayday Parade | 3/15/2011 | Atlantic | #12 Billboard 200 |
Monsters in the Closet | 10/29/2013 | Fearless | #10 Billboard 200 |
Black Lines | 10/9/2015 | Fearless | #16 Billboard 200 |
Sunnyland | 6/15/2018 | Rise | #38 Billboard 200 |
Mayday Parade played another stint on the Vans Warped Tour in 2018 following the release of Sunnyland. Since then, they have continued to tour regularly and perform festival dates. In October 2021, Mayday Parade played three shows where they performed A Lesson in Romantics in its entirety to celebrate the album’s 15th anniversary. Most recently in Spring 2022, the band co-headlined the Just Like Old Times Tour with Real Friends.
Conclusion
In summary, Mayday Parade has remained an active band consistently releasing new music and touring for over 15 years since their 2005 formation. They have delivered 6 full-length studio albums to date. While no longer at their mainstream peak of the late 2000s, Mayday Parade retains a sizable fanbase in the alternative rock scene. They continue touring and performing festival dates annually. With main songwriter Derek Sanders still leading the band, there is no indication Mayday Parade will be breaking up anytime soon. Barring any major lineup changes or other issues, they appear likely to keep making music and pleasing their fans for the foreseeable future. So in regards to the original question – yes, Mayday Parade is still an active, performing rock band as of 2023 with no signs of slowing down.