The Mars Volta was an American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. The band's final lineup consisted of Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, producer, direction), Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals, lyrics), Juan Alderete (bass), Marcel Rodríguez-López (keyboards, percussion) and Deantoni Parks (drums). The band formed following the break-up of Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala's previous band, At the Drive-In. They were known for their energetic live shows and their concept albums. In 2009, the band won a Grammy Award in the Best Hard Rock Performance category for the song "Wax Simulacra".

My Chemical Romance (often abbreviated as MCR) was an American rock band from Newark, New Jersey, active from 2001 to 2013. The band's best-known lineup consisted of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, bassist Mikey Way, and drummer Bob Bryar, accompanied by keyboardist James Dewees since 2007. Founded by Gerard, Mikey, Toro, Matt Pelissier, and later joined by Iero, the band signed to Eyeball Records and released their debut album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love in 2002. They signed with Reprise Records the next year and released their major label debut Three Cheers for Sweet R