Crucial Track for January 25, 2026

"Brother" by Gerard Way

Pick a song from an artist or band that’s had the biggest impact on your life.

This song is representative of a very specific and difficult time in my and my twin brother's life, when we were living in a severely abusive household, doing our best to support each other and trying get out of there together. When we were 16, we were removed from our dad's place by CPS. We ended up by ourselves in a shitty apartment where we did our best to stay afloat until we graduated high school. I was horribly depressed at the time; sometimes I didn't know if I wanted to keep trying. But I was determined to be there for my brother, and I was the only one who could do it.

This song is all about Gerard Way's struggle to stay sober after becoming a father. He knows he's heading for a spiral, but instead of resigning to his rapidly-worsening mental health, he instead asks his brother to help him find the strength to keep moving. This sentiment inspired teenage-me to rely on my brother when I couldn't handle life by myself, and to be strong for him when he needed the same. It is by far the song with the most personal meaning to the both of us, even if that sometimes makes it hard to listen to.