I'm Not Okay (I Promise)
{{Short description|2004 single by My Chemical Romance}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = July 2024}}
{{Infobox song
| name = I'm Not Okay (I Promise)
| cover = Mcr im not okay.jpg
| alt = Cover artwork of "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)": stylized text of the band's logo, reading "My Chemical Romance", and the song's title in all caps appear under an illustration of the blood-stained face of a woman
| type = single
| artist = My Chemical Romance
| album = Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
| released = {{Start date|2004|9|27}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{flatlist|
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=8}}
| label = Reprise
| writer = {{flatlist|
- Frank Iero
- Matt Pelissier
- {{nowrap|Ray Toro}}
- Gerard Way
- {{nowrap|Mikey Way}}
}}
| producer = Howard Benson
| prev_title = Headfirst for Halos
| prev_year = 2004
| next_title = Helena
| next_year = 2005
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|dhZTNgAs4Fc|"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"}}}}
{{External music video|header=Outtake videos|{{YouTube|A1DvrbN7asM|"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (Outtake Version 1)}}
{{YouTube|1sOBY82PZf0|"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (Outtake Version 2)}}}}
}}
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" is a song by the American rock band My Chemical Romance from their second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004). "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" is a pop-punk, emo, and emo pop song, conceived and recorded after the A&R man Craig Aaronson and the producer Howard Benson found a vocal line in a previously recorded demo, and urged the group to build it into a complete song. The track was written by band members Frank Iero, Matt Pelissier, Ray Toro, Gerard Way, and Mikey Way, and was produced by Benson.
The track was released as the album's lead single on September 27, 2004, being serviced to US alternative radio stations. "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" has charted in several countries, including in the United States where it became the band's first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 and reached #4 on the Alternative Airplay chart. The track was certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), signifying sales of three million units. The single also peaked at #19 on the UK singles chart and at #9 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles chart, and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
Two accompanying music videos for "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" were produced. The second of the two, directed by Marc Webb, was inspired by Rushmore and is structured like a movie trailer starring the band members as nerds being bullied by jocks. The song received positive reviews from music critics, who deemed it both as a standout on Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge and of the band's discography as a whole; the track was nominated for Best Single at the 2005 Kerrang! Awards. My Chemical Romance has included "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" on the set lists of their various live performances, including as the opening song during their first performance on their reunion tour. The track has also been identified as a defining song of the 2000s, and has been credited for bringing emo culture into the mainstream.
Background and release
My Chemical Romance began writing their second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004), while touring for their first album in 2003.{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=81}} After the band had finished writing the majority of the album, their A&R man Craig Aaronson and their producer Howard Benson stumbled on a vocal line and chord progression six minutes into a song on a demo the band had previously recorded; both insisted that the band should work on it. Despite the band's initial reluctance, they realized its potential once Gerard Way and Ray Toro performed the section, with Frank Iero recalling that "it was just the most beautiful song we ever heard".{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=99–100}}{{Cite web |last=Bryant |first=Tom |date=July 8, 2016 |title=The Top 10 Best My Chemical Romance Songs |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/top-10-best-my-chemical-romance-songs-gerard-way-franki-iero-mikey-way-ray-ray-toro |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250116084317/https://www.loudersound.com/features/top-10-best-my-chemical-romance-songs-gerard-way-franki-iero-mikey-way-ray-ray-toro |archive-date=January 16, 2025 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |website=Louder Sound}} After the band returned to the studio, they continued to experiment with the demo and "pushing the boundaries of its punk sound", eventually forming a finished version of "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)".{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=|p=100}}
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" was initially released on June 8, 2004, as the fifth track on Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge.{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=|p=105}}{{Cite AV media notes |title=Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge |others=My Chemical Romance |year=2004 |publisher=Reprise Records |id=9362-48615-2 |type=CD}} The song later impacted US radio on September 27, 2004,{{Cite magazine |date=September 24, 2004 |title=Going for Adds |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-09-24.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805194309/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-09-24.pdf |archive-date=August 5, 2024 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |magazine=Radio & Records |page=21 |issue=1574}} as the album's lead single.{{Cite web |last=Travers |first=Paul |date=November 27, 2020 |title=10 key moments that made My Chemical Romance superstars |url=https://www.kerrang.com/10-moments-that-made-my-chemical-romance-superstars |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114090910/https://www.kerrang.com/10-moments-that-made-my-chemical-romance-superstars |archive-date=January 14, 2025 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}} Various live performances of the track were later released on March 21, 2006, as part of the live album Life on the Murder Scene,{{Cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=Life on the Murder Scene Review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/life-on-the-murder-scene-mw0000515840 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250130201825/https://www.allmusic.com/album/life-on-the-murder-scene-mw0000515840 |archive-date=January 30, 2025 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |website=AllMusic}}{{Cite web |last=Montgomery |first=James |date=January 18, 2006 |title=My Chemical Romance's 'Murder' DVD Just Got Bigger |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1521047/20060118/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060303074834/http://www.mtv.com:80/news/articles/1521047/20060118/story.jhtml |archive-date=March 3, 2006 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |website=MTV News}} and it was included on May Death Never Stop You (2014), the band's greatest hits album.{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=Aubin |date=January 21, 2014 |title=My Chemical Romance detail 'May Death Never Stop You,' launch pre-orders |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/54056/my-chemical-romance-detail-may-death-never-stop-you-launch-pre-orders |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714155941/https://www.punknews.org/article/54056/my-chemical-romance-detail-may-death-never-stop-you-launch-pre-orders |archive-date=July 14, 2024 |access-date=January 3, 2025 |website=Punknews.org}} A remastered version of the track, produced by Rich Costey, is also expected to appear on a deluxe edition of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, alongside a 2005 live recording from BBC Radio 1's The Lock Up.{{Cite web |last=Garner |first=Emily |date=April 11, 2025 |title=MCR announce remixed and remastered Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge (Deluxe Edition) |url=https://www.kerrang.com/my-chemical-romance-three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge-deluxe-edition-june-6-remixed-remastered |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411165239/https://www.kerrang.com/my-chemical-romance-three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge-deluxe-edition-june-6-remixed-remastered |archive-date=April 11, 2025 |access-date=April 11, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}}
Composition and lyrics
{{Listen
| filename = My Chemical Romance - I'm Not Okay (I Promise).ogg
| title = "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
| description = An 18-second sample of "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)". A pop-punk, emo, and emo pop song, it heavily uses power chords and has a guitar solo which has been stylistically compared to Queen
| pos = left
}}
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" is an "outsider anthem"{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Arielle |date=December 8, 2019 |title=My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge Album Review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/my-chemical-romance-three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118084614/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/my-chemical-romance-three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge/ |archive-date=January 18, 2025 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=Pitchfork}} described as pop-punk, emo, and emo pop.{{Cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen |title=The Black Parade Review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-black-parade-mw0000563300 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903033231/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-black-parade-mw0000563300 |archive-date=September 3, 2012 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=AllMusic}} Instrumentally, the song is centered around "chunky" power chords, and contains a guitar solo featuring two guitar lines a harmonic third apart.{{Cite web |last=Spinks |first=Chloe |date=June 13, 2022 |title=Every My Chemical Romance song ranked from worst to best |url=https://www.gigwise.com/features/3419918/every-my-chemical-romance-song-ranked-from-worst-to-best/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250127151411/https://www.gigwise.com/features/3419918/every-my-chemical-romance-song-ranked-from-worst-to-best/ |archive-date=January 27, 2025 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=Gigwise}} Various elements of the song, including its guitar solo and vocal harmonies, were inspired by the material of Queen; Benson explained how the song served as the "prototype" for the Queen influences on the band's subsequent album, The Black Parade (2006).{{Cite web |last=Greenwald |first=Andy |date=June 8, 2019 |title=My Chemical Romance: Spin's 2005 Cover Story, 'They Came From Outer Jersey' |url=https://www.spin.com/2019/06/my-chemical-romance-spin-2005-cover-story-they-came-from-outer-jersey/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114135156/https://www.spin.com/2019/06/my-chemical-romance-spin-2005-cover-story-they-came-from-outer-jersey/ |archive-date=January 14, 2025 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=Spin}} Additionally, both Matthew Butler of Drowned in Sound and a review for NME compared the track to the material released by Blink-182, with the former calling it an "exhilarating burst of snotty punk".{{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Matthew |date=March 11, 2005 |title=Single Review: My Chemical Romance - I'm Not Okay (I Promise) |url=https://drownedinsound.com/releases/6464/reviews/11576- |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124102956/https://drownedinsound.com/releases/6464/reviews/11576- |archive-date=January 24, 2022 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=Drowned in Sound}}{{Cite web |date=October 25, 2005 |title=My Chemical Romance: I'm Not Okay (I Promise) |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-my-chemical-romance-7810-324577 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127115358/https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-my-chemical-romance-7810-324577 |archive-date=November 27, 2024 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=NME}}
Lyrically, "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" is about a "cracking-at-the-teary-seams relationship". Way explained in an interview with MTV News that the song was inspired by the emotions he felt after a girl he was interested in took "really sleazy photographs with her boyfriend", and described it as a "cry for help trapped in a pop song".{{Cite web |last=Wiederhorn |first=Jon |date=June 23, 2004 |title=The Devil And A Dark Attic Lead My Chemical Romance To Sweet Revenge |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1488640/06232004/my_chemical_romance.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040911014011/http://www.mtv.com:80/news/articles/1488640/06232004/my_chemical_romance.jhtml |archive-date=September 11, 2004 |access-date=February 12, 2025 |website=MTV News}} Arielle Gordon of Pitchfork noted that its lyrics "state pent-up vindictive frustration outright", particularly the track's blunt chorus of "I'm not OK / You wear me out". Way explained the line as a "declaration for [the] kids who would become our fans", and added that its message bridged across to "normal people [...] who were tired of pretending to be something they're not".{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=|p=101}}
Critical reception
Upon the release of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, multiple music critics deemed it a highlight on the album.{{Efn|Attributed to Rolling Stone{{'s}} Kirk Miller,{{Cite magazine |last=Miller |first=Kirk |date=July 8, 2004 |title=Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge-201019/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227041451/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge-201019/ |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |access-date=February 9, 2025 |magazine=Rolling Stone}} Blender{{'s}} Andy Greenwald,{{Cite web |last=Greenwald |first=Andy |author-link=Andy Greenwald |title=My Chemical Romance : Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge Review |url=http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=2561 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071231194257/http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=2561 |archive-date=December 31, 2007 |access-date=February 9, 2025 |website=Blender}} and album reviews on IGN{{Cite web |date=September 20, 2005 |title=My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/09/20/my-chemical-romance-three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125140037/https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/09/20/my-chemical-romance-three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |access-date=February 9, 2025 |website=IGN}} and Sputnikmusic.{{Cite web |date=July 4, 2008 |title=My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/26192/My-Chemical-Romance-Three-Cheers-for-Sweet-Revenge/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240601200401/https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/26192/My-Chemical-Romance-Three-Cheers-for-Sweet-Revenge/ |archive-date=June 1, 2024 |access-date=February 9, 2025 |website=Sputnikmusic}}}} A contemporary review for NME quipped that the track was "considerably better than 'okay'", while Butler, in a 7/10 review of the single, lauded its chorus as "packing such a large punch it's hard not to be knocked out". Gordon praised how the song "approached the desolation in its lyrics with almost triumphant glee", noting how it avoided being self-parody by taking its message "deadly serious". Additionally, Terry Bezer of Louder Sound called it the "most perfect three-and-a-half minutes of teen angst in a decade".{{Cite web |last=Bezer |first=Terry |date=June 29, 2022 |title=My Chemical Romance's Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge: The best alternative album of the century so far? |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/my-chemical-romances-three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge-the-best-alternative-album-of-the-century-so-far |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114040121/https://www.loudersound.com/features/my-chemical-romances-three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge-the-best-alternative-album-of-the-century-so-far |archive-date=January 14, 2025 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Louder Sound}}
= Rankings =
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" has been deemed one of the best tracks in My Chemical Romance's discography as a whole, with Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz calling it his favorite and noting that the song cemented My Chemical Romance as a "band to be reckoned with".{{Cite web |date=June 16, 2020 |title=My Chemical Romance's Best Songs, Picked By Your Favourite Bands |url=https://www.kerrang.com/my-chemical-romances-best-songs-picked-by-your-favourite-bands |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713044713/https://www.kerrang.com/my-chemical-romances-best-songs-picked-by-your-favourite-bands |archive-date=July 13, 2024 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}} The staff of Billboard included the track in their list of the 15 best My Chemical Romance songs, with Taylor Weatherby writing that it was "perhaps the most emo-of-all-emo anthems".{{Cite magazine |last=Weatherby |first=Taylor |date=November 14, 2019 |title=The 15 Best My Chemical Romance Songs: Staff Picks |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/my-chemical-romance-best-songs-8543517/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713044714/https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/my-chemical-romance-best-songs-8543517/ |archive-date=July 13, 2024 |access-date=January 3, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} Cassie Whitt and Jake Richardson, writing for Loudwire, placed the track at #2 in their ranking of the band's entire discography behind "Welcome to the Black Parade", with the latter calling it "one of the most relatable emo songs ever written".{{Cite web |last1=Whitt |first1=Cassie |last2=Richardson |first2=Jake |date=March 24, 2019 |title=Every My Chemical Romance Song Ranked |url=https://loudwire.com/every-my-chemical-romance-song-ranked/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240713044713/https://loudwire.com/every-my-chemical-romance-song-ranked/ |archive-date=July 13, 2024 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=Loudwire}} Both Margaret Farrell of Stereogum and Margaret Eloise of Louder Sound called it the band's third-best track, with the former praising its cathartic message,{{Cite web |last=Farrell |first=Margaret |date=December 19, 2019 |title=The 10 Best My Chemical Romance Songs |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2067999/my-chemical-romance-best-songs/lists/10-best-songs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240716200454/https://www.stereogum.com/2067999/my-chemical-romance-best-songs/lists/10-best-songs/ |archive-date=July 16, 2024 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=Stereogum}}{{Cite web |last=Eloise |first=Marianne |date=May 27, 2024 |title=The 20 greatest My Chemical Romance songs ever |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-20-greatest-my-chemical-romance-songs-ever |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250203000007/https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-20-greatest-my-chemical-romance-songs-ever |archive-date=February 3, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Louder Sound}} while Bryant, also writing for Louder Sound, called it the band's fourth-best song, describing it as a "quite brilliant slice of angst and outsider defiance". Both Sam Law of Kerrang! and Andy Belt of PopMatters ranked "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" as the band's fifth-best track, both praising its anthemic sound.{{Cite web |last=Law |first=Sam |date=April 9, 2021 |title=The 20 greatest My Chemical Romance songs – ranked |url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-20-greatest-my-chemical-romance-songs-ranked |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114154825/https://www.kerrang.com/the-20-greatest-my-chemical-romance-songs-ranked |archive-date=January 14, 2025 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}}{{Cite web |last=Belt |first=Andy |date=October 1, 2014 |title=The Top 15 Songs of My Chemical Romance |url=https://www.popmatters.com/186298-so-long-and-goodnight-the-top-15-songs-of-my-chemical-romance-2495609990.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250127151411/https://www.popmatters.com/186298-so-long-and-goodnight-the-top-15-songs-of-my-chemical-romance-2495609990.html |archive-date=January 27, 2025 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=PopMatters}} Chloe Spinks of Gigwise placed the song at #7 in her ranking of the band's entire discography, writing that it "may just be the quintessential MCR track".
The song has also been placed in rankings beyond those of the band's discography. Lists of the 100 best emo songs in both Vulture and The Boston Phoenix included the track, with Nina Corcoran of the former highlighting how it "made the misunderstood look familiar, the goths look friendly, and depression look flattering".{{Cite web |last1=Cohen |first1=Ian |last2=Anthony |first2=David |last3=Corcoran |first3=Nina |last4=Garland |first4=Emma |last5=Nelson |first5=Brad |date=February 13, 2020 |title=The 100 Greatest Emo Songs of All Time |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-emo-songs.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114162245/https://www.vulture.com/article/best-emo-songs.html |archive-date=January 14, 2025 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=Vulture}}{{Cite web |title=Top 100 Emo Songs of All Time |url=http://supplements.thephoenix.com/supplements/2012/emo/top/?page=3 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325004259/http://supplements.thephoenix.com/supplements/2012/emo/top/?page=3 |archive-date=March 25, 2015 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=The Boston Phoenix}} The staff of Spin ranked the chorus of "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" as the 12th-best pop punk chorus of the 21st century.{{Cite web |date=April 28, 2017 |title=The 21 Best Pop-Punk Choruses of the 21st Century |url=https://www.spin.com/2017/04/best-pop-punk-choruses/2/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926102126/https://www.spin.com/2017/04/best-pop-punk-choruses/2/ |archive-date=September 26, 2023 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=Spin}} Chad Childers, writing for Loudwire, declared "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" to be the best rock song of 2004, beating the runner-ups "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", "Broken", and "I Miss You",{{Cite web |last=Childers |first=Chad |date=December 11, 2024 |title=The Best Rock Song of Each Year Since 1970 |url=https://loudwire.com/best-rock-song-each-year-since-1970/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250203103317/https://loudwire.com/best-rock-song-each-year-since-1970/ |archive-date=February 3, 2025 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=Loudwire}} while the staff of Billboard place it at #68 in their ranking of the 100 greatest songs of the year.{{Cite magazine |date=April 23, 2024 |title=The 100 Greatest Songs of 2004: Staff Picks |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/2004-songs-best/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118022229/https://www.billboard.com/lists/2004-songs-best/ |archive-date=January 18, 2025 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} The 2018 list by Rolling Stone named the song one of the 100 greatest tracks of the 21st century.{{Cite magazine |last1=Hoard |first1=Christian |last2=Weingarten |first2=Christopher |last3=Dolan |first3=Jon |last4=Leight |first4=Elias |last5=Spanos |first5=Brittany |last6=Exposito |first6=Suzy |author-link6=Suzy Exposito |last7=Grow |first7=Kory |last8=Grant |first8=Sarah |last9=Vozick-Levinson |first9=Simon |last10=Greene |first10=Andy |last11=Hermes |first11=Will |author-link11=Will Hermes |date=June 28, 2018 |title=The 100 Greatest Songs of the Century – So Far |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-100-greatest-songs-of-the-century-so-far-666874/im-not-okay-i-promise-my-chemical-romance-666916/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250208214246/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-100-greatest-songs-of-the-century-so-far-666874/gasolina-daddy-yankee-feat-glory-666931/ |archive-date=February 8, 2025 |access-date=February 8, 2025 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}
=Accolades=
Commercial performance
In the United States, "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" peaked at #86 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #4 on the Alternative Airplay chart, becoming the first track by the band to enter the Billboard Hot 100. In 2019, following the announcement of the band's reunion, "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" also debuted and peaked at #21 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.{{Cite web |last=Rutherford |first=Kevin |date=November 15, 2019 |title=My Chemical Romance's 'Black Parade' Marches Back to Billboard 200 After Reunion Announcement |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/my-chemical-romance-black-parade-billboard-200-return-reunion/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118110300/https://www.billboard.com/pro/my-chemical-romance-black-parade-billboard-200-return-reunion/ |archive-date=January 18, 2025 |access-date=January 23, 2025 |website=Billboard Pro}} The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the single 3-times platinum in the United States in 2025, certifying sales of at least three million units, while Music Canada certified the song as double platinum in the country in 2024.
Upon its release in the United Kingdom, "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" debuted and peaked at #96 on the UK Singles chart and #9 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart.{{cite web |title=I'm Not Ok (I Promise) — My Chemical Romance |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/my-chemical-romance-im-not-ok-i-promise/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241008102044/https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/my-chemical-romance-im-not-ok-i-promise/ |archive-date=October 8, 2024 |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=February 9, 2025}} The single re-entered the UK Singles chart in March 2005, peaking at #19, and additionally reached #23 on the Scottish Singles Chart. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) certified the single platinum in 2023. The song also charted at #38 on the New Zealand singles chart in July 2005, and was certified platinum in 2024 by Recorded Music NZ.
Music videos
= Background and synopses =
{{multiple image
|total_width=300
|image1=Hamilton High - LAUSD - Los Angeles, California, U.S. - 2023 September 01.jpg
|alt1=School sign for Alexander Hamilton High School
|image2=Loyola HS Sign.jpg
|alt2=School sign for Loyola High School
|footer=The filming locations for the music video of "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)": Alexander Hamilton High School (left) and Loyola High School (right).
}}
Initially, a first accompanying music video for "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" was produced, featuring a montage of a concert and pictures of the Way brothers as children.{{Cite web |last=Travers |first=Paul |date=November 27, 2020 |title=10 key moments that made My Chemical Romance superstars |url=https://www.kerrang.com/10-moments-that-made-my-chemical-romance-superstars |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130202603/https://www.kerrang.com/10-moments-that-made-my-chemical-romance-superstars |archive-date=January 30, 2025 |access-date=February 10, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}} Later, a second music video was produced in mid-2004 to promote the single release, shortly after Bob Bryar joined the band as their drummer to replace Pelissier.{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=115,119}} The director of the music video, Marc Webb, began researching the 1998 film Rushmore after the band expressed interest in recording a music video resembling the movie;{{Cite web |last=Montgomery |first=James |title=My Chemical Romance: They're Okay (Promise) |url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/my_chemical_romance/news_feature_022805/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050303033306/http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/my_chemical_romance/news_feature_022805/ |archive-date=March 3, 2005 |access-date=February 10, 2025 |website=MTV News}} it was filmed at Alexander Hamilton High School and Loyola High School in August 2004.{{Cite web |last=Brooks |first=Hayden |date=May 16, 2018 |title=18 Classic High School Music Videos: Britney Spears, Missy Elliott & More |url=https://www.iheart.com/content/2018-05-14-15-classic-high-school-music-videos-britney-spears-missy-elliot-more/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250211194929/https://www.iheart.com/content/2018-05-14-15-classic-high-school-music-videos-britney-spears-missy-elliot-more/ |archive-date=February 11, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=iHeartRadio}} The video is framed as a movie trailer for what Kenneth Partridge of Billboard called the "greatest teen dramedy never made";{{Cite magazine |last=Partridge |first=Kenneth |date=September 3, 2014 |title=20 Best High School Music Videos |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/best-high-school-music-videos-britney-spears-nirvana-iggy-azalea-6236691/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250211194003/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/best-high-school-music-videos-britney-spears-nirvana-iggy-azalea-6236691/ |archive-date=February 11, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} in it, the Way brothers, Toro, and Iero play "preppy, weird and croquet-playing nerds" who are being bullied by jocks.{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=|p=120}} The video shows the group taking revenge on their bullies, featuring a series of "antics, pranks and twists".{{Cite web |last=Chaudhry |first=Aliya |date=July 15, 2021 |title=Every My Chemical Romance music video, ranked from 'worst' to best |url=https://www.kerrang.com/every-my-chemical-romance-video-ranked-from-worst-to-best |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250127151411/https://www.kerrang.com/every-my-chemical-romance-video-ranked-from-worst-to-best |archive-date=January 27, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}} The video culminates with the two groups preparing to fight, left as a cliffhanger ending.
Interspersed throughout the video is footage of the band performing "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" in a rehearsal space. Bryar, who at that point had not yet played with the band, was included in the video playing the drums despite having a broken ankle; he later remarked that the move was "the riskiest thing this band has ever done", noting that it "would have been a disaster" if he did not ultimately go on to perform with the band.{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=|p=119}} The music video received frequent airplay on MTV2 and MTVU,{{Cite web |last=Montgomery |first=James |date=January 13, 2005 |title=My Chemical Romance Aim For Smashing Pumpkins Status |url=http://mtv.com/news/articles/1495856/20050113/my_chemical_romance.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012205632/http://mtv.com/news/articles/1495856/20050113/my_chemical_romance.jhtml |archive-date=October 12, 2007 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=MTV News}} and both versions were released as part of Life on the Murder Scene.
= Reception =
The first music video for "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" has ranked poorly in retrospective reviews of the band's videos, with Alternative Press bluntly writing that "this isn't the video you associate with [the] single".{{Cite web |date=March 14, 2017 |title=Every My Chemical Romance music video ever made, ranked |url=https://www.altpress.com/every_my_chemical_romance_music_video_ever_made_ranked/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124102031/https://www.altpress.com/every_my_chemical_romance_music_video_ever_made_ranked/ |archive-date=January 24, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Alternative Press}} In contrast, the second music video received widespread praise from critics, with Aliya Chaudhry of Kerrang! and Alternative Press placing the video at #2 and #3 respectively in their rankings. Eloise called the video "kinetic and unforgettable", while Weatherby referred to it as "iconic". Andy Greenwald, writing for Spin, noticed similarities to the 1979 film Quadrophenia, while Emma Keates of The A.V. Club characterized it as an effective combination of "hardcore aesthetics and [films by] John Hughes".{{Cite web |last=Keates |first=Emma |date=June 7, 2024 |title=12 of the best filmmakers who got their start in music videos |url=https://www.avclub.com/12-directors-who-got-their-start-in-music-videos-1851522534 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241003104031/https://www.avclub.com/12-directors-who-got-their-start-in-music-videos-1851522534 |archive-date=October 3, 2024 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=The A.V. Club}} The video has appeared on two critic's lists about the greatest videos set in high schools,{{Cite web |last=Viscovi |first=Sage |date=January 5, 2017 |title=The 15 best music videos set in high school |url=https://www.altpress.com/the_15_best_music_videos_set_in_high_school/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227154139/https://www.altpress.com/the_15_best_music_videos_set_in_high_school/ |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Alternative Press}} and Webb was reportedly approached about turning it into a full-length film.{{Cite magazine |last=Kleinsak |first=Michelle |date=January 31, 2005 |title=Your music-video questions answered |url=https://ew.com/article/2005/01/31/your-music-video-questions-answered/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250211212711/https://ew.com/article/2005/01/31/your-music-video-questions-answered/ |archive-date=February 11, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}
Live performances and legacy
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" has been a staple in My Chemical Romance's performances, with Chad Childers of Loudwire reporting in 2024 that it was the band's most-played song during live sets.{{Cite web |last=Childers |first=Chad |date=February 27, 2024 |title=The Most Played Song Live by 27 Big Emo + Pop-Punk Bands |url=https://loudwire.com/most-played-songs-live-emo-pop-punk-bands/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227041450/https://loudwire.com/most-played-songs-live-emo-pop-punk-bands/ |archive-date=December 27, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Loudwire}} In regards to individual performances, My Chemical Romance performed the song on Late Show with David Letterman in January 2005,{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=|p=124}}{{Cite web |date=May 22, 2015 |title=10 bands who totally rocked 'Letterman' |url=https://www.altpress.com/10_bands_who_totally_rocked_letterman/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230128141434/https://www.altpress.com/10_bands_who_totally_rocked_letterman/ |archive-date=January 28, 2023 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Alternative Press}} during the 2011 Reading and Leeds Festivals,{{Cite web |last=Goodwyn |first=Tom |date=August 26, 2011 |title=My Chemical Romance joined by Queen's Brian May at Reading Festival |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/my-chemical-romance-44-1286510 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204115303/https://www.nme.com/news/music/my-chemical-romance-44-1286510 |archive-date=December 4, 2024 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |website=NME}} the 2022 Riot Fest,{{Cite web |last=Law |first=Sam |date=September 18, 2022 |title=What happened when My Chemical Romance headlined Riot Fest |url=https://www.kerrang.com/what-happened-when-my-chemical-romance-headlined-riot-fest |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223035019/https://www.kerrang.com/what-happened-when-my-chemical-romance-headlined-riot-fest |archive-date=February 23, 2024 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}} and the 2022 and 2024 editions of When We Were Young festival.{{Cite web |last=Georgi |first=Maya |date=October 29, 2022 |title=When We Were Young 2022 review: the nostalgic emo-fest reigns in a new age of pop-punk |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/live/when-we-were-young-2022-review-the-nostalgic-emo-fest-reigns-in-a-new-age-3338601 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213055823/https://www.nme.com/reviews/live/when-we-were-young-2022-review-the-nostalgic-emo-fest-reigns-in-a-new-age-3338601 |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=NME}}{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Abby |date=October 20, 2024 |title=Watch My Chemical Romance Break Out Live Rarities At When We Were Young |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2284654/watch-my-chemical-romance-break-out-live-rarities-at-when-we-were-young/news/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241126191852/https://www.stereogum.com/2284654/watch-my-chemical-romance-break-out-live-rarities-at-when-we-were-young/news/ |archive-date=November 26, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Stereogum}} The band also performed the song as part of the setlists and encores of the Black Parade World Tour,{{Harvnb|Bryant|2014|pp=|p=199}} the 2007 Projekt Revolution tour,{{Cite news |last=Olszewski |first=Tricia |date=August 21, 2007 |title=Projekt Revolution: It's All the Rage |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/style/2007/08/21/projekt-revolution-its-all-the-rage/3ca8f857-fc6d-4bc3-ab1c-4b9091d67205/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250203173411/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/style/2007/08/21/projekt-revolution-its-all-the-rage/3ca8f857-fc6d-4bc3-ab1c-4b9091d67205/ |archive-date=February 3, 2025 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} the 10th Annual Honda Civic Tour,{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Maura |author-link=Maura Johnston |date=August 8, 2011 |title=Live: blink-182 Like It Hot And Wet At Jones Beach |url=http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/08/blink-182_my_chemical_romance_jones_beach_review.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928025409/http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/08/blink-182_my_chemical_romance_jones_beach_review.php |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=The Village Voice}} and their reunion tour (being the first song performed during their first reunion show in 2019).{{Cite magazine |last=Phull |first=Hardeep |date=December 21, 2019 |title=My Chemical Romance Return to 'The Black Parade' and More at First Show Since 2012 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/my-chemical-romance-2019-reunion-show-recap-los-angeles-8546949/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203100325/https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/my-chemical-romance-2019-reunion-show-recap-los-angeles-8546949/ |archive-date=December 3, 2024 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}}{{Cite web |last=Hardman |first=Neville |date=May 16, 2022 |title=Here's My Chemical Romance's setlist from the first night of their 2022 tour |url=https://www.altpress.com/my-chemical-romance-setlist-2022-tour/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418163646/https://www.altpress.com/my-chemical-romance-setlist-2022-tour/ |archive-date=April 18, 2023 |access-date=January 4, 2025 |website=Alternative Press}} Additionally, "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" has been covered by various artists, including by Matt Pond PA (for the 2008 compilation album Guilt by Association Vol. 2),{{Cite web |last=Solarski |first=Matthew |date=November 19, 2008 |title=My Brightest Diamond, Frightened Rabbit Do Covers |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/34070-my-brightest-diamond-frightened-rabbit-do-covers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240809181706/https://pitchfork.com/news/34070-my-brightest-diamond-frightened-rabbit-do-covers/ |archive-date=August 9, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Pitchfork}} Set It Off,{{Cite web |date=May 22, 2012 |title=Set It Off cover My Chemical Romance's "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" |url=https://www.altpress.com/set_it_off_cover_my_chemical_romances_im_not_okay_i_promise/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250211220356/https://www.altpress.com/set_it_off_cover_my_chemical_romances_im_not_okay_i_promise/ |archive-date=February 11, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Alternative Press}} All Time Low,{{Cite magazine |last=Payne |first=Chris |date=December 30, 2019 |title=Watch All Time Low's Passionate Live Cover of a My Chemical Romance Classic |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/all-time-low-my-chemical-romance-cover-im-not-okay-8547170/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250204214802/https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/all-time-low-my-chemical-romance-cover-im-not-okay-8547170/ |archive-date=February 4, 2025 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |magazine=Billboard}} Twenty One Pilots (in live performances),{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Damian |date=September 6, 2021 |title=Watch Twenty One Pilots cover My Chemical Romance's 'I'm Not Okay (I Promise)' at first full show since 2019 |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/watch-twenty-one-pilots-cover-my-chemical-romances-im-not-okay-i-promise-at-first-full-show-since-2019-3038303 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404163323/https://www.nme.com/news/music/watch-twenty-one-pilots-cover-my-chemical-romances-im-not-okay-i-promise-at-first-full-show-since-2019-3038303 |archive-date=April 4, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=NME}} and Cassyette (in a short video for TikTok).{{Cite web |last=Scarlett |first=Liz |date=April 5, 2022 |title=Cassyette's spellbinding cover of My Chemical Romance's I'm Not Okay (I Promise) will give you goosebumps |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/cassyettes-spellbinding-cover-of-my-chemical-romances-im-not-okay-i-promise-will-give-you-goosebumps |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250204213752/https://www.loudersound.com/news/cassyettes-spellbinding-cover-of-my-chemical-romances-im-not-okay-i-promise-will-give-you-goosebumps |archive-date=February 4, 2025 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Metal Hammer}} Iero also referenced the song in the lead single of his solo album Barriers (2019), in the line: "And I promise that I'm not okay / (Oh, wait, that's the other guy)"; he explained how this reference was intended to connect his solo career with his time with My Chemical Romance, and noted that he had discussed the lyric reference with his bandmates before the single's release.{{Cite web |last=Trapp |first=Philip |date=May 29, 2019 |title=Frank Iero Explains the My Chemical Romance Nod in His New Song |url=https://loudwire.com/my-chemical-romance-young-doomed-frank-iero/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527031554/https://loudwire.com/my-chemical-romance-young-doomed-frank-iero/ |archive-date=May 27, 2024 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Loudwire}}{{Cite web |last=Jamieson |first=Brii |date=July 13, 2019 |title=Frank Iero Got The Blessing Of The Other Members Of My Chem For That 'I'm Not Okay' Lyric Reference |url=https://rocksound.tv/news/read/frank-iero-got-permission-from-the-other-members-of-my-chem-for-that-im-not |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220729210758/https://rocksound.tv/news/read/frank-iero-got-permission-from-the-other-members-of-my-chem-for-that-im-not |archive-date=July 29, 2022 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Rock Sound}}
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" has been identified as My Chemical Romance's breakout single, with David McLaughlin of Kerrang! writing that it cemented them as "icons of the third wave of emo",{{Cite web |last=McLaughlin |first=David |date=January 27, 2021 |title=The story of emo in 14 songs |url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-story-of-emo-in-14-songs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118231530/https://www.kerrang.com/the-story-of-emo-in-14-songs |archive-date=January 18, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}} and has been credited for bringing emo culture into the mainstream. It has also been considered a defining track of the 2000s,{{Cite web |last=Mortensa |first=Mala |date=April 11, 2023 |title=10 essential My Chemical Romance songs that encapsulate every era |url=https://www.altpress.com/essential-my-chemical-romance-songs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514182438/https://www.altpress.com/essential-my-chemical-romance-songs/ |archive-date=May 14, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Alternative Press}}{{Cite web |last=McLaughlin |first=David |date=October 23, 2020 |title=Three Cheers Vs. The Black Parade – Which Is The Best My Chemical Romance Album? |url=https://www.kerrang.com/three-cheers-versus-the-black-parade-which-is-the-best-my-chemical-romance-album |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250113212635/https://www.kerrang.com/three-cheers-versus-the-black-parade-which-is-the-best-my-chemical-romance-album |archive-date=January 13, 2025 |access-date=February 11, 2025 |website=Kerrang!}} with Bezer comparing it to songs like "My Generation", "Anarchy in the UK", "Smells Like Teen Spirit", and "Killing in the Name" for being a "zeitgeist-capturing, generation-defining statement". Sia Michel of The New York Times wrote in 2006 that the track had become a "rallying cry" for the children of that time who had been "weaned on war, school shootings and constant terrorism threats".{{Cite web |last=Michel |first=Sia |author-link=Sia Michel |date=October 22, 2006 |title=Fresh From the Garden State, in Black Leather and Eyeliner |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/22/arts/music/22mich.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118010158/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/22/arts/music/22mich.html |archive-date=January 18, 2025 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=The New York Times}} Ed Walton of Distorted Sound Mag referred to "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" as an "anthem for the emo generation",{{Cite web |last=Walton |first=Ed |date=June 21, 2024 |title=Heavy Music History: Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge – My Chemical Romance |url=https://distortedsoundmag.com/heavy-music-history-three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge-my-chemical-romance/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621162804/https://distortedsoundmag.com/heavy-music-history-three-cheers-for-sweet-revenge-my-chemical-romance/ |archive-date=June 21, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Distorted Sound Mag}} while a 2020 article on Louder Sound similarly called it a "genuine anthem for the disaffected, still sounding as righteously pissed off and fresh as it did almost a decade ago".{{Cite web |date=March 3, 2020 |title=My Chemical Romance: Your essential guide to every album |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/my-chemical-romance-your-essential-guide-to-every-album |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204004704/https://www.loudersound.com/features/my-chemical-romance-your-essential-guide-to-every-album |archive-date=December 4, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=Louder Sound}} I'm Not Okay: An Emo Retrospective, a 2024–2025 exhibition at the Barbican Music Library in London that explored 2000s emo subculture, was named after the song.{{Cite web |last=England |first=Adam |date=October 1, 2024 |title='I'm Not Okay' exhibition celebrating emo culture launches in London |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/im-not-okay-exhibition-celebrating-emo-culture-launches-in-london-3798752 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002003758/https://www.nme.com/news/music/im-not-okay-exhibition-celebrating-emo-culture-launches-in-london-3798752 |archive-date=October 2, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=NME}}{{Cite web |last1=Coomarasamy |first1=James |author-link1=James Coomarasamy |last2=Ariyanayagam |first2=Annabelle |last3=Sohal |first3=Simran |date=January 25, 2025 |title=Emos relive their teenage years in the noughties |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8d9156r6pyo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128195457/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8d9156r6pyo |archive-date=January 28, 2025 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |website=BBC}}
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from Apple Music.{{Cite web |title=I'm Not Okay (I Promise) — Song by My Chemical Romance — Apple Music (GB) |url=https://music.apple.com/gb/song/im-not-okay-i-promise/89225340 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250205032352/https://music.apple.com/gb/song/im-not-okay-i-promise/89225340 |archive-date=February 5, 2025 |access-date=February 5, 2025}}{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}My Chemical Romance
- Gerard Way – lead vocals, background vocals, songwriter
- Raymond Toro – background vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, songwriter
- Frank Iero – background vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter
- Mikey Way – bass guitar, songwriter
- Matt Pelissier – drums, percussion, songwriter
Additional performing artists
- Howard Benson – Hammond organ, producer, mixing engineer
- Paul DeCarli – programming, recording engineer
{{col-2}}Additional personnel
- Rich Costey – mixing engineer
- Tom Baker – mastering engineer
- Mike Plotnikoff – recording engineer
- Keith Nelson – guitar technician, recording technician
- Jon Nicholson – drum technician, recording technician
- Eric Miller – additional engineer{{col-end}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2004−2005)
!scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|New Zealand|38|artist=My Chemical Romance|song=I'm Not Okay (I Promise)|rowheader=true|refname="nzchart"}} |
| {{single chart|Scotland|23|date=2005-03-13|access-date=February 9, 2025|rowheader=true|refname="scotland"}} |
| {{single chart|UKrock|9|date=2004-09-19|rowheader=true|access-date=February 9, 2022|refname="ukrock"}} |
| {{single chart|UK|19|date=2005-03-13|access-date=February 9, 2025|rowheader=true|refname="ukchart"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|4|artist=My Chemical Romance|rowheader=true|access-date=February 9, 2022|refname="usalt"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|86|artist=My Chemical Romance|rowheader=true|access-date=February 9, 2022|refname="hot100"}} |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2019)
!scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|21|artist=My Chemical Romance|rowheader=true|access-date=February 9, 2022|refname="usrock"}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|artist=My Chemical Romance|title=I'm Not Okay (I Promise)|relyear=2004|certyear=2024|certmonth=6|certday=3|access-date=January 7, 2025|refname="canadacert"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=My Chemical Romance|title=I'm Not OK (I Promise)|relyear=2004|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=December 23, 2024|refname="nzcert"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=My Chemical Romance|title=I'm Not Okay (I Promise)|relyear=2004|certyear=2023|id=14263-1010-1|access-date=April 28, 2023|refname="bpi"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=My Chemical Romance|title=I_m Not Okay (I Promise)|number=3|relyear=2004|certyear=2025|access-date=April 11, 2025|refname="riaa"}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Release history
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
= Sources =
{{Refbegin}}
- {{Cite book |last=Bryant |first=Tom |title=Not the Life It Seems: The True Lives of My Chemical Romance |publisher=Da Capo Press |year=2014 |isbn=978-0306823497 |location=Boston}}
{{Refend}}
= Citations =
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{My Chemical Romance}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Im Not Okay (I Promise)}}
Category:My Chemical Romance songs
Category:Songs written by Gerard Way
Category:Songs written by Frank Iero
Category:Songs written by Ray Toro
Category:Songs written by Mikey Way
Category:Song recordings produced by Howard Benson