Every once in a while, an album comes along that doesn’t just land, it opens a door. For me, The Used’s self-titled record was that moment. When it dropped during my junior year of high school, it hit like a train. I had all this bottled-up emotion, this mix of anger, confusion, and sadness that didn’t have an outlet yet. Then this record came along, and it felt like it gave me permission to feel all of it. It wasn’t just music, it was validation that being chaotic, loud, and emotional was okay.