Emo bands

[Project G]

After my arguement with lindy about me being an emo, it got me thinking. What bands are emo bands?

[Blackmageboi]

my chemical romance

[crashNUMBERS]

What does EMO exactly mean?? And yes. I have also heard of MCR being EMO...

[Rye]

MCR aren't THAT emo. I think they're more screamo. But they're good, so doesn't matter. :)

In my opinion, emo bands are bands that have awful lyrics describing their "awful depressing" lives despite the fact that they're rich, because of all the kids that buy their emo wristlets to cover up their emo scars because the want to seem cool.

Some bands like MCR have an emo sound to them, but aren't depressing and don't have awful lyrics.

But that's just what I think.

In any case, the following emo bands:

Dashboard Confessionals (Awful)
Linkin Park (Awful after their first CD. They're Rap Emo)
Coheed and Cambria (Just barely emo, but they rock)
The Used
Simple Plan (Pop Emo)
Good Charlotte (Pop Emo)

I'm probably missing a few...

[ZeZipster]

No where will MCR ever call themselves Emo. They consider themselves Punk / Metal / Post Hardcore / Alternative. Look at their myspace, purevolume page, or MyLocalBands page.

Brand New, The Early December, Finch, Motion City Soundtrack, Taking Back Sunday, Jimmy Eat World, and Hawthorne Heights are the epitome of emo.

[Cz]

I have no idea what emo is, to be honest. The term is over-used to the point where its meaning has almost changed entirely. Emo is no longer a genre of music, but rather a term of abuse used to describe bands of a certain genre that a person doesn't like. For example, a person who hates Simple Plan might describe them as emo, whereas Good Charlotte (who they like) are Pop-Punk. In actual fact, both of them are exactly the same, only nobody admits to liking emo, so they invent meaningless sub-genres like 'screamo' (sorry Rye) or 'extremo' to distance themselves from a certain style.

I'd say Rye's entire list is emo, but I'm probably wrong.

[crashNUMBERS]

No where will MCR ever call themselves Emo. They consider themselves Punk / Metal / Post Hardcore / Alternative.
No. On the "Steves Untitled Rock Show" on fuse. Gerard said he was feeling a little EMO. So what does EMO mean again??

[ZeZipster]

I have no idea what emo is, to be honest. The term is over-used to the point where its meaning has almost changed entirely. Emo is no longer a genre of music, but rather a term of abuse used to describe bands of a certain genre that a person doesn't like. For example, a person who hates Simple Plan might describe them as emo, whereas Good Charlotte (who they like) are Pop-Punk. In actual fact, both of them are exactly the same, only nobody admits to liking emo, so they invent meaningless sub-genres like 'screamo' (sorry Rye) or 'extremo' to distance themselves from a certain style.

I'd say Rye's entire list is emo, but I'm probably wrong.

It's only derogatory outside of the scene. Screamo was around before Emo.

Definition of emo would be:

"Emo" is not short for "Emotional." "Emo" does not mean Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional, despite what MTV has lead you to believe in the last few years. "Emo" is not sidebangs, tight pants, and male vocalists who sing like little girls about their failed relationships. "Emo" is not the use of diluted, meaningless metaphors and similes such as "My arms are like pinecones," and most definitely is not the rampant use of words such as "autumn," "heart," "knife," "bleeding," "leaves," and "razorblade."

I just thought I'd clear that up after all of these "definitions" in which I have encountered an unbelievable amount of people who try to pass off their blatantly false pretenses as fact, and are slowly infecting others with their high-horse, holier-than-thou bull<img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif">. Because honestly, with your ridiculous definitions, Beethoven, George Gershwin, and Britney Spears are/was "emo bands."

Now, onto the real definition.

In the early 90s there was a movement in the hardcore genre that came to be known as "Emotive Hardcore," spearheaded by Rites Of Spring. Harder-core-than-thou kids, who swore by Dischord Records a la Minor Threat, actually coined the term "Emo" as something of a put-down for the kids who really liked Rites Of Spring, Indian Summer and this new wave of "Emotive" Hardcore bands. That's right, "Emo" was once not something kids called themselves. The field exploded outwards from there - Level-Plane Records has always been the most famous Emo label. Acts like Yaphet Kotto, I Hate Myself, Saetia, Hot Cross, A Day In Black And White, Funeral Diner, I Would Set Myself On Fire For You, You And I, and hosts of others came in the next decade. Most emo bands have since broken up, but there's still the occasional hold-out (again, the majority of Level-Plane Records' roster has been a procession of emo acts). Like most DIY hardcore/punk of the time, a majority found its way onto vinyl and not much else. Some people consider bands like Fugazi, and later Sunny Day Real Estate, a progression of emo, but personally, I don't quite follow that philosophy.

Often, more recently, this gets intertwined with post-hardcore, and understandably so - that's nothing to make an issue of, since well <img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif">, at least it's close.

Since the late 90s, though, bands have been emerging in the vein of Taking Back Sunday, Dashboard Confessional, and the thousands of their clones. As far as I can tell, some lazy journalist somewhere, writing an article about them, decided "Well, smurf, no one knows what emo is anyways, so I'll call these bands "emo" - sounds more appealing than bubblegum pop rock..." and the spiral continued downwards into the current amalgomation of bands MTV has told everyone is "emo."

Somehow, people decided that "emo" meant "emotional," which is obviously bull<img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif">, as 99% of bands make music to illicit emotion, which would make "emotional" a completely all-encompassing genre from classical to opera to pop to rap.


I would say emo bands today would be any band that isn't alternative or hardcore that sings about misogynistic, depressing, or medial things.

[crashNUMBERS]

Haha!! Emotional...

[Ohhh]

in my opinion, the only emo bands I like are funeral for a friend and jimmy eat world and (if they are emo, even though i dont think they are really) my chemical romance :D

[Shoeberto]

I'm going to have to stand up for Jimmy Eat World and say that they're not (at least by today's modern definition - thanks ZeZipster) emo. Their music isn't as desperately depressed or (mostly not) whiney. In fact, most of their songs are quite uplifting and motivational.

The emo band I hate the most is Hawthorne Heights. Entirely because of their hit single, "Ohio is for Lovers." You see, in my web and graphic design class, sometimes we would be allowed to listen to music. The kid that sat adjacent to me would listen to that song on repeat for the whole period. 40 minutes a day, often times three days a week. I smurfing hate that song. I smurfing hate that band. It's the worst piece of mindless drivel I've ever heard. The lyrics mean <img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif">, the music is <img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif"><img src="/xxx.gif">. And every time I would turn on Fuse after that, it would seem like it was playing. So Hawthorne Heights can suck it. I don't care if they came from Ohio, or even, as I heard, Dayton, which is close to where I live.

I can't wait until industrial comes back and the Pres needs a NIN. (http://mclars.com/laptop_lyrics.html#emo)

[Dazed and Confused]

my chemical romance

What seperates these guys from every other emo band is that these guys are actually good

[FallenSilence]

Would H.I.M count as being emo?

[Rusty]

I hate so called "emo" bands such as Simple Plan. Listing to 'Welcome to my life' just makes head banging your head to the nearest brick wall appealing.

[nightmare666]

u wanna know emo bands? my chemical romance, the used, yellow card, and well thats all i know of.(I really, really, really hate emo)

oh yeah hawthorn heights and fall out boy,the lists go on and on

[Vyk]

Excellent post Zipster. Most people use Emo as an insult. So really there might be a deffinition. But usually the usage of the word is more relative to who's using it and in what context.

[Pastor_of_Muppets]

I don't mind Emo, but the Pop-punk wimpy emo reallyyy bothers me

[GracefuLxDisasteR]

emo isnt that bad..sadly i am an emo fan. but if you want the most emo of emo bands i can think of, listen to Bright Eyes. they are like the total definition of emo. my boyfriend even says he sings like a whiny little emo kid.

[Reles]

When I think of emo, I think of yes, the depressing lyrics about girls breaking up with them and I'm going to slit my wrists. And some of the punk songs, the singers use this whiney voice, and when I hear a whiney voice it sounds emo to me.

A good example of this would be: The All American Rejects

"Swing, swing, swing
From the tangles of
My heart is crushed By a former love
Can you help me find a way
To carry on again?"

I'm sure a lot of you have heard that song. ^.^

[FallenSilence]

I like that song...

[Pure Strife]

When I think of emo, I think of yes, the depressing lyrics about girls breaking up with them and I'm going to slit my wrists. And some of the punk songs, the singers use this whiney voice, and when I hear a whiney voice it sounds emo to me.

A good example of this would be: The All American Rejects

"Swing, swing, swing
From the tangles of
My heart is crushed By a former love
Can you help me find a way
To carry on again?"

I'm sure a lot of you have heard that song. ^.^

That's a pretty good way of desciring it. Bands that use lyrics and themes such as that in all (or the large majority) of their songs are emo.

Simple Plan, Good Charlotte, Linkin Park and the like were around before this emo craze kicked off, and though they do tend to whine alot they also tend to have more poppy melodies. I'd call them (and their like) pop-rock rather than emo. HIM I wouldn't say are emo, because I think a lot of their songs deal with getting together or wanting to get together, not just ending relationships. And Hsu is right, Ohio Is For Lovers is one of the worst songs of all time.

Emo is widely diverse, because it's not really found itself as a trend yet, and as such hasn't decided exactly what it wants to exclude. Either that or all emo folk have no musical taste :p

[Destai]

Avril Lavigne and Linkin Par count I guess. Linkin Park is rock and Rap. Avril Lavigne is Pop with a small bit of country and rock.

[Rye]

Avril Lavigne and Linkin Par count I guess. Linkin Park is rock and Rap. Avril Lavigne is Pop with a small bit of country and rock.

Avril Lavigne is kinda emo, but she's so awful that calling her emo is a compliment, which is really saying something. xD

[Destai]

Avril Lavigne and Linkin Par count I guess. Linkin Park is rock and Rap. Avril Lavigne is Pop with a small bit of country and rock.

Avril Lavigne is kinda emo, but she's so awful that calling her emo is a compliment, which is really saying something. xDYou're MEAN Rye xD
Yeah that picture and her album art is all terribly emo (that doesnt mean I dont like the album art)
I like her albums. *readies shield*

[MecaKane]

I think foa's going to have to make another announcement about someone who can't shut the smurf up about something they don't like.

Anyway, the worst emo bands are ones like Good Charlotte and Simple Plan, who just exploit any and all teenage angst they can. Maybe a few other need to shut up and suck it up, but the rest isn't that terribly bad, in doses.

[Ohhh]

i thought emo was "songs to slit your wrists too" which is why i wouldnt have claased myself as likin emo, but by the sounds of things and from the bands mentioned above, im an emo fan! (apprently)

[Rye]

Avril Lavigne and Linkin Par count I guess. Linkin Park is rock and Rap. Avril Lavigne is Pop with a small bit of country and rock.

Avril Lavigne is kinda emo, but she's so awful that calling her emo is a compliment, which is really saying something. xDYou're MEAN Rye xD
Yeah that picture and her album art is all terribly emo (that doesnt mean I dont like the album art)
I like her albums. *readies shield*

Haha, did you see the music video to Nobody's Home? She goes around in a short black wig as a homeless teen girl who washes her hair in a public bathroom or something. xD

[Cz]

Just count yourself lucky you weren't born a few years earlier, Rye. That could have been you. :p

[Rye]

Just count yourself lucky you weren't born a few years earlier, Rye. That could have been you. :p

Dear god, no. xD

[Kappy]

Hmm. I hate the genre, but I also find it annoying that people usually catagorise bands that aren't emo, as the genre. People seem to jump that if a band has lyrics to do with sadness and love and whatever, than that band is automatically emo.
That isn't really the case. Emo bands do have these lyrics but msot of the time it boils down to the music and cult following. The music is mostly a more melancholic version of pop punk with elements of slower metal, and the cult following is pretty much what gives the genre its name. The people that listen to this music are usually mid teen, depressed, anti social guys/gals that think the whole world is against them and that their only solace is listening to music and writing poetry. xD

[Vyk]

i thought emo was "songs to slit your wrists too" which is why i wouldnt have claased myself as likin emo, but by the sounds of things and from the bands mentioned above, im an emo fan! (apprently)

Don't listen to them. Most people don't really think about what they're saying, they just classify everything they hate as emo, or whatever category they put everything else they hate in.

[Madame Adequate]

Just count yourself lucky you weren't born a few years earlier, Rye. That could have been you. :p

I've so seen Rye at Avril concerts holding up signs and singing along to every single word. I'll see if I can find any pics of her actually...

Anyways, Dag Nasty are probably my fave emo band, but I like Indian Summer, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Christie Front Drive a lot as well. I need to see if I can get a hold of other stuff from back then, but it's not terribly easy.

[Rye]

Just count yourself lucky you weren't born a few years earlier, Rye. That could have been you. :p

I've so seen Rye at Avril concerts holding up signs and singing along to every single word. I'll see if I can find any pics of her actually...

Anyways, Dag Nasty are probably my fave emo band, but I like Indian Summer, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Christie Front Drive a lot as well. I need to see if I can get a hold of other stuff from back then, but it's not terribly easy.

Lies, I tell you! Lies. xD

[Madame Adequate]

Lies, I tell you! Lies. xD

Well, I don't seem to have any of her at a concert, but I do suggest the following for your consideration:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/Auricom/JessAvril.jpg

[Rye]

Lies, I tell you! Lies. xD

Well, I don't seem to have any of her at a concert, but I do suggest the following for your consideration:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/Auricom/JessAvril.jpg

Well, does Avril cuddle with Spongebob!? :(

[Madame Adequate]

Lies, I tell you! Lies. xD

Well, I don't seem to have any of her at a concert, but I do suggest the following for your consideration:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/Auricom/JessAvril.jpg

Well, does Avril cuddle with Spongebob!? :(

Avril personally produced the Spongebob movie. She gave like $3,000,000 to the production of her own money.

[Rye]

Lies, I tell you! Lies. xD

Well, I don't seem to have any of her at a concert, but I do suggest the following for your consideration:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/Auricom/JessAvril.jpg

Well, does Avril cuddle with Spongebob!? :(

Avril personally produced the Spongebob movie. She gave like $3,000,000 to the production of her own money.

Yeah well... it's not like she likes him! She's only doing it for publicity. ;_______________; I'M NOT AVRIL. xD

[Madame Adequate]

Yeah well... it's not like she likes him! She's only doing it for publicity. ;_______________; I'M NOT AVRIL. xD

Guys, seriously. Can I get an amen on this one? I mean, I know they don't look remotely alike, but winding Jessikar up is really funny.

[Destai]

The both love spongebob too! Conspiracy perhaps?

[Madame Adequate]

The both love spongebob too! Conspiracy perhaps?

I suspect so. I think they are two facets of the same being, dispatched from Mercury to conquer Topeka and Biloxi. To lull us into a false sense of security, 'Jessica' is pretending to detest her other half, 'Avril', in order to make it seem like they'd never work together.

I don't know where Spongebob fits in. Mind control is possible, but for some reason it doesn't seem to fit quite right with what else we know.

[Project G]

So no-one agrees with me that LostProphets are emo????

[Devourment]

Bands like The Used & MCR are linked with being emo, but I don't think they are. Emo is emotional music, & I really don't think they are emotional music. They are only called emo because the people who listen to these kind of bands [Some, I'm not saying all] wear black & pink together, always look depressed, talk about death, & pose with their hair over their face & the like. But that's just stereotyping people. I don't think you can be an emo, goth, hippie, grundger or whatever. You are what you are. You might be the same as other people [Perhaps because of what you wear, or what you do] but you are still yourself. I know I am. I wear what I want, not what other people wear. I don't copy people, I just wear things if I like them.

Oh yeah, I've only read the first post.

[Rye]

The both love spongebob too! Conspiracy perhaps?

I suspect so. I think they are two facets of the same being, dispatched from Mercury to conquer Topeka and Biloxi. To lull us into a false sense of security, 'Jessica' is pretending to detest her other half, 'Avril', in order to make it seem like they'd never work together.

I don't know where Spongebob fits in. Mind control is possible, but for some reason it doesn't seem to fit quite right with what else we know.

Yeah well... you like Dashboard Confessionals! xD

[Madame Adequate]

Yeah well... you like Dashboard Confessionals! xD

That's libel! I'll see you in courts!

[Rye]

Yeah well... you like Dashboard Confessionals! xD

That's libel! I'll see you in courts!

Yeah, go cry to your lawyer, you emo ranger!

To stay on topic, Dashboard Confessionals is the worst emo band ever.

[Madame Adequate]

Yeah well... you like Dashboard Confessionals! xD

That's libel! I'll see you in courts!

Yeah, go cry to your lawyer, you emo ranger!

To stay on topic, Dashboard Confessionals is the worst emo band ever.

Naw, there are worse. Especially as some people seem to count Good Charlotte and Simple Plan as emo... *Shudders*

WTF? Get back in bed. I expect never to see you awake this early ever agian.

[Vyk]

So no-one agrees with me that LostProphets are emo????
I like Lost Prophets. That probably makes them emo. It seems everything else I like is being considered that way. But who cares. I like bands for their music, not because of what genre some judgemental person categorized them in. THere's too many categories to keep track these days anyway. So what's it matter?

EDIT: You know what? Why don't we all just agree that anything played on Fuse (even though Fuse sucks, yet some of what they play is actually pretty good) is Emo. Might as well.