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As the remaining indie emo bands entered the mainstream, newer bands began to emulate the more mainstream style, creating a style of music that has now earned the moniker ''emo'' within popular culture. Whereas, even in the past, the term ''emo'' was used to identify a wide variety of bands, the breadth of bands listed under today's emo is even more vast, leaving the term "emo" as more of a loose identifier than as a specific genre of music. As the remaining indie emo bands entered the mainstream, newer bands began to emulate the more mainstream style, creating a style of music that has now earned the moniker ''emo'' within popular culture. Whereas, even in the past, the term ''emo'' was used to identify a wide variety of bands, the breadth of bands listed under today's emo is even more vast, leaving the term "emo" as more of a loose identifier than as a specific genre of music.


==History== ==Emotional What?==
Contrary to popular belief, Emo is not short for Emotional, at least not really. It is not a style, either. It has nothing to do with cutting yourself, or boys with swooping haircuts taking pictures of themselves. Emo is not about whining about your problems. It’s got nothing to do with your girlfriend breaking up with you. If you believe that, you’re exercising your right to do so. This does not, however, make you correct.
===The first wave (1985-1994)===
In 1985 in ], ] and ], veterans of the DC hardcore music scene, decided to shift away from what they saw as the constraints of the basic style of hardcore and the escalating violence within the scene. They took their music in a more personal direction with a far greater sense of experimentation, bringing forth MacKaye's ] and Picciotto's ]. The style of music developed by Embrace and Rites of Spring soon became its own sound. (]'s 1984 album ] is often cited as a major influence for the new sound.) As a result of the renewed spirit of experimentation and musical innovation that developed the new scene, the summer of 1985 soon came to be known in the scene as "Revolution Summer".<ref>, Southern Records.</ref> <ref> by Andy Radin, What the heck *is* emo, anyway?</ref>


Emo is short for Emotional, sort of. It’s short for Emotional Hardcore. Say it with me, folks. And repeat it several times to yourself. The thing I’ve never gotten is how people can even begin to believe that it’s short for ‘Emotional’, because, well, the theme song for Fraggle Rock is emotional, for christ’s sakes.
Within a short time, the D.C. emo sound began to influence other bands such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ], many of which were released on MacKaye's ]. The original wave of DC emo finally ended in late 1994 with the collapse of ].


One response I usually get, when I say that it’s short for Emotional Hardcore, is "Well, if all music is emotional, wouldn’t it just be Hardcore?" I respond with telling them what the word ‘Emotional’ means, when talking about Emo. The emotional aspect of Emo comes from the lyrics. They are, of course, emotionally driven, but usually actually about one emotion or another. It’s usually about anger towards something, or whatever you want. Its instrumentals are brutal and loud, and seemingly random. They are the instrumental equivalent of screaming your lungs out.
Where the term ''emo'' actually originated is uncertain, but members of ] mentioned in a 1985 interview in ] that some of their fans had started using the term to describe their music. By the early 90s, it was not uncommon for the early DC scene to be referred to as ''emo-core'', though it's unclear when the term shifted.


Another question I get a lot is, “What if an Emo band got popular? Would it stop being Emo?” The answer is: No, it wouldn’t. In the recent months, Circle Takes The Square has gotten somewhat popular, thank god.
As the D.C. scene expanded, other scenes began to develop with a similar sound and ] ethic. In ] in the early 1990s, ] released a number of records in the hardcore emo style. Bands of the period included ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Also in California, ] released records by bands of the same vein, such as ] and ], as well as more traditional ] bands, all having various social and political themes in common.


However, people need to understand that Emo is essentially DIY punk. It cannot be mainstream. It can be as popular as it can possibly get. But it’s still not mainstream. When we say DIY, we mean it gets where it gets without corporate promotion, and it’s produced independently. What happens if you happen to see a Circle Takes The Square album at Wal-Mart? You stop taking drugs. This wouldn’t happen. You’re probably only going to find their album at, say, an independent record store. Even those don’t always carry what you want. It’s usually best to go with a distribution (or ‘distro’) website. You’ll notice that those sites rarely charge very much for music, and they usually carry vinyl as well. They’re always worth a look, and I have yet to find a distro that I wouldn’t use again.
At the same time, in the ]/] area, bands such as ], ], ], ], ] and ] were feeling the same impulse. Many of these bands were involved with the ] club scene in New York, itself a response to the violence and stagnation in the scene and with the bands that played at ]s, the only other small venue for hardcore in New York at the time. Much of this wave of emo, particularly the San Diego scene, began to shift towards a more chaotic and aggressive form of emo, nicknamed '']''.


When I think about the songs I’ve heard, only one song comes to mind that’s Emo and about a break-up: Venus & Bacchus by Saetia. But, take note: It isn’t a “boo hoo, my girlfriend broke up with me, I’m gonna whine about it” song. It’s about how much the guy hates what the girl did.
By and large, the more hardcore style of emo began to fade as many of the early era groups disbanded. However, aspects of the sound remained in bands such as ] and ]. Also, a handful of modern bands continue to reflect emo's hardcore origins, including ], ], ], ], and ].


Emo started in the 80’s, with a little band by the name of Rites Of Spring. While this is arguable, as the Husker Du album Zen Arcade, which is said to have started the style, came out before Rites Of Spring’s End On End album. But I digress. Rites Of Spring were only together from the spring of 1984 through the winter of 1986, but in that span of time, they set the stage for the shape of punk to come. The term Emo started when people at Rites Of Spring concerts started yelling “You’re emo!” at them. This is part of why people say Rites Of Spring started Emo. I tend to go with this, partially because I don’t like the thought that an album started the genre. It makes more sense that the band themselves did.
Following the disbanding of Embrace in 1986, MacKaye formed the influential group ], and was soon joined by former bandmate Guy Picciotto. While Fugazi itself is not typically categorized as emo, the band's music is cited as an influence by popular second-wave bands such as ], <ref> , by Dave Herrera, Denver Westword, July 27 2006</ref> ], <ref> by Emily Zemler, The Eagle Online, June 21 2004</ref> and ]. <ref> </ref>


Emo sparked and faded a bit, until the legendary band Moss Icon came along. In my personal opinion, while Rites Of Spring started the genre, Moss Icon perfected it. Their album Lyburnum is widely considered one of the best Emo albums around, as it’s the ideal album. In my experience, the music on the album is perfect for beginners, as it’s not too loud, but it’s not quiet, either.
===Early emo's influence===
In California - particularly in the ] - bands such as ] and ] began to incorporate influences from the "D.C. sound" into a poppier framework; The former's music was described by Andy Greenwald as "a sonic shot-gun marriage between the bristly heft of hardcore, the song-writing sensibility of Cali pop-punk, and the tortured artistry of D.C. emo".<ref name="greenwald">Greenwald, Andy (2003). Nothing Feels Good, pp 20. New York: St. Martin's Griffin.</ref> Other bands soon reflected the same sense of rough melody, including Still Life and Long Island's ].


Other bands like Embrace (the US version), Faith, Void, and so on ruled the scene, blazing the trail for the new subgenre of hardcore.
Also in the early 90s, bands like ] reacted in their own way to the demise of ] styled straight-edge hardcore and desired to seek out a new direction. While their music was often classified as emo, it was also considered to be ]. In response to the more metal direction their hardcore peers were taking, Lifetime initially decided to slow down and soften their music, adding more personal lyrics. The band later added a blend of speed, aggression, and melody that defined their sound. Lifetime's sound, lyrics, and style were a virtual blueprint for later bands, including ], ] and ].


After awhile, the sub-movement of Screamo began. Bands like Palatka and Swing Kids were the new norm. It was loud, fast, and it could easily kill you, if you weren’t careful. This kind of music has become the new norm for Emo bands, but the unfortunate thing is that, nine times our of ten, it sounds like random syllables being screamed.
Similarly, bands such as ], heavily influential on modern ], drew inspiration from East Coast emo bands and added a sense of catharsis and atypically introspective lyrics.


One thing that I don’t like is that people talk about “the waves of emo”. This doesn’t work, because it usually includes what’s considered Emo today. Yes, genres do change as the years go by. Rock has stopped being about sex and drugs, and started being more about that and more about relationships. Rockers have started talking about “making love”. But genres do not become the polar opposite. Does it really make sense that a bunch of guys screaming could really evolve into one guy with an acoustic guitar? I don’t think so. Go read the Mall Emo section for more on the subject.
===The second wave (1994&ndash;2000)===
As Fugazi and the Dischord Records scene became more and more popular in the indie underground of the early 1990s, new bands began to spring up. Combining Fugazi with the ] influences of ] and ], a new genre of emo emerged.


==MTVmo==
Perhaps the key moment was the release of the album '']'' by ] in 1994. Given ]'s then-recent success with ] and ], the label was able to bring much wider attention to the release than the typical indie release, including major advertisements in ]. The heavier label support allowed the band to secure performances on TV shows, including '']''. <!-- THIS IS NOT THE DAILY SHOW. Jon Stewart had his own syndicated late night show in the early 90s. --> As a result, the album received widespread national attention.


If you consider Mall Emo a genre, Sunny Day Real Estate would probably be the equivalent of Rites Of Spring. They’re widely considered the first band to be called Emo. Why? No clue.
As more and more people learned about the band, particularly via the fledgling ], the band was given the tag ''emo''. Even where Fugazi had not been considered emo, the new generation of fans shifted the tag from the earlier hardcore style to this more ] style of emo. It was not uncommon for Sunny Day and its peers to be labeled with the full "emo-core". However, when pressed to explain "emo", many fans split the genre into two brands: the "hardcore emo" practiced in the early days and the newer "indie emo".


The false term had pretty much died until bands like Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, and My Chemical Romance hit the scene. Suddenly, everybody donned tight jeans and started cutting themselves, for no apparent reason, and began listening to what they considered “Emo”, because the bands had written songs that they could apparently relate to. Songs not to get married to, if you will. Thanks to Reggie And The Full Effect for the great title. Now, the term applies to band from At The Drive-In to Coheed & Cambria to Panic At The Disco.
In the years that followed, several major regions of "indie emo" emerged. The most significant appeared in the Midwest in the mid-90s. Many of the bands were influenced by the same sources, but with an even more tempered sound. This brand of emo was often referred to as "Midwestern emo" given the geographic location of the bands, with several of the best-known bands hailing from the areas around ], ], and ]. The initial bands in this category included ] and ]. In ensuing years, bands such as ], ], ], and ] emerged from the same scene and gained national attention.


The burning question is why people call these bands Emo. The obvious reason would probably be because Spin, Alternative Press, and MTV call them Emo. But why do they call them Emo? If you think about it, it doesn’t make much sense. The term has been around since the mid-80’s, and the music-related media didn’t begin using it until around 15 years later, give or take, for music that sounds nothing like the actual genre. So why did they hijack the term? If anyone has any insight on the subject, feel free to share with us.
The area around ] became another major scene for emo. Inspired by Fugazi and Sunny Day Real Estate, former punk rockers ] began stirring in emo influences into their music, eventually releasing the album '']'' in 1996. The album was arguably the first emo record released by a major label, as the band had signed with ] in 1995.


A lot of the time, people ask us why bands like Blood Brothers, Underoath, and Norma Jean aren’t Emo? That’s quite simple: They don’t have the same sound as Emo. They aren’t nearly as hard as modern Emo bands, so how can they be part of the same genre? And never mind the fact that Blood Brothers are Post-Hardcore anyway. But these bands aren’t DIY. As mentioned in the Emo page, a band must be DIY to be part of the Emo genre. If they don’t have that, they aren’t in. It’s odd, but true. Also, Underoath is a Jesus band, anyway. Same with Norma Jean.
Other bands that followed the "indie emo" model included Colorado's ], New York's ] and ], California's ] and ], Baltimore's ], Austin's ], and Boston's ] and ].


Something I hear a lot is that “everyone has their own opinion, and if their opinion is that (Insert Band Here) is Emo, that’s their choice.” Well, yes, it is their right, but that doesn’t make them right, does it? This is not something that’s based on opinions. Emo is a genre of music, and because of this, the band has to be certain things to be part of that genre. This is something that is based on fact. And the fact is, these people are wrong about what they think. If someone thought Iron Maiden was Rap, would you tell them they were wrong? Of course you would, because they aren’t right about what they’re talking about. So why should you let them go on thinking that? Of course not. So you shouldn’t condemn us for telling people that what they think is Emo really isn’t.
Strangely, as "indie emo" became more widespread, a number of acts who otherwise would not have been considered part of the "indie emo" scene began to be referred to as ''emo'' because of their similarity to the sound. The hallmark example was ]'s 1996 album '']'', which, years later, was considered one of the defining "emo" records of the 90s. <ref>Edwards, Gavin. ''RollingStone.com''. December 9, 2004.</ref>


==Different Subgenres==
As the wide range of emo bands began to attract notoriety on a national scale, a number of indie labels attempted to document the scene. Many emo bands of the late 90s signed to indie labels including ], ], and ]. In 1997, California's ] released a compilation titled ''(Don't Forget to) Breathe'', which featured tracks by notable indie emo bands such as The Promise Ring, Christie Front Drive, Mineral, Knapsack, and Arizona's ]. In 1998, ] released the first installment in a series of compilations called ''Emo Diaries'', featuring tracks from Jimmy Eat World, ], and Jejune. In 1999, famed 70s compilation label ] released an emo compilation titled ''Nowcore: The Punk Rock Evolution'', which included tracks by Texas Is the Reason, Mineral, The Promise Ring, Knapsack, ], ], and ], among others.


Screamo is the only subcategory of Emo. It is categorized by much more screaming than the average Emo band (and it shows, if you listen to Rites of Spring and then Orchid), but there really isn't much else that separates an Emo band from a Screamo band. However, Screamo is STILL Emo, and still must follow the rules of Emo. You may have been to Fourfa, and heard terms such as Emocore and Emo Violence. Well, I'm here to tell you that the creator of this site (Fourfa, I mean) simply did not know what he was talking about. There is no Post Emo Indie Rock. Just good ol' Emo. Post-Emo Indie can't be a genre because there is no Post Emo. It's still alive and kicking. Post-Hardcore works because Hardcore as a genre has all but died.
With the late-90s emo scene being more national than regional, major labels began to turn their attention toward signing emo bands with the hopes of capitalizing on the genre's popularity. Many bands resisted the lure, citing their loyalty to the independent mentality of the scene. Several bands cited what they saw as mistreatment of bands such as Jawbox and Jawbreaker while they were signed to majors as a reason to stay away. The conflict felt within many of the courted emo bands resulted in their break-ups, including Texas Is the Reason and Mineral.


By the end of the decade, the word ''emo'' cropped up in mainstream circles. In the summer of 1998, ] magazine ran an article declaring "emo" the newest "hip" style of music, with The Promise Ring a band worth watching. The independent nature of the emo scene recoiled at mainstream attention, and many emo bands shifted their sound in an attempt to isolate themselves from the genre. In the years that followed, Sunny Day Real Estate opted to shift to a more prog-rock direction, Jejune aimed for happy pop-rock, and The Get Up Kids and The Promise Ring released lite-rock albums.


Also, the phrase "Post-Emo" seems to imply that, not only is Emo a dead genre, but it shares a lot of the traits that Emo has. Now, compare a band like, say, A Fine Boat, That Coffin! and, say, Taking Back Sunday. Do they sound anything alike, besides the fact that Taking Back Sunday can be a bit loud at times? Not really. Or, how about Moss Icon and Dashboard Confessional? Do they share any major traits? I'm excluding style and such, I mean lyrics and such. Do they share anything? Not really. So how can Dashboard be Post-Emo Indie, whey aren't Post-anything?
While "indie emo" almost completely ceased to exist by the end of the decade, many bands still subscribe to the Fugazi / Hüsker Dü model, including ], ], and ].


===The third wave (2000&ndash;Present)===
At the end of the 1990s, the underground emo scene had almost entirely disappeared. However, the term ''emo'' was still being bandied about in mainstream media, almost always attached to the few remaining 90s emo acts, including ].


In addition, Emo is a sub-genre. Punk, then hardcore, then Emo. So, then, Post-Emo Indie would be a sub-genre of Emo. So, how can those bands be Post-Emo Indie, when they don't truly share any traits with Punk, Hardcore, or Emo?
However, towards the end of the 1990s, ] had begun to shift in a more mainstream direction. Where Jimmy Eat World had played emocore-style music early in their career, by the time of the release of their 2001 album '']'', the band had almost completely removed its emo influences. As the public had become aware of the word ''emo'' and knew that Jimmy Eat World was associated with it, the band continued to be referred to as an "emo" band. Newer bands that sounded like Jimmy Eat World (and, in some cases, like the more melodic emo bands of the late 90s) were soon included in the genre.


2003 saw the success of ], the former singer of ], and his project ]. Carrabba's music featured lyrics founded in deep diary-like outpourings of emotion. Where earlier emo had featured lyrics of a more dark and painful direction, Carrabba's featured a greater focus on love won and lost and the inability to cope. While certainly emotional, the new "emo" had a far greater appeal amongst adolescents than its earlier incarnations.


I agree that these bands, and the title, have been exploited. But is the best way to cope with that exploitation, to create a new title that exploits not only Emo, but Indie as well?
With Dashboard Confessional and Jimmy Eat World's success, major labels began seeking out similar sounding bands. Just as many bands of the early-to-mid 1990s were unwillingly lumped under the umbrella of "]", some record labels wanted to be able to market a new sound under the word ''emo''.


At the same time, use of the term "emo" expanded beyond the musical genre, which added to the confusion surrounding the term. The word "emo" became associated with open displays of strong emotion. Common fashion styles and attitudes that were becoming idiomatic of fans of similar "emo" bands also began to be referred to as "emo". (For further discussion, see ].) As a result, bands that were loosely associated with "emo" trends or simply demonstrated emotion began to be referred to as ''emo''.


In an even more expanded way than in the 90s, ''emo'' has come to encompass an extremely wide variety of bands, many of whom have very little in common. The term has become so broad that it has become nearly impossible to describe what exactly qualifies as "emo".
==EMO Bands==
1905


A Case Of Grenada
Correctly or not, ''emo'' has often been used to describe such bands as
Amanda Woodward
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Ampere
Angel Hair


Antioch Arrow
PLEASE NOTE: Bands listed here are regularly referred to as "emo" in popular culture, regardless of whether they are actually "emo" bands. The point here isn't to label bands or to "harm" them, it's to accurately reflect modern usage of the term, and, to some degree, the meaningless nature of the term. This paragraph should not be altered with the addition or removal of a band simply because a fan believes a band isn't "emo". All of these bands have at one point or another been referred to by verifiable sources as "emo", even if the usage could be seen as incorrect. This list is also not intended to be complete. Please discuss any changes to the list on the Talk page first to see if there is a general consensus amongst editors about your change.
Arse Moreira
=================DO NOT CHANGE THIS LIST WITHOUT DISCUSSING ON THE TALK PAGE FIRST================
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], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref>Community site last.fm tags all bands listed as emo or screamo .
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=================DO NOT CHANGE THIS LIST WITHOUT DISCUSSING ON THE TALK PAGE FIRST================
PLEASE NOTE: Bands listed here are regularly referred to as "emo" in popular culture, regardless of whether they are actually "emo" bands. The point here isn't to label bands or to "harm" them, it's to accurately reflect modern usage of the term, and, to some degree, the meaningless nature of the term. This paragraph should not be altered with the addition or removal of a band simply because a fan believes a band isn't "emo". All of these bands have at one point or another been referred to by verifiable sources as "emo", even if the usage could be seen as incorrect. This list is also not intended to be complete. Please discuss any changes to the list on the Talk page first to see if there is a general consensus amongst editors about your change.


Assfactor 4
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Aussitôt Mort
Balaclava
Baron Noir


Blacken the Skies
Silverstein categorizes themselves as emo on their MySpace page. Many of the other bands listed such as Taking Back Sunday and My Chemical Romance reject the emo label.</ref> The classification of bands as "emo" is often controversial. Fans of several of the listed bands have recoiled at the use of the "emo" tag, and have gone to great lengths to explain why they don't qualify as "emo". In many cases, the term has simply been attached to them because of musical similarites, a common fashion sense, or because of the band's popularity within the ], not because the band adheres to emo as a music genre. (The revulsion of some bands from the term ''emo'' is not unlike the retreat from the genre by the bands in the indie emo scene near the end of the 90s.)
Boa Narrow


Born Dead Icons
As a result of the continuing shift of "emo" over the years, a serious schism has emerged between those who relate to particular eras of "emo". Those who were closely attached to the hardcore origins recoil when another type of music is called "emo". Many involved in the independent nature of both 80s and 90s emo are upset at the perceived hijacking of the word ''emo'' to sell a new generation of major label music. Regardless, popular culture appears to have embraced the terms of "emo" far beyond its original intentions.
Breather Resist
Bucket Full of Teeth
Burnman
Calvary
Circle Takes the Square
City of Caterpillar
Clikatat Ikatowi


Cobra Kai
In a strange twist, screamo, a sub-genre of the new emo, has found greater popularity in recent years through bands such as ] and ]. <ref>, by ], ], November 2002</ref> The term '']'', however, was used to describe an entirely different genre in the early 1990s, and the new screamo bands more resemble the emo of the early 1990s. Complicating matters further is that several small scenes devoted to original screamo still exist in the underground. However, the new use of "screamo" demonstrates how the shift in terms connected to "emo" has made the varying genres difficult to categorize.
Conation
Corn On Macabre
Cost of An Arm
Cowboys Became Folk Heroes
Creation is Crucifixion
Crestfallen
Current
Daitro
Danse Macabre
Dear Diary I Seem To Be Dead
Die, Emperor Die!
Dispensing Of False Halos
Efra
Embrace
Emo Summer
Enoch Ardon
Envy
Evergreen
Flashbulb Memory
Former Members of Alfonsin
Funeral Diner
Get Fucked
Gospel
Harriet the Spy
Heroin


Hot Cross
Even still, the difficulty in defining "emo" as a genre may have started at the very beginning. In a 2003 interview by ],<ref> by ], MarkPrindle.com, 2003.</ref> ] of ] and ] was asked how he felt about "being the creator of the emo genre". He responded: "I don't recognize that attribution. I've never recognized 'emo' as a genre of music. I always thought it was the most retarded term ever. I know there is this generic commonplace that every band that gets labeled with that term hates it. They feel scandalized by it. But honestly, I just thought that all the bands I played in were punk rock bands. The reason I think it's so stupid is that - what, like the ] weren't emotional? What - they were robots or something? It just doesn't make any sense to me.".
Hugs
I Hate Myself
Indian Summer


I Wrote Haikus About Cannibalism In Your Yearbook
==Backlash==
I Would Set Myself on Fire for You
{{main|Emo (slang)}}
I, Robot
As the music increased in popularity, emo became more and more a target of derision. As certain fashion trends and attitudes began to be associated with "emo", stereotypes emerged that created a specific target for criticism.
Index for Potential Suicide
Joan Of Arc


Joshua Fit for Battle
In the early years of the "third wave", the criticism was relatively light-hearted and self-effacing. In September of 2002, web developer ] put forth ]. The game poked fun at numerous emo stereotypes and musicians, but in a manner that could be appreciated by fans and detractors alike.
Kakistocracy
The Khayembii Communique
Kobayashi
The Kodan Armada
La Quiete
Lee Marvin Computer Arm
Life at These Speeds
Light the Fuse and Run
Louise Cyphre
Love Like... Electrocution
Love Lost But Not Forgotten
Make Me
Malady
Mannequin
Mary Reilly
Mass Movement of the Moth
Mayans
Maxamillian Colby
Memento Mori
Moss Icon
Neil Perry
Off Minor
Orchid
Palatka
Pg.99
Phoenix Bodies
Please Inform the Captain This is a Hijack
Plunger
Policy of Three
Portrait


Portraits of Past
In ensuing years, the derision increased dramatically. Male fans of emo found themselves hit with homosexual slurs, largely a reflection of the style of dress popular within the "emo scene" and the displays of emotion common in the scene. Complaints pointed to the histrionic manner in which the emotions were often expressed, not necessarily to the emotions themselves.
Pretty Faces
Raein


Rites of Spring
In October of 2003, '']'' contributor ] levelled the charge that the "third wave" era of emo was sexist. Hopper argued that where bands such as Jawbox, Jawbreaker and Sunny Day Real Estate had characterised women in such a way that they were not "exclusively defined by their absence or lensed through romantic-spectre"<ref>Hopper, Jessica (2003), "Emo: Where The Girls Aren't", ], Issue 56.</ref>, contemporary bands approached relationship issues by "damning the girl on the other side ... its woman-induced misery has gone from being descriptive to being prescriptive". Regarding the position of women listening to emo, Hopper went on to note that the music had become "just another forum where women were locked in a stasis of outside observation, observing ourselves through the eyes of others".
Ruhaeda
Saetia
Sakita Sarra
Shikari
Shotmaker
Sinkthefucker
Sl's3
Sophora
Stop It!
Suis la Lune
Systral
Tafkata
Takaru
Ten Grand/The Vidablue
The Apoplexy Twist Orchestra
The Avenging Disco Godfathers of Soul
The Disease
The Holy Shroud
The Infarto, Scheisse!
The Spirit Of Versailles
The State Secedes
To Dreamo of Autumn
Towers
Transistor Transistor
Turn Around Norman
Twelve Hour Turn
Uranus
Usurp Synapse
We Fly Our Kites at Night
Whenallelsefails
Wolves
Wow, Owls!
Yage
Yaphet Kotto
You and I
Zegota


==Mall Emo Bands==
Collective reaction to Hopper's article was mixed, and many dismissed the charge outright, noting that ] as a genre had a long history of issues with sexism; the problem wasn't unique to emo music or directly related. By comparison to a genre like 1980s ], in which popular songs (such as ]'s "Cherry Pie") often objectified women, the perceived sexism in emo was more of an intellectual argument than something that could be specifically cited in the music.


AFI
Critics of modern emo also point to the increasingly generic nature of the music. As popular bands have attempted to flee the "emo" tag (some have adopted the "post-hardcore" tag), the remaining bands appear to fit the genre solely because of their similarity to other so-called "emo" bands. Critics note a slow homogenization of the genre, with newer bands adhering to a stereotypical style rather than redefining it, not unlike the waning years of ] in the 1990s.
...And you Will Know us by the Trail of the Dead
Alexisonfire
Alkaline Trio
As I Lay Dying (I like The Sound and the Fury better)
At the Drive-In (How in fuck's name can they be considered Emo?!)
Atreyu
Bleed the Dream
Blink 182
Blood Brothers
Brand New
Bright Eyes
Coheed & Cambria (believe it or not!)

Cursive
Dashboard Confessional
Death Cab for Cutie
Emery
Fall Out Boy
Finch
From Autumn to Ashes
From First to Last
Funeral for a Friend (I prefer Candle in the Wind)
Good Charlotte
Green Day
Hawthorne Heights
Hellogoodbye
Jimmy Eat World
Juliana Theory
Kill Hannah
Linkin Park
Mae
Matchbook Romance
mewithoutyou
My Chemical Romance
New Found Glory
Norma Jean
Panic! At The Disco (The supreme evil)

Promise Ring
Reliant K

Saves the Day
Senses Fail
Silverstein
Simple Plan
Something Corporate
Sparta

Spitafield
Straylight Run
Story of the Year
Sunny Day Real Estate (they're the Mall Emo equivalent of Rites of Spring)
Taking Back Sunday
The Cure
The Format
The Get-Up Kids
The Mars Volta (Same with them!)
The Postal Service
The Starting Line
The Used
Thrice
Thursday
Weezer (AND THEM!)
Yellowcard
Almost ANY band who has ever been on any Warped Tour


At the same time, the persistent criticism and negative stereotypes have led to an increasing perception of modern emo as the new "guilty pleasure". Despite the criticism, the modern version of emo has maintained mainstream popularity. However, given the disfavor of the term "emo", the question of whether new bands will openly associate with "emo" leaves the future unclear.


==References==
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==Bibliography== ==Bibliography==
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==External links== ==External links==
* &ndash; a site about (mostly older) diy/underground emo.
* page on LyricWiki.


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{{Punk}} {{Punk}}
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Revision as of 04:56, 29 November 2006

Emo
Subgenres
BacklashEmo killings in Iraq
Other topics
Regional scenes
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This article is about the genre of music. For Emo, see Emo (disambiguation).

Emo is a subgenre of hardcore punk music. Since its inception, emo has come to describe several independent variations, linked loosely but with common ancestry. As such, use of the term has been the subject of much debate.

In its original incarnation, the term emo was used to describe the music of the mid-1980s Washington, DC scene and its associated bands. In later years, the term emocore, short for "emotional hardcore", was also used to describe the DC scene and some of the regional scenes that spawned from it. The term emo was derived from the fact that, on occasion, members of a band would become spontaneously and strongly emotional during performances. The most recognizable names of the period included Rites of Spring, Embrace, One Last Wish, Beefeater, Gray Matter, Fire Party, and, slightly later, Moss Icon. The first wave of emo began to fade after the breakups of most of the involved bands in the early 1990s.

Starting in the mid-1990s, the term emo began to reflect the indie scene that followed the influences of Fugazi, which itself was an offshoot of the first wave of emo. Bands including Sunny Day Real Estate and Texas Is the Reason put forth a more indie rock style of emo, more melodic and less chaotic in nature than its predecessor. The so-called "indie emo" scene survived until the late 1990s, as many of the bands either disbanded or shifted to mainstream styles.

As the remaining indie emo bands entered the mainstream, newer bands began to emulate the more mainstream style, creating a style of music that has now earned the moniker emo within popular culture. Whereas, even in the past, the term emo was used to identify a wide variety of bands, the breadth of bands listed under today's emo is even more vast, leaving the term "emo" as more of a loose identifier than as a specific genre of music.

Emotional What?

Contrary to popular belief, Emo is not short for Emotional, at least not really. It is not a style, either. It has nothing to do with cutting yourself, or boys with swooping haircuts taking pictures of themselves. Emo is not about whining about your problems. It’s got nothing to do with your girlfriend breaking up with you. If you believe that, you’re exercising your right to do so. This does not, however, make you correct.

Emo is short for Emotional, sort of. It’s short for Emotional Hardcore. Say it with me, folks. And repeat it several times to yourself. The thing I’ve never gotten is how people can even begin to believe that it’s short for ‘Emotional’, because, well, the theme song for Fraggle Rock is emotional, for christ’s sakes.

One response I usually get, when I say that it’s short for Emotional Hardcore, is "Well, if all music is emotional, wouldn’t it just be Hardcore?" I respond with telling them what the word ‘Emotional’ means, when talking about Emo. The emotional aspect of Emo comes from the lyrics. They are, of course, emotionally driven, but usually actually about one emotion or another. It’s usually about anger towards something, or whatever you want. Its instrumentals are brutal and loud, and seemingly random. They are the instrumental equivalent of screaming your lungs out.

Another question I get a lot is, “What if an Emo band got popular? Would it stop being Emo?” The answer is: No, it wouldn’t. In the recent months, Circle Takes The Square has gotten somewhat popular, thank god.

However, people need to understand that Emo is essentially DIY punk. It cannot be mainstream. It can be as popular as it can possibly get. But it’s still not mainstream. When we say DIY, we mean it gets where it gets without corporate promotion, and it’s produced independently. What happens if you happen to see a Circle Takes The Square album at Wal-Mart? You stop taking drugs. This wouldn’t happen. You’re probably only going to find their album at, say, an independent record store. Even those don’t always carry what you want. It’s usually best to go with a distribution (or ‘distro’) website. You’ll notice that those sites rarely charge very much for music, and they usually carry vinyl as well. They’re always worth a look, and I have yet to find a distro that I wouldn’t use again.

When I think about the songs I’ve heard, only one song comes to mind that’s Emo and about a break-up: Venus & Bacchus by Saetia. But, take note: It isn’t a “boo hoo, my girlfriend broke up with me, I’m gonna whine about it” song. It’s about how much the guy hates what the girl did.

Emo started in the 80’s, with a little band by the name of Rites Of Spring. While this is arguable, as the Husker Du album Zen Arcade, which is said to have started the style, came out before Rites Of Spring’s End On End album. But I digress. Rites Of Spring were only together from the spring of 1984 through the winter of 1986, but in that span of time, they set the stage for the shape of punk to come. The term Emo started when people at Rites Of Spring concerts started yelling “You’re emo!” at them. This is part of why people say Rites Of Spring started Emo. I tend to go with this, partially because I don’t like the thought that an album started the genre. It makes more sense that the band themselves did.

Emo sparked and faded a bit, until the legendary band Moss Icon came along. In my personal opinion, while Rites Of Spring started the genre, Moss Icon perfected it. Their album Lyburnum is widely considered one of the best Emo albums around, as it’s the ideal album. In my experience, the music on the album is perfect for beginners, as it’s not too loud, but it’s not quiet, either.

Other bands like Embrace (the US version), Faith, Void, and so on ruled the scene, blazing the trail for the new subgenre of hardcore.

After awhile, the sub-movement of Screamo began. Bands like Palatka and Swing Kids were the new norm. It was loud, fast, and it could easily kill you, if you weren’t careful. This kind of music has become the new norm for Emo bands, but the unfortunate thing is that, nine times our of ten, it sounds like random syllables being screamed.

One thing that I don’t like is that people talk about “the waves of emo”. This doesn’t work, because it usually includes what’s considered Emo today. Yes, genres do change as the years go by. Rock has stopped being about sex and drugs, and started being more about that and more about relationships. Rockers have started talking about “making love”. But genres do not become the polar opposite. Does it really make sense that a bunch of guys screaming could really evolve into one guy with an acoustic guitar? I don’t think so. Go read the Mall Emo section for more on the subject.

MTVmo

If you consider Mall Emo a genre, Sunny Day Real Estate would probably be the equivalent of Rites Of Spring. They’re widely considered the first band to be called Emo. Why? No clue.

The false term had pretty much died until bands like Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, and My Chemical Romance hit the scene. Suddenly, everybody donned tight jeans and started cutting themselves, for no apparent reason, and began listening to what they considered “Emo”, because the bands had written songs that they could apparently relate to. Songs not to get married to, if you will. Thanks to Reggie And The Full Effect for the great title. Now, the term applies to band from At The Drive-In to Coheed & Cambria to Panic At The Disco.

The burning question is why people call these bands Emo. The obvious reason would probably be because Spin, Alternative Press, and MTV call them Emo. But why do they call them Emo? If you think about it, it doesn’t make much sense. The term has been around since the mid-80’s, and the music-related media didn’t begin using it until around 15 years later, give or take, for music that sounds nothing like the actual genre. So why did they hijack the term? If anyone has any insight on the subject, feel free to share with us.

A lot of the time, people ask us why bands like Blood Brothers, Underoath, and Norma Jean aren’t Emo? That’s quite simple: They don’t have the same sound as Emo. They aren’t nearly as hard as modern Emo bands, so how can they be part of the same genre? And never mind the fact that Blood Brothers are Post-Hardcore anyway. But these bands aren’t DIY. As mentioned in the Emo page, a band must be DIY to be part of the Emo genre. If they don’t have that, they aren’t in. It’s odd, but true. Also, Underoath is a Jesus band, anyway. Same with Norma Jean.

Something I hear a lot is that “everyone has their own opinion, and if their opinion is that (Insert Band Here) is Emo, that’s their choice.” Well, yes, it is their right, but that doesn’t make them right, does it? This is not something that’s based on opinions. Emo is a genre of music, and because of this, the band has to be certain things to be part of that genre. This is something that is based on fact. And the fact is, these people are wrong about what they think. If someone thought Iron Maiden was Rap, would you tell them they were wrong? Of course you would, because they aren’t right about what they’re talking about. So why should you let them go on thinking that? Of course not. So you shouldn’t condemn us for telling people that what they think is Emo really isn’t.

Different Subgenres

Screamo is the only subcategory of Emo. It is categorized by much more screaming than the average Emo band (and it shows, if you listen to Rites of Spring and then Orchid), but there really isn't much else that separates an Emo band from a Screamo band. However, Screamo is STILL Emo, and still must follow the rules of Emo. You may have been to Fourfa, and heard terms such as Emocore and Emo Violence. Well, I'm here to tell you that the creator of this site (Fourfa, I mean) simply did not know what he was talking about. There is no Post Emo Indie Rock. Just good ol' Emo. Post-Emo Indie can't be a genre because there is no Post Emo. It's still alive and kicking. Post-Hardcore works because Hardcore as a genre has all but died.


Also, the phrase "Post-Emo" seems to imply that, not only is Emo a dead genre, but it shares a lot of the traits that Emo has. Now, compare a band like, say, A Fine Boat, That Coffin! and, say, Taking Back Sunday. Do they sound anything alike, besides the fact that Taking Back Sunday can be a bit loud at times? Not really. Or, how about Moss Icon and Dashboard Confessional? Do they share any major traits? I'm excluding style and such, I mean lyrics and such. Do they share anything? Not really. So how can Dashboard be Post-Emo Indie, whey aren't Post-anything?


In addition, Emo is a sub-genre. Punk, then hardcore, then Emo. So, then, Post-Emo Indie would be a sub-genre of Emo. So, how can those bands be Post-Emo Indie, when they don't truly share any traits with Punk, Hardcore, or Emo?


I agree that these bands, and the title, have been exploited. But is the best way to cope with that exploitation, to create a new title that exploits not only Emo, but Indie as well?


EMO Bands

1905

A Case Of Grenada Amanda Woodward Ampere Angel Hair

Antioch Arrow Arse Moreira

Assfactor 4 Aussitôt Mort Balaclava Baron Noir

Blacken the Skies Boa Narrow

Born Dead Icons Breather Resist Bucket Full of Teeth Burnman Calvary Circle Takes the Square City of Caterpillar Clikatat Ikatowi

Cobra Kai Conation Corn On Macabre Cost of An Arm Cowboys Became Folk Heroes Creation is Crucifixion Crestfallen Current Daitro Danse Macabre Dear Diary I Seem To Be Dead Die, Emperor Die! Dispensing Of False Halos Efra Embrace Emo Summer Enoch Ardon Envy Evergreen Flashbulb Memory Former Members of Alfonsin Funeral Diner Get Fucked Gospel Harriet the Spy Heroin

Hot Cross Hugs I Hate Myself Indian Summer

I Wrote Haikus About Cannibalism In Your Yearbook I Would Set Myself on Fire for You I, Robot Index for Potential Suicide Joan Of Arc

Joshua Fit for Battle Kakistocracy The Khayembii Communique Kobayashi The Kodan Armada La Quiete Lee Marvin Computer Arm Life at These Speeds Light the Fuse and Run Louise Cyphre Love Like... Electrocution Love Lost But Not Forgotten Make Me Malady Mannequin Mary Reilly Mass Movement of the Moth Mayans Maxamillian Colby Memento Mori Moss Icon Neil Perry Off Minor Orchid Palatka Pg.99 Phoenix Bodies Please Inform the Captain This is a Hijack Plunger Policy of Three Portrait

Portraits of Past Pretty Faces Raein

Rites of Spring Ruhaeda Saetia Sakita Sarra Shikari Shotmaker Sinkthefucker Sl's3 Sophora Stop It! Suis la Lune Systral Tafkata Takaru Ten Grand/The Vidablue The Apoplexy Twist Orchestra The Avenging Disco Godfathers of Soul The Disease The Holy Shroud The Infarto, Scheisse! The Spirit Of Versailles The State Secedes To Dreamo of Autumn Towers Transistor Transistor Turn Around Norman Twelve Hour Turn Uranus Usurp Synapse We Fly Our Kites at Night Whenallelsefails Wolves Wow, Owls! Yage Yaphet Kotto You and I Zegota

Mall Emo Bands

AFI ...And you Will Know us by the Trail of the Dead Alexisonfire Alkaline Trio As I Lay Dying (I like The Sound and the Fury better) At the Drive-In (How in fuck's name can they be considered Emo?!) Atreyu Bleed the Dream Blink 182 Blood Brothers Brand New Bright Eyes Coheed & Cambria (believe it or not!)

Cursive Dashboard Confessional Death Cab for Cutie Emery Fall Out Boy Finch From Autumn to Ashes From First to Last Funeral for a Friend (I prefer Candle in the Wind) Good Charlotte Green Day Hawthorne Heights Hellogoodbye Jimmy Eat World Juliana Theory Kill Hannah Linkin Park Mae Matchbook Romance mewithoutyou My Chemical Romance New Found Glory Norma Jean Panic! At The Disco (The supreme evil)

Promise Ring Reliant K

Saves the Day Senses Fail Silverstein Simple Plan Something Corporate Sparta

Spitafield Straylight Run Story of the Year Sunny Day Real Estate (they're the Mall Emo equivalent of Rites of Spring) Taking Back Sunday The Cure The Format The Get-Up Kids The Mars Volta (Same with them!) The Postal Service The Starting Line The Used Thrice Thursday Weezer (AND THEM!) Yellowcard Almost ANY band who has ever been on any Warped Tour


Bibliography

  • Radin, Andy. "What the heck *is* emo, anyway?". Retrieved July 17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • Andersen, Mark (2001). Dance Of Days, Two Decades of Punk In The Nations Capitol. Soft Skull Press. ISBN 1-887128-49-2.
  • Greenwald, Andy (2003). Nothing Feels Good. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0-312-30863-9.

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