Emo is a genre of music which has been around since the 1980s or so and started with Emotive Hardcore or something.
Apart from a) in relevance to fans from that time period, or b) the musical history perhaps found in Kerrang! magazine or Wikipedia, the term "emo" is no longer widely used to describe this.
In definition the word "emo" is mostly heard on the streets, especially in "Great" Britain to define:
a) a style of music involving Dashboard Confessional or My Chemical Romance
-- and sometimes used prejudicedly by others who term anything containing a guitar and singing together as "emo" music (despite that what music is "emo" or not has become yet more blurred with the introduction of High School Musical which is supposed to be some mainstream form of pop or hiphop music but has been latched onto by "emos" as has it by "chavs")
b) a style of fashion which can include black or neon coloured skinny jeans, Vans or Converse trainers, black eyeliner and sometimes lipstick, black dyed hair, and fitted band-logo t-shirts/cardigans etc/band-logo hoodies, or any combination of these
c) a term used cheerfully by people who are involved with one or both of the above, to describe themselves, others and it
d) a derogatory term used disapprovingly by people who do not consider themselves or their style of music/dress "emo", perhaps because they are disgusted that others categorize things they like as "emo" and they personally do not know enough about the definition of "emo" to realise that this could be wholly or partly true, so they acquire a prejudice
In truth, people should stop being so offended about the use of the term "emo" because at the end of the day it's like when black people used to be referred to as "nigger" and besides that they still find this offensive but many happily refer to themselves as "nigger".
On that basis, it should be understood that if somebody does NOT refer to themselves, their style of dress, or their band or bands they like, as "emo", they will not appreciate somebody calling them as such - as also stood in the 1990s with "grunge" and has done with "goth" and "punk".
If somebody DOES refer to themselves as "emo", they are emo and proud because they say so. It is not something like sexuality that people generally hide from; usually teenagers are happy to express what they like.
BASICALLY SOMEBODY IS NOT ACTUALLY EMO UNLESS THEY SAY SO, WHATEVER EVIDENCE OTHERS MIGHT PROVIDE THAT THEY FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY.
So note to people who have found the other above definitions of "emo" offensive - just quit worrying about it because people ARE going to call you "emo" for those above reasons, and if you call yourself "emo" then you have to prepare for people to carry on like that. It means they are small-minded and don't know what it connotates to.
I know that sucks, but it's the sad truth. The gift of free speech in places such as Urban Dictionary is a brilliant thing; the fact that people use the anonymy of the internet to say abusive things from a safe distance holed up in their boring homes, when it proves they have nothing to do, is an unhappy truth in itself, but being offended by any of that just means that they have got what they hoped for - and proves their point about emo stereotypes.
If someone bullies "emos" about being "emo" then that shows what an idiot the person is. If the "emo" cries about it and gets all messed-up then the bully wins.
Hope that helps a lil. :)
Apart from a) in relevance to fans from that time period, or b) the musical history perhaps found in Kerrang! magazine or Wikipedia, the term "emo" is no longer widely used to describe this.
In definition the word "emo" is mostly heard on the streets, especially in "Great" Britain to define:
a) a style of music involving Dashboard Confessional or My Chemical Romance
-- and sometimes used prejudicedly by others who term anything containing a guitar and singing together as "emo" music (despite that what music is "emo" or not has become yet more blurred with the introduction of High School Musical which is supposed to be some mainstream form of pop or hiphop music but has been latched onto by "emos" as has it by "chavs")
b) a style of fashion which can include black or neon coloured skinny jeans, Vans or Converse trainers, black eyeliner and sometimes lipstick, black dyed hair, and fitted band-logo t-shirts/cardigans etc/band-logo hoodies, or any combination of these
c) a term used cheerfully by people who are involved with one or both of the above, to describe themselves, others and it
d) a derogatory term used disapprovingly by people who do not consider themselves or their style of music/dress "emo", perhaps because they are disgusted that others categorize things they like as "emo" and they personally do not know enough about the definition of "emo" to realise that this could be wholly or partly true, so they acquire a prejudice
In truth, people should stop being so offended about the use of the term "emo" because at the end of the day it's like when black people used to be referred to as "nigger" and besides that they still find this offensive but many happily refer to themselves as "nigger".
On that basis, it should be understood that if somebody does NOT refer to themselves, their style of dress, or their band or bands they like, as "emo", they will not appreciate somebody calling them as such - as also stood in the 1990s with "grunge" and has done with "goth" and "punk".
If somebody DOES refer to themselves as "emo", they are emo and proud because they say so. It is not something like sexuality that people generally hide from; usually teenagers are happy to express what they like.
BASICALLY SOMEBODY IS NOT ACTUALLY EMO UNLESS THEY SAY SO, WHATEVER EVIDENCE OTHERS MIGHT PROVIDE THAT THEY FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY.
So note to people who have found the other above definitions of "emo" offensive - just quit worrying about it because people ARE going to call you "emo" for those above reasons, and if you call yourself "emo" then you have to prepare for people to carry on like that. It means they are small-minded and don't know what it connotates to.
I know that sucks, but it's the sad truth. The gift of free speech in places such as Urban Dictionary is a brilliant thing; the fact that people use the anonymy of the internet to say abusive things from a safe distance holed up in their boring homes, when it proves they have nothing to do, is an unhappy truth in itself, but being offended by any of that just means that they have got what they hoped for - and proves their point about emo stereotypes.
If someone bullies "emos" about being "emo" then that shows what an idiot the person is. If the "emo" cries about it and gets all messed-up then the bully wins.
Hope that helps a lil. :)
"My Chemical Romance is an emo band"
(example of opinion)
"Kerrang! magazine is only read by emos"
(example of small-mindedness)
"That kid is an emo"
(example of stereotype)
"That kid SAYS he is an emo"
(example of justification, which is needed before somebody makes a comment like "That kid is an emo")
(example of opinion)
"Kerrang! magazine is only read by emos"
(example of small-mindedness)
"That kid is an emo"
(example of stereotype)
"That kid SAYS he is an emo"
(example of justification, which is needed before somebody makes a comment like "That kid is an emo")
by XxPureMourningxX March 6, 2009
Get the Emomug. All emos are fake, even those that claim to be a true emo, i highly doubt you were born that way. I bet one day you showed up dressed like an emo, or if not all at once, it happned, the point is, there was a time you didnt dress like that or assosciate with that, therefore, all emos are fake,everyone that decided to go emo after you is a poser in your mind.
(some kid) I really need to fit into something, hm, emo, i can do that, im not bi-polar but that dosent really matter, also, everyone that becomes emo after me is a poser.
by 9997 October 1, 2008
Get the Emomug. by PaintedButterfly July 24, 2008
Get the Emomug. the emo kid that sits in the back of the room and constantly complains how sad or depressed they are
by lolleon February 27, 2009
Get the emomug. a term to describe weird kids who are more normal than they think but want to pretend they are different from the norm.
however, the display of being emo is very pop culture in dress and music and goes against what most emo's think.
They think they are EMOtionally disturbed!
however, the display of being emo is very pop culture in dress and music and goes against what most emo's think.
They think they are EMOtionally disturbed!
i want to be an emo to seperate myself from others (but do not realize it is a trend)
to be grunge when grunge was cool,
to be grunge when grunge was cool,
by notemo111 December 16, 2008
Get the emomug. Middle-class to rich white people, between the ages of 14 to 27 who listen to gay bands such as taking back sunday ans bullet for my valentine,in an attempt to express their individualism with something that everyone else does, who think that the whole worlds against them, even though nothing in their life justifies their emo-ness.
"The world hates me because I'm Emo!"
"Friends are only people who have not stabbed you in the back yet.Other Emo's understand."
"Friends are only people who have not stabbed you in the back yet.Other Emo's understand."
by Habibaliscious April 17, 2009
Get the Emomug. a depressing poet philosopher and song writer, this group of often teenage people, sit round in circles and get drunk. when bored at home, we get depressed, and come up with grudges against people, but rather than hurting that person we hurt ourselves. we even have our own style of music, witch is always emotional and some say (me) origionates from the 80's style music.
the brief definition is emotional punk rocker.
the brief definition is emotional punk rocker.
emo poet and philosopher at work <<3and when we leave u high and dry, we are the one with sorrow!>></3
by grant- the protecter of the poet November 6, 2008
Get the emomug.