Emo is a term that is short for emotive hardcore. Most people these days think that emo is strictly short for emotional, but this is false. If emo just meant emotional, wouldn’t it encompass all musical genres, because all music has emotion in it? If you only pick one thing out of this article, be it that emo stands for emotive hardcore, not just emotional.
Many kids have the complete wrong sense of what emo is. Many earlier emo bands only released their songs on vinyl, and they were distributed minimally, so the origin of emo is lost among most people. This is my attempt at tracing it back to the start, in hopes to educate you. I’m sure there is going to be a lot of important bands and years missing, but hopefully it will give you a vague idea of how it all started out.
With that said, let’s move onto the history of emotive hardcore. Heres where the term emo came from: When Minor Threat broke up in 1983, the hardcore punk scene was getting pretty stale. In 1984, Husker Du released “Zen Arcade,” which somewhat set the blueprint for emo bands to follow. This album had the rough vocals, but it had more melody, and was a bit slower than their previous works. Many people give credit to this as the first emo album.
In the spring of 1984, a band called Rites of Spring was formed, containing members of previous hardcore bands The Untouchables/Faith and Deadline. This band kept the speed and stylings of hardcore punk rock, but the vocals were a lot more emotional, and at times even broke into a throaty moan. The lyrics also strayed from politics, and took a more emotional/profound look at life. Rites of Spring gets a lot of credit for being the first emotive hardcore band. Ian Mckaye, formerly of Minor Threat, got into a band called Embrace. Definitely different than Minor Threat, Embrace took a more emotional side to the lyrics as well, and were a lot more melodic. These bands, and much of the other bands on Dischord Records are now labeled as “The Classic DC Sound.” This was the first wave of emo bands.These bands focused more on emotion, than punk rock energy. Legend has it that while Rites of Spring, or Embrace, or Moss Icon were playing a show, someone from the crowd shouted “You’re emo!” and that’s how the term got started. The show where it happened, and which bands were playing always differ with whoever you talk to, so I have no idea how true it is. Don’t take my word on it.
From there, more and more emo bands started forming around North America. Moss Icon, which formed in 1986, started the loud/soft alternating twinkly guitar parts, and crashing distortion side of emo. Indian Summer and Native Nod, who were around 1995-96 are good examples of this, and focused more on the emotional part of the music, rather than the hardcore part, but were still hardcore. Emo was now a bit broader.
Bands like Heroin(1992), Angel Hair(1997?), and Antioch Arrow(1995?) on Gravity Records focused more on the hardcore part of the genre, but were still very emo. The music is pretty chaotic, with just enough melody to pullthings through, and the vocals are usually hoarsely screamed.
1997 marks the release of Saetias fist 7” record, and the debut of level-plane records. I highly recommend that you pink Saetias “A retrospective” cd. At any rate, Level-plane records is probably the most famous emo label out there, and is still going strong today. It has released many important and influential albums, and is a huge part of todays emo scene.
A lot of bands are getting called emo by the mainstream, when in fact they are not. The term emo has leaked into the mainstream, and a lot of emo kids see this as the end of the emo scene, somewhat like what happened with punk rock, and bands like simple plan. I used that example because mainstream bands i.e. Simple Plan get called punk, when really, they’re not punk at all.
Emo is completely distorted from it’s original meaning, and the media is calling many bands that have no relevance to emo whatsoever, emo. Take Dashboard Confessional for example. Chris Carraba just plays acoustic ballads. There is nothing hardcore about it. The music may be very “emotional” and heartfelt, but even so, it is not emo. The same goes for indie bands like Death Cab For Cutie, and Bright Eyes. Conor Oberst is a brilliant songwriter, and I love his work, but again, there is nothing hardcore about his music. Another common misconception about emo, is that bands like Taking Back Sunday, and My Chemical Romance are emo. To me, these bands are strictly pop punk, although their lyrics may seem very emotional at times, but emo doesn’t stand for emotional, now does it?
Another false interpretation of emo is the term “screamo.” I’m sure you’ve all heard this rant before, but I figured that I’d include it anyways. The media has used the term for bands like Thursday, and The Used. Because people call Dashboard Confessional emo, they interpret emo as “whiny watered down music for depressed kids who cut themselves.” With that as their idea of emo, it’s no wonder that people call The Used, or any other “whiny emotional band” that screams here and there “screamo.”
With emo standing for emotive hardcore, the way I see it, screamo would stand for:Emotive hardcore + screaming, right? Wrong. Emotive hardcore contains screamed and/or whispered vocals in it already. Screamo = Emo. Just leave it at that. Even so, bands like The Used that are being labeled as “screamo” by the media aren’t emotive hardcore, so the term “screamo” is completely misused. The term “screamo” can be used for a band like orchid, although emo works just as well, but not for something like The Used.
Screamo is made up by the media to sell bands like The Used, Poison The Well, and such, to people who don’t know any better. As I said before, with people calling Dashboard Confessional emo, it’s no wonder that they call any band that screams “screamo.” Alas, this is false.
In summary, Emo stands for emotive hardcore, not emotional. Emotional lyrics do not make a band emo. Dashboard confessional, Bright Eyes, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, From Autumn To Ashes, and Atreyu are NOT emo. Screamo does not exist.
Many kids have the complete wrong sense of what emo is. Many earlier emo bands only released their songs on vinyl, and they were distributed minimally, so the origin of emo is lost among most people. This is my attempt at tracing it back to the start, in hopes to educate you. I’m sure there is going to be a lot of important bands and years missing, but hopefully it will give you a vague idea of how it all started out.
With that said, let’s move onto the history of emotive hardcore. Heres where the term emo came from: When Minor Threat broke up in 1983, the hardcore punk scene was getting pretty stale. In 1984, Husker Du released “Zen Arcade,” which somewhat set the blueprint for emo bands to follow. This album had the rough vocals, but it had more melody, and was a bit slower than their previous works. Many people give credit to this as the first emo album.
In the spring of 1984, a band called Rites of Spring was formed, containing members of previous hardcore bands The Untouchables/Faith and Deadline. This band kept the speed and stylings of hardcore punk rock, but the vocals were a lot more emotional, and at times even broke into a throaty moan. The lyrics also strayed from politics, and took a more emotional/profound look at life. Rites of Spring gets a lot of credit for being the first emotive hardcore band. Ian Mckaye, formerly of Minor Threat, got into a band called Embrace. Definitely different than Minor Threat, Embrace took a more emotional side to the lyrics as well, and were a lot more melodic. These bands, and much of the other bands on Dischord Records are now labeled as “The Classic DC Sound.” This was the first wave of emo bands.These bands focused more on emotion, than punk rock energy. Legend has it that while Rites of Spring, or Embrace, or Moss Icon were playing a show, someone from the crowd shouted “You’re emo!” and that’s how the term got started. The show where it happened, and which bands were playing always differ with whoever you talk to, so I have no idea how true it is. Don’t take my word on it.
From there, more and more emo bands started forming around North America. Moss Icon, which formed in 1986, started the loud/soft alternating twinkly guitar parts, and crashing distortion side of emo. Indian Summer and Native Nod, who were around 1995-96 are good examples of this, and focused more on the emotional part of the music, rather than the hardcore part, but were still hardcore. Emo was now a bit broader.
Bands like Heroin(1992), Angel Hair(1997?), and Antioch Arrow(1995?) on Gravity Records focused more on the hardcore part of the genre, but were still very emo. The music is pretty chaotic, with just enough melody to pullthings through, and the vocals are usually hoarsely screamed.
1997 marks the release of Saetias fist 7” record, and the debut of level-plane records. I highly recommend that you pink Saetias “A retrospective” cd. At any rate, Level-plane records is probably the most famous emo label out there, and is still going strong today. It has released many important and influential albums, and is a huge part of todays emo scene.
A lot of bands are getting called emo by the mainstream, when in fact they are not. The term emo has leaked into the mainstream, and a lot of emo kids see this as the end of the emo scene, somewhat like what happened with punk rock, and bands like simple plan. I used that example because mainstream bands i.e. Simple Plan get called punk, when really, they’re not punk at all.
Emo is completely distorted from it’s original meaning, and the media is calling many bands that have no relevance to emo whatsoever, emo. Take Dashboard Confessional for example. Chris Carraba just plays acoustic ballads. There is nothing hardcore about it. The music may be very “emotional” and heartfelt, but even so, it is not emo. The same goes for indie bands like Death Cab For Cutie, and Bright Eyes. Conor Oberst is a brilliant songwriter, and I love his work, but again, there is nothing hardcore about his music. Another common misconception about emo, is that bands like Taking Back Sunday, and My Chemical Romance are emo. To me, these bands are strictly pop punk, although their lyrics may seem very emotional at times, but emo doesn’t stand for emotional, now does it?
Another false interpretation of emo is the term “screamo.” I’m sure you’ve all heard this rant before, but I figured that I’d include it anyways. The media has used the term for bands like Thursday, and The Used. Because people call Dashboard Confessional emo, they interpret emo as “whiny watered down music for depressed kids who cut themselves.” With that as their idea of emo, it’s no wonder that people call The Used, or any other “whiny emotional band” that screams here and there “screamo.”
With emo standing for emotive hardcore, the way I see it, screamo would stand for:Emotive hardcore + screaming, right? Wrong. Emotive hardcore contains screamed and/or whispered vocals in it already. Screamo = Emo. Just leave it at that. Even so, bands like The Used that are being labeled as “screamo” by the media aren’t emotive hardcore, so the term “screamo” is completely misused. The term “screamo” can be used for a band like orchid, although emo works just as well, but not for something like The Used.
Screamo is made up by the media to sell bands like The Used, Poison The Well, and such, to people who don’t know any better. As I said before, with people calling Dashboard Confessional emo, it’s no wonder that they call any band that screams “screamo.” Alas, this is false.
In summary, Emo stands for emotive hardcore, not emotional. Emotional lyrics do not make a band emo. Dashboard confessional, Bright Eyes, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, From Autumn To Ashes, and Atreyu are NOT emo. Screamo does not exist.
Some real emo bands are:
Rites of Spring
Indian Summer
Native Nod
Heroin
Antioch Arrow
Saetia
Orchid
Hot Cross
Transistor Transistor
City of Caterpillar
Wolfsheim
A Textbook Tragedy
Takaru
Louise Cyphre
Boa Narrow
The Mock Heroic
What Price Wonderland
Utarid
Danse Macabre
Zann
Am I Dead Yet
Dasein
Cease Upon the Capitol
June Paik
A Fine Boat That Coffin
SL-27
La Quiete
Shikari
Daitro
Yossarian Is Drowning
Raein
Rites of Spring
Indian Summer
Native Nod
Heroin
Antioch Arrow
Saetia
Orchid
Hot Cross
Transistor Transistor
City of Caterpillar
Wolfsheim
A Textbook Tragedy
Takaru
Louise Cyphre
Boa Narrow
The Mock Heroic
What Price Wonderland
Utarid
Danse Macabre
Zann
Am I Dead Yet
Dasein
Cease Upon the Capitol
June Paik
A Fine Boat That Coffin
SL-27
La Quiete
Shikari
Daitro
Yossarian Is Drowning
Raein
by Tash (by:Evan) January 09, 2006
1. Fake Emo: see Female Emo Poser, Male Emo Poser, Fake Emo. They like to wear black and say they hate themselves and no one understands and wear thick eyeliner and have black hair all over their face. They pierce themselves and they cry and they think they are artists and everyone who is not emo cannot express themselves, and is just a cookie cutter of every other human being that fake emos used to be. They are not actually emo, but they take typical bad situations and turn it into "My Life Sucks, Can I Kill Myself Already?" although you know they never will.
2. Real Emo: These people probably appear very happy on the outside, not wearing black all the time with thick heavy eyeliner. Most real emos, although not all, suffer from an unfortunate psychological problem like depression. One minute they can be the happiest person, and the next, crying hysterically and wanting to commit suicide. The fact that people throw around the term 'emo' is very upsetting, because REAL people with REAL problems like Megan Meier (look up Megan Pledge on Google Search) can't help themselves and need love and care.
Emo isn't a word to describe these people, but because of today's idiocy, you can't get someone to just treat them regularly, but treat them as 'emo', which I doubt can help them at all. The real definition of emo should stay as it should- someone who is just following a stupid trend.
3. Emo music.
2. Real Emo: These people probably appear very happy on the outside, not wearing black all the time with thick heavy eyeliner. Most real emos, although not all, suffer from an unfortunate psychological problem like depression. One minute they can be the happiest person, and the next, crying hysterically and wanting to commit suicide. The fact that people throw around the term 'emo' is very upsetting, because REAL people with REAL problems like Megan Meier (look up Megan Pledge on Google Search) can't help themselves and need love and care.
Emo isn't a word to describe these people, but because of today's idiocy, you can't get someone to just treat them regularly, but treat them as 'emo', which I doubt can help them at all. The real definition of emo should stay as it should- someone who is just following a stupid trend.
3. Emo music.
Fake Emo
Hale: Oh my god. I want to cut myself up. I hate me. No one understands. Your all so normal and bland and copy+paste people and you don't understand me or my art I wanna kill myself!
Real 'Emo' Although That Really Shouldn't Be Their Term
Gretta: I'm going to hang out with Jessica. Wanna come with me?
Britanny: No way am I going to hang out with some stupid, fat emo like you. God. I hope you just go kill yourself, your such a loser!
Jessica: Don't listen to her, Gretta, everyone knows she's just a bitch.
Gretta: *sobbing* Why am I so stupid?
Hale: Oh my god. I want to cut myself up. I hate me. No one understands. Your all so normal and bland and copy+paste people and you don't understand me or my art I wanna kill myself!
Real 'Emo' Although That Really Shouldn't Be Their Term
Gretta: I'm going to hang out with Jessica. Wanna come with me?
Britanny: No way am I going to hang out with some stupid, fat emo like you. God. I hope you just go kill yourself, your such a loser!
Jessica: Don't listen to her, Gretta, everyone knows she's just a bitch.
Gretta: *sobbing* Why am I so stupid?
by MeganPledge August 12, 2009
Emo is short for emotive hardcore: a sub-genre of punk that came about in the 1980s. Since the eighties, the meaning has changed a lot.
Many think that emo is just a fashion. It is true that emos have developed their own fashion - skinny/girl's jeans, tight fitting black t-shirts, make-up, and even a hair-style consisting of a long fringe sweeping over one eye and spiky at the back - but this is not what emo is about.
I see emo as a state of mind. Emotional would actually be a good term, as emos are quite emotional, their mood swinging all over the place. This makes it easier to become depressed. EMOS ARE NOT ALWAYS DEPRESSED.
---some say that all emos cut their wrists. This is FAR from the truth. I will not go into why some do. I have never cut my wrist and I don't want to.----
Emos find roots in both goth and punk culture. It is like goth, but goth is darker, and emo is harder to fake. It is a fashion, a type of music, a state of mind and a way of life.
Opposite: Chav
Similar: Goth
Many think that emo is just a fashion. It is true that emos have developed their own fashion - skinny/girl's jeans, tight fitting black t-shirts, make-up, and even a hair-style consisting of a long fringe sweeping over one eye and spiky at the back - but this is not what emo is about.
I see emo as a state of mind. Emotional would actually be a good term, as emos are quite emotional, their mood swinging all over the place. This makes it easier to become depressed. EMOS ARE NOT ALWAYS DEPRESSED.
---some say that all emos cut their wrists. This is FAR from the truth. I will not go into why some do. I have never cut my wrist and I don't want to.----
Emos find roots in both goth and punk culture. It is like goth, but goth is darker, and emo is harder to fake. It is a fashion, a type of music, a state of mind and a way of life.
Opposite: Chav
Similar: Goth
Fake emo (poser): Emos are cool. I'm an emo. I don't think this make-up is dark enough, do I look emo enough?
Real emo: I don't think I can live life much longer... (after five minutes) Woo this is great. Life rocks. (gets to school) Oh gawd, I wanna go home. *gets home* Oh, I wanna go to school.
Real emo: I don't think I can live life much longer... (after five minutes) Woo this is great. Life rocks. (gets to school) Oh gawd, I wanna go home. *gets home* Oh, I wanna go to school.
by -_Forgotten|Soul-_ March 14, 2008
by i want my face to be blurred January 09, 2007
Essentially a group of individuals who were too wussy to become Goth and to lame to become punk, so they sat somewhere in the middle of the two and cried about it.
by Piemanthe3rd June 10, 2009
emo (non-offensive, non-stereotype, light-hearted, silly, OCD-like, ADD-like)
(Adjective) In a state of mind where insignificant things become overly concerned or concerning.
(Noun) One who is in a state of mind where insignificant things become overly concerned or concerning.
(Adjective) In a state of mind where insignificant things become overly concerned or concerning.
(Noun) One who is in a state of mind where insignificant things become overly concerned or concerning.
I am so emo. In other words, I am in a state of mind where I have become overly concerned about things that can be insignificant.
Being emo can lead to certain lifestyles, habits, emotions, and persona; not the other way around.
It is possible that external factors can feed an emo state such as being alone too long may cause someone who has been known to be emo before go to that state again.
I can be emo and realize that I am emo as someone with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) can acknowledge they have OCD.
I know I'm being emo; perhaps I need to get out more often to get my mind off things.
There are different levels of an emo state; overall they are not serious or life threatening; in fact it can be a light-hearted situation.
You're so emo; snap out of it!
You're so emo; cute!
People often confuse emo with depression- emo state is a light-hearted situation that can lead to depression-like symptoms but are temporary and non-serious, depression is a serious situation.
Being emo can lead to certain lifestyles, habits, emotions, and persona; not the other way around.
It is possible that external factors can feed an emo state such as being alone too long may cause someone who has been known to be emo before go to that state again.
I can be emo and realize that I am emo as someone with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) can acknowledge they have OCD.
I know I'm being emo; perhaps I need to get out more often to get my mind off things.
There are different levels of an emo state; overall they are not serious or life threatening; in fact it can be a light-hearted situation.
You're so emo; snap out of it!
You're so emo; cute!
People often confuse emo with depression- emo state is a light-hearted situation that can lead to depression-like symptoms but are temporary and non-serious, depression is a serious situation.
by naughtyprocrastinator March 20, 2012
Emo is an identification, usually used by suburban white teenagers. However, emo is a paradox that defies everything it supposedly stands for. An emo will tell you that they don't conform and remain individuals, but they all act the same, dress the same, have the same hairstyles, listen to the same music, etc. They conform within their own group, just like nearly all suburban teenagers.
Emos claim to be depressed and angry all of the time, but they are in fact fundamentally happy and joyous.
Emos say that they reject the values of the preppy kids, but still hold the core beliefs- denying those who do not conform, sleeping around, experimenting with drugs, and overall being suburban wannabes.
Anyone who identifies as an emo simply cannot be in practice- they are instead "wannabemos", somebody who strives to be an emo, but cannot.
Emos claim to be depressed and angry all of the time, but they are in fact fundamentally happy and joyous.
Emos say that they reject the values of the preppy kids, but still hold the core beliefs- denying those who do not conform, sleeping around, experimenting with drugs, and overall being suburban wannabes.
Anyone who identifies as an emo simply cannot be in practice- they are instead "wannabemos", somebody who strives to be an emo, but cannot.
Justin, Jessica, and Chrissy all claim to be emo. All three listen to My Chemical Romance, have hairstyles like the ones they see on Gaia Online, and contradict themselves.
by Interrobang2rd August 07, 2010