The word was stolen from the genre.

And thank you so much for reading,

Vanessa

[...] that need the tools a brand can provide through its economic capabilities, credibility or contacts. Emo’s one example of a scene largely overlooked by brands. And, if you don’t have a scene, [...]

Let this be made clear: actual ‘emo’ has absolutely nothing to do with black clothing, angst ridden poetry, self-injury, or depressed feelings. Those who think this – and, unfortunately, these people are often the self-proclaimed ‘emos’ – are completely, 100% off-track with its meaning. As a person who listens to real ‘emo’ and ‘screamo’ music, I am stired of the myths attached the word – sick to the the absolute core.

So, if you don’t mind I’m going to take this tome to explain it. I doubt anybody will actually read it; but, it needs to be said.

The word itself stands for ‘emotional hardcore’, which was a music genre that combined the classic hardcore sound of bands like Minor Threat, and added deeply personal lyrics on top. Often, the music also had a certain melodic touch, that – dare I say it – added an emotional element once absent from the hardcore group.

The genre first sprung up in the Washington DC underground during the late 80s. Due to the fact that hardcore was beginning to fade out, this new style of music spread fairly quickly. Those who followed the bands wore a combination of old, usually hand me down clothing and the same styles that stereotypical ‘punk kids’ dressed in. However, there was no universal dress code, and – as long as you liked the music – you were far from being a poser. Groups like Rites of Spring, Moss Icon, Indian Summer, The Hated, and Julia were at the front of these early years of ‘emo’ (late 80s-mid 90s).

Then this early form of ‘emo’ started to fade, except for a few select groups trying to recapture the passion and intensity of the early bands of the genre. I often refer to these groups as “revival bands”, as their purpose was to create a rebirth of the early styles of ‘emo’. Examples include Wow, Owls!, The Pine, Catena Collapse, and Life At These Speeds. While nothing new, these groups allowed a whole new generation to experience the ‘emo’ that had come before them.

At the same time as the “revival bands” started to spring up, an entire new generation of ‘emo’ began to form. The songs were much more chaotic, and the lyrics angrier than ever before. This new stage lasted all through the late 90s and into the early 2000s. Bands such as Honeywell, Mohinder and Swing Kids are all acceptable examples for this period. However, the groups that really shone and influenced within the ‘emo’ genre at the time were based in Canada. Bands like One Eyed God Prophecy, Saetia, Breakwater, Jonah, Drift, and Union Of Uranus were all fantastic leaders of this period.

This brings us to the later 90s and early 2000s. At this time, something called ‘screamo’ (Screamotional Hardcore) began to appear. The music was chaotic, fast, and more aggressive than before. This style still actually does exist, except it is now more commonly found outside of the USA (Russia is a big one). Orchird, Reversal of Man, Usurp Synapse, and Jerome’s Dream are all excellent examples of this style.

This brings us to the present, the era of technical ‘emo’. The music combines elements of screamo, grind, experimentation, and even some post-rock. City of Caterpillar, Envy, Pg.99, and – my personal favorite – Circle Takes The Square are all some of the current leaders in today’s scene.

Sadly, when most people hear the word ‘emo’ they think: cutting, suicide, depression, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Hawthorne Heights. There are self-proclaimed ‘emos’ that support these things; however, it has little do with what ‘emo’ actually is. I suggest next time you see one these kids, inform them of the truth.

There were also many other problems with this article.

“The dismal song lyrics are meant to communicate their emotions but they do more than that, they sink the Emo kid into a dark abyss until they feel worthless and useless.”
This sentence is ignorant beyond any word in the English language. As a teen who who loves My Chemical Romance (along with those other bands falsely labeled ‘emo’), struggles with depression, and used to SI (self-injure) – I can promise you that you are wrong on this one. My Chemical Romance – and that type of music in general – is what gave me hope when I was ready to end everything. It provided me comfort, understanding, and the idea that I’m not alone. The shows gave me the gift of community, and friends I didn’t have before. I’m no ‘emo’; but I did struggle, and the music you are attacking is the music that kept me alive. Read this website: http://www.thankyoumcr.net to see that I’m not the only one with this view.

“In my opinion, the only people that can say that they hurt on a different level are people with clinical depression and/or personality disorders.”
Everybody hurts on a different level; this is not debatable. The same thing could happen to two different people, and it could effect them on two entirely different levels. While those with mental illness (depression, personality disorders, psychosis, among other things) do have different struggles to deal with, people without those things can hurt on a deeper level as well. Saying otherwise would invalidate somebody’s emotions, and that is the worst thing you can do.

Oh, and self-injury has nothing to do with ‘emo’. People who wear pink, go to church, and come from great families self-injure. There is no stereotype, and if you need proof stop by Recover Your Life’s website – it might give you some empathy and perspective.

*The Daily Mail are a newspaper that blamed music like My Chemical Romance for driving kids to suicide.