I had an interesting conversation with my boyfriend the other day about what "emo" really means. It is very often that we hear people say things like, "I'm feeling emo today so I'm going to listen to Fall Out Boy." Statements like that seem to drive us music lovers crazy. So while sitting at dinner, my boyfriend and I talked about the characteristics of "emo," so I have compiled a list for you about the myths of emo.
MYTH NUMBER ONE: Emo bands wear makeup and nail polish
The first band that comes to mind when thinking about makeup and nail polish is My Chemical Romance. My Chemical Romance is NOT emo!! Their first album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, is somewhat close, but everything else is not. Don't get me wrong--The Black Parade was a great album. Everyone I know has gone crazy for "Welcome to the Black Parade" since sixth grade, but My Chemical Romance is basically pop punk with makeup. Honestly, the best I'll give them is "mall emo," which is music that you would hear at Hot Topic.
MYTH NUMBER TWO: A band is emo if they make you emotional
This is a tough one because emo is short for emotive, so to be fair, the term "emo" is overall very subjective, which is why you see bands falling victim to the stereotype more often than they should. But let's consider music as a whole for a minute. Think back to when you were younger, when you were first appreciating the theory and composition of music. What was the first song that made you cry? I don't remember mine, but it was probably something by a Classic or Baroque era composer. Do my emotions make G.F. Handel emo? Even though, like I said before, the decision is technically subjective, stylistically Handel is not emo. So what do I mean by stylistically?
The definition, in terms of style, changes depending on the "wave of emo." Emo wasn't even a term in the '80s, so the first wave of emo was the early '90s, when it was pretty much punk music. The second wave came in the late '90s and was much different than the years preceding. This wave was more quiet but had more complicated guitar parts. And finally, the early 2000s was close to being pop-punk without really getting all of the way there.
MYTH NUMBER THREE: "They're emo because they SCREAM in their songs"
The biggest reason why the above statement is a myth is because over the years, people have attached characteristics to emo music simply because they didn't know what emo was and probably just wanted to sound cool. Screaming should have never been associated with emo. The screaming that kids were probably actually referring to was metalcore screaming, which is in its own genre completely, which is fine because I'm not touching that with a ten-foot pole. Think of it this way: A band that has an excess of emotions is not going to scream in the way that A Day or Remember or Converge does.
MYTH NUMBER FOUR: If a song has a heavy guitar, then it's emo
We're at the one I have been waiting for, and it's is another one where I have absolutely no idea where it came from. The guitar has been a staple of music since the 1950s when rock and roll first hit radios. Years and years of development eventually led to guitars producing heavier sounds from different pedals and fuzzboxes. With all of this in mind, how does a sick guitar make a band emo? The Rolling Stones weren't and never will be emo, and the same thing can be said for Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull. All-American Rejects, even though they had very few heavy guitar parts, still managed to make it onto some emo lists, along with Pierce the Veil and Escape the Fate. I don't really understand the All-American Rejects one, except for the fact that maybe people thought they were emo due to their look? The Pierce the Veil and Escape the Fate one is easier though... scene bands have commonly been confused with being emo. If you aren't sure what "scene" is, think of the girls who shopped at Hot Topic and wore plaid skirts, awfully layered and colored hair, peace signs with their tongues sticking out, and very heavy eyeliner.
I know, I threw a lot of information at you, and if you're unfamiliar with this topic, you're probably a little overwhelmed. I have seen so much of this lately, though, with the early and mid-2000s being so far away now... people are "reminiscing the days of 'emo.'" Just thought I'd nip it in the bud now while it's still relevant.
Follow me on Twitter @jordanblogger for updates and be sure to subscribe to get notified when I post again!
MYTH NUMBER ONE: Emo bands wear makeup and nail polish
The first band that comes to mind when thinking about makeup and nail polish is My Chemical Romance. My Chemical Romance is NOT emo!! Their first album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, is somewhat close, but everything else is not. Don't get me wrong--The Black Parade was a great album. Everyone I know has gone crazy for "Welcome to the Black Parade" since sixth grade, but My Chemical Romance is basically pop punk with makeup. Honestly, the best I'll give them is "mall emo," which is music that you would hear at Hot Topic.
MYTH NUMBER TWO: A band is emo if they make you emotional
This is a tough one because emo is short for emotive, so to be fair, the term "emo" is overall very subjective, which is why you see bands falling victim to the stereotype more often than they should. But let's consider music as a whole for a minute. Think back to when you were younger, when you were first appreciating the theory and composition of music. What was the first song that made you cry? I don't remember mine, but it was probably something by a Classic or Baroque era composer. Do my emotions make G.F. Handel emo? Even though, like I said before, the decision is technically subjective, stylistically Handel is not emo. So what do I mean by stylistically?
The definition, in terms of style, changes depending on the "wave of emo." Emo wasn't even a term in the '80s, so the first wave of emo was the early '90s, when it was pretty much punk music. The second wave came in the late '90s and was much different than the years preceding. This wave was more quiet but had more complicated guitar parts. And finally, the early 2000s was close to being pop-punk without really getting all of the way there.
MYTH NUMBER THREE: "They're emo because they SCREAM in their songs"
The biggest reason why the above statement is a myth is because over the years, people have attached characteristics to emo music simply because they didn't know what emo was and probably just wanted to sound cool. Screaming should have never been associated with emo. The screaming that kids were probably actually referring to was metalcore screaming, which is in its own genre completely, which is fine because I'm not touching that with a ten-foot pole. Think of it this way: A band that has an excess of emotions is not going to scream in the way that A Day or Remember or Converge does.
MYTH NUMBER FOUR: If a song has a heavy guitar, then it's emo
We're at the one I have been waiting for, and it's is another one where I have absolutely no idea where it came from. The guitar has been a staple of music since the 1950s when rock and roll first hit radios. Years and years of development eventually led to guitars producing heavier sounds from different pedals and fuzzboxes. With all of this in mind, how does a sick guitar make a band emo? The Rolling Stones weren't and never will be emo, and the same thing can be said for Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull. All-American Rejects, even though they had very few heavy guitar parts, still managed to make it onto some emo lists, along with Pierce the Veil and Escape the Fate. I don't really understand the All-American Rejects one, except for the fact that maybe people thought they were emo due to their look? The Pierce the Veil and Escape the Fate one is easier though... scene bands have commonly been confused with being emo. If you aren't sure what "scene" is, think of the girls who shopped at Hot Topic and wore plaid skirts, awfully layered and colored hair, peace signs with their tongues sticking out, and very heavy eyeliner.
I know, I threw a lot of information at you, and if you're unfamiliar with this topic, you're probably a little overwhelmed. I have seen so much of this lately, though, with the early and mid-2000s being so far away now... people are "reminiscing the days of 'emo.'" Just thought I'd nip it in the bud now while it's still relevant.
Follow me on Twitter @jordanblogger for updates and be sure to subscribe to get notified when I post again!
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