What the hell is emo?

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i think what's missing from everyone's "this is emo" description is that a lot of these bands try to pass themselves off as some kind of punk or hardcore. like the used. ever hear a terribly confused yellowcard fan tell you they're into punk rock, and when you ask them what kind of punk they list thrice and all those other bands they play on MTV or the warped tour mainstage?

that being said, you can't really call every single somewhat "emotional" song (u2, the cure, death cab for cutie, etc.) emo. u2 are...well, they're what they are. the cure, i don't know how ti categorize them, but i think "goth" might fit slightly into the long "post-neo-core" made-up genre mess...deathcab for cutie fall under typical indie kid band. it's quasi-indie, really, cos everyone's heard of them. indie kids, or at least indie kids of the super-trendy college variety listen to this stuff, something else becomes the new big thing, and they move on. they're the same as mainstream rap fans, only i don't know who dictates what's cool for them cos MTV sure ain't playing it...
 
IWasBored said:
i think what's missing from everyone's "this is emo" description is that a lot of these bands try to pass themselves off as some kind of punk or hardcore. like the used. ever hear a terribly confused yellowcard fan tell you they're into punk rock, and when you ask them what kind of punk they list thrice and all those other bands they play on MTV or the warped tour mainstage?

that being said, you can't really call every single somewhat "emotional" song (u2, the cure, death cab for cutie, etc.) emo. u2 are...well, they're what they are. the cure, i don't know how ti categorize them, but i think "goth" might fit slightly into the long "post-neo-core" made-up genre mess...deathcab for cutie fall under typical indie kid band. it's quasi-indie, really, cos everyone's heard of them. indie kids, or at least indie kids of the super-trendy college variety listen to this stuff, something else becomes the new big thing, and they move on. they're the same as mainstream rap fans, only i don't know who dictates what's cool for them cos MTV sure ain't playing it...
Click to expand...

BET maybe? hehe... and also, i never said that u2, cure, etc. are emo bands. i said there are some songs with emo song structures. some of their more "emotional" songs are not emo. it's more a question of music theory thatn content/feel. also, i don't categorize modest mouse or dcfc emo. and a lot of bands that were considered emo a couple years ago are not really emo anymore (the used, the get up kids -- debateable though, brand new, etc). i just think it's my overall musical taste. i find emo song structures more fulfilling as a fan and as a musician... the harmonies and layering guitar/piano/strings (common in songs with emo song structures) are really cool in my opinion... however, i think emo hasn't become ultra popular on mtv since it's hard to fit 6-8 min songs in a minute and a half video spot :wink:
 
Anirban said:


BET maybe? hehe... and also, i never said that u2, cure, etc. are emo bands. i said there are some songs with emo song structures. some of their more "emotional" songs are not emo. it's more a question of music theory thatn content/feel. also, i don't categorize modest mouse or dcfc emo. and a lot of bands that were considered emo a couple years ago are not really emo anymore (the used, the get up kids -- debateable though, brand new, etc). i just think it's my overall musical taste. i find emo song structures more fulfilling as a fan and as a musician... the harmonies and layering guitar/piano/strings (common in songs with emo song structures) are really cool in my opinion... however, i think emo hasn't become ultra popular on mtv since it's hard to fit 6-8 min songs in a minute and a half video spot :wink:
Click to expand...

emo songs: verse chours verse bridge chorus...maybe anothe verse...chorus...

also the same "structure" as ordinary pop/rock music.

and BET is definetly not playing emo songs, so i have no idea what you're talking about.

and i don't know what 6-8 minute long emo songs you're talking about, either. emo IS ultra popular. just cos a few folks on a u2 board don't know what it is, doesn't mean that there aren't loads of emo kids in my town. hell, if they're not wannbe gangstas, then they're emo kids. unless they're non-emo indie types...but there really aren't too many of them. mostly the gangster kids and emo kids.

:eyebrow:
 
I remember someone commenting at the Ryan Adams board that anybody can write an emo song...just add the lyrics, "AND IT BURNED!!!!!!!!" after every line. :wink: :lmao:
 
Emo is crap recorded by upper middle class white boys trying to rebel against the terribly oppressive world they're living in while they drive around in SUVs and buy designer clothing with a built-in retro wash that makes it look just grungy enough so it may, on a good day, pass as Salvation Army.

That's all you need to know.
 
What is sad is that Emo has degenerated into being associated clothing and bad song writing.

What many people don't realize is that emo began in the early 90's and had nothing to do with thrift store fashion or songs about heartbreak.

bands like Fugazi, Embrace, Rites of Spring, and Slint spearheaded the emo movement when it meant something. When it was not about crap songs, when it was about powerful emotional performences. It was melodic hardcore music. More arty than shitty really.

It pretty much peaked in 1994 when Sunny Day Real Estate released the groundbreaking album "Diary" and so many bands tried to make their own version of that album.

In the late 90's is when Emo pretty much became fashion centric, bad song writing crap music.

Now it's just commercial, bought and sold just like grunge was. Emo, as it is today, is the new grunge really. None of these major label "emo" bands can hold a candle to any of the bands that came before them.
 
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my roommate listens to emo. it's not bad, and it's great driving at night music, but it gets really boring and repeative after awhile.

dashboard confessional sucks. :barf:
 
This has been a very amusing and informative read, and I'm relieved that apparently I don't own any emo because if I did apparently it would have to be removed from the premises immediately and I'm sill in my pajamas and can't leave the house yet, so whew.
 
See, this is why I hate labels and genres...people know that something is tagged as "emo", and they avoid it like the plague. It particularly irks me with Bright Eyes, because they are so damn good. I understand that some people really dislike Bright Eyes (and can understand why)...but I think there are others who are really missing out.
 
There are songs that I like by Bright Eyes, but i can't see myself listening to an entire album.
 
well you guys seem to have made up your mind in a very rigid way ... so, all i can say is that you're missing out. especially if any of you are musicians... which is a good thing, cause the less people enjoy it, the less popular it will be, and the less bands will feel the need to sell out.
 
Edgeman said:
Wanted to add to the album list in that last post, but instead of clicking on edit...I clicked on quote....woops! So anyway, I forgot to list:

My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge

I consider them punk, but they are labeled as Scremo and even just emo. I think they are a little "heavy" for emo, but whatever. I absolutly love this album...I don't care what it is, to me it's awesome.
Click to expand...

Sometimes I think I don't understand what people's definition of 'emo' is. I just bought this album, and never in a million years would I have considered it emo or scremo or whatever. I agree, they're too heavy. And yes, it's good stuff.

Genres can be useful, but in the end, it's about the music, not the categories.
 
david said:
It pretty much peaked in 1994 when Sunny Day Real Estate released the groundbreaking album "Diary" and so many bands tried to make their own version of that album.
Click to expand...

i forgot about them.:|
 
Emo, like grunge, is a figment of your imagination. Total shadows-on-cave-walls shit.

Just as grungers of old (like me) got right pissed whenever you called Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, or some other obviously grunge band grunge, emokids of today refuse to classify any album as emo. Albums are "kind of emo" at best. The genre is too cool and antiestablishment to properly exist.

The torch has been passed. Keep the fires burning!

P.S., your guitarists all suck.
 
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