What's emo????

Question

I've heard it's a certain style of music. Please explain!!

Answer 1

Emo is a subgenre of hardcore punk music. Since its inception, emo has come to describe several independent variations, linked loosely but with common ancestry. As such, use of the term has been the subject of much debate.

In its original incarnation, the term emo was used to describe the music of the mid-1980s Washington, DC scene and its associated bands. In later years, the term emocore, short for "emotional hardcore", was also used to describe the DC scene and some of the regional scenes that spawned from it. The term emo was derived from the fact that, on occasion, members of a band would become spontaneously and strongly emotional during performances. The most recognizable names of the period included Rites of Spring, Embrace, One Last Wish, Beefeater, Gray Matter, Fire Party, and, slightly later, Moss Icon. The first wave of emo began to fade after the breakups of most of the involved bands in the early 1990s.

Starting in the mid-1990s, the term emo began to reflect the indie scene that followed the influences of Fugazi, which itself was an offshoot of the first wave of emo. Bands including Sunny Day Real Estate and Texas Is the Reason put forth a more indie rock style of emo, more melodic and less chaotic in nature than its predecessor. The so-called "indie emo" scene survived until the late 1990s, as many of the bands either disbanded or shifted to mainstream styles.

As the remaining indie emo bands entered the mainstream, newer bands began to emulate the more mainstream style, creating a style of music that has now earned the moniker emo within popular culture. Whereas, even in the past, the term emo was used to identify a wide variety of bands, the breadth of bands listed under today's emo is even more vast, leaving the term "emo" as more of a loose identifier than as a specific genre of music.

Answer 2

Emo is a subgenre of hardcore punk music. Since its inception, emo has come to describe several independent variations, linked loosely but with common ancestry. As such, use of the term has been the subject of much debate.

In its original incarnation, the term emo was used to describe the music of the mid-1980s Washington, DC scene and its associated bands. In later years, the term emocore, short for "emotional hardcore", was also used to describe the DC scene and some of the regional scenes that spawned from it. The term emo was derived from the fact that, on occasion, members of a band would become spontaneously and strongly emotional during performances. The most recognizable names of the period included Rites of Spring, Embrace, One Last Wish, Beefeater, Gray Matter, Fire Party, and, slightly later, Moss Icon. The first wave of emo began to fade after the breakups of most of the involved bands in the early 1990s.

Starting in the mid-1990s, the term emo began to reflect the indie scene that followed the influences of Fugazi, which itself was an offshoot of the first wave of emo. Bands including Sunny Day Real Estate and Texas Is the Reason put forth a more indie rock style of emo, more melodic and less chaotic in nature than its predecessor. The so-called "indie emo" scene survived until the late 1990s, as many of the bands either disbanded or shifted to mainstream styles.

As the remaining indie emo bands entered the mainstream, newer bands began to emulate the more mainstream style, creating a style of music that has now earned the moniker emo within popular culture. Whereas, even in the past, the term emo was used to identify a wide variety of bands, the breadth of bands listed under today's emo is even more vast, leaving the term "emo" as more of a loose identifier than as a specific genre of music.

Answer 3

yeah it's a strange one for me too. i used to be a fan of alternative rock/punk and then somehow my friends started calling me their "emo" buddy.

from what i know, "emo" is a type of alternative rock/punk music that deals with emotions, feelings. but wait... isn't that most music? true... but "emo" music apparently focuses on it.

aside from the the material, it also has to do with the style of the song. quite typically, an "emo" song with emphasize the surge of feelings and the angst brought upon by finding the resolution. a couple modern bands that fit the title would be jimmy eat world, weezer, quite possibily dashboard confessional, deathcab for cutie, and my chemical romance.

it's really quite hard to describe because even those bands can all sound different. and by the same logic of reasoning, one can deduce that NIN and depeche mode can be also considered "emo" at times.

just know that it's a very loose definition. there are other words you can use to describe a type or genre of a song. however my friends also ridicule me by saying that i have "emo" glasses and "emo" eye brows... to which i reply, "i've always looked like this. you all used to just call me a nerd until three years ago. why am i all of a sudden emo."

when they can't think of an answer, i call them retards.

Answer 4

emo is short for emotional. There is a style of music that is emo which is a kind of alternative music. If you look at the lyrics they might mention death or some morbid stuff. My Chemical romance is probly the most popular emo band.

Answer 5

Real Emo? Lasted from 93/94 to about 99

Sunny Day Real Estate
Christie Front Drive
Mineral
Rites of Spring
Etc...

A movement started by Jeremy Enigk and Fugazi....depending on who you ask....
And ending right about the time Jimmy Eat World made it big and was followed by pop acts posing as Emo such as Taking Back Sunday and Hawthorne Heights, etc.

Answer 6

emo is a style of music that is mocked and over judged. it is very emotional and sensitive music that people can easily relate too. many people think of it as pissy and gay (its not). emo is the thing that makes you cry when you watch a chick flick, its the music that gives you chills and makes you feel closer to the artists that wrote it. dashboard confessional is a huge emo band. (i think so at least) there is a lot of controversy about it but i READ A BOOK about it called Nothing Feels Good by whatshisface... so trust me i know. a lot of people will tell you that emo is stupid and it sucks.

Answer 7

"In its original incarnation, the term emo was used to describe the music of the mid-1980s Washington, DC scene and its associated bands. In later years, the term emocore, short for "emotional hardcore", was also used to describe the DC scene and some of the regional scenes that spawned from it. The term emo was derived from the fact that, on occasion, members of a band would become spontaneously and strongly emotional during performances" - Taken from Wikipedia.

Answer 8

It is a certain style of music. Emotional. But, it is also a culture, teens who are emotional. The way they dress with alot of black and straightened long hair is their style. At least this is what my teen daughter says.

Answer 9

Its a kind of goth! You know lots of black make-up and clothes. Freaky hair styles. The whole nine yards. Emo music is just freaky goth music!!!

Answer 10

Emo means "emotional"....you know how some bands sing sad, slow songs about losing their g/fs or something tragic that happened to them...also, if ur in high school, you may see kids in ur school that people would label "emo" moreso by the way they dress & carry themselves, kinda sad & melancholy