What is emo?

Question

Seriously what is it?

Answer 1

There are two possible answers to this-

1. I'll call this "Stereotypical Emo"
and 2. "Defined Emo"

Number 1 is often thought of as a "lifestyle" of sadness, possibly depression. In musical terms, sad music. Many artists/bands are put into this category- My Chemical Romance and Dashboard Confessional for example. It is also often associated with those people who wear black, possibly paint their nails black, wear tight pants and such. There is also the stereotype of cutting one's self.

Number 2, however is a bit more reasonable in my opinion, and it's mostly just considering music. "Emo" merely means emotional. Therefore, music that contains highly emotional lyrics can be called emo. Unfortunately it is a generally looked down upon word, so to classify your music-be it good or otherwise- as emo is often to degrade it.

Answer 2

Emo is music that (like all music) expresses emotions, the difference being that Emo is more strait forward about describing emotions and can almost be over-dramatic. As for a style it varies, you mostly hear it in the newer rock bands (Many of these called Screamo) but it's also heard in softer music such as Jack Johnson.

Answer 3

Why do you people think emo kids cut themselves? I can't stand the lil emo kids, and at concerts instead of moshing they do a thing called hardcore dancing where they punch and kick like tae-bo with no contact.. It makes old school metal heads like me mad. The like pink, and rivetted belts, wear girls pants, make up, all kinds of stupid stuff to draw attention to themselves. But just cuz they're emo don't mean they cut themselves. The just like whiny music about girls and despair and wallow in sorrow. It's the new trend, it'll pass like the grunge thing did.

Answer 4

I love when people think that it stands for emotional. This is a common missconception. It stands for Emotive-Hardcore. Emo is not a label for people as commonly thought. Calling someone emo is like calling them a music genre.

P.S.- kids, before you answer a question make sure you have all the facts.

Answer 5

A genre of music (Emotive Hardcore.)

Which split from Hardcore Punk, in mid80s, because bands wanted to get away from all the violence associated with their music.

Basically emo is better structured, and more elaborate hardcore punk music. Some bands started to add screamed vocals, and most of the bands seperated themselves from hardcore punk by writing more about life, rather than politics (which punk was all about)

Answer 6

Its an emotional punk, guys have really tight pants, long black hair and eye liner and some "emos" cut themselves because they are emotional and all

Answer 7

See here. Perfect description.

uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Emo

Answer 8

A group of white, mostly middle-class well-off kids who find imperfections in there life and create a ridiculous, depressing melodrama around each one. They often take anti-depressants, even though the majority don't need them. Their appearance often consists of tight wool sweaters, tighter jeans, itchy scarfs (even in the summer), ripped chucks with favorite bands signature, black square rimmed glasses, and ebony greasy unwashed hair that is required to cover at least 3/5 ths of the face at an angle.

Answer 9

like people who are depressed and.....if you know the store hot topic....you might be able to find emo people...they sometimes cut them selves and they listen to drepessing music or rock,cry write poetry, its a little sad. emo means emotional

Answer 10

Hawthorne Heights