What exactly is emo? What are some examples of emo bands?

Answer 1

That one guy above me got it partially right. It actually started in the early 80's with hardcore bands. Minor Threat spun off a band name Rites of Spring (after the composition of the early 1900's) that instead of being political and raging at the world turned their vision inward and started singing about opinions and thoughts. Many other hardcore bands became more introspective but still retained the hardcore element that they grew up with. This then became "emocore" hardcore that encompassed more emotions than just anger and defiance. In the late 80's post-hardcore bands learned to play more complex instrumental songs and expanded on the three-chords and driving drum and bass lines that hardcore relied on. Other post-hardcore bands inspired bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, and with the influence of pop into the punk community other bands diverged from the hardcore that was prevalent in the community. These were bands like Jawbreaker. At the same time, many bands in the Midwest (since punk is more a community driven machine than anything else) began to churn out music with similar sounds and themes. This led to further fracturing and more pop influence with bands like New Found Glory and other Drive Thru acts being the norm. Now "emo" is just a catchphrase as others have stated with the emphasis on the clothing and look of emo than the music itself (which was really just slightly different punk music). I wrote a 15 page paper on the history of emo music a few years for college so all this is thoroughly researched. Sorry for the long post.

Answer 2

ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE ONLY HALF-RIGHT. Yes it means emotion. It actually is short of "emotional punk rock". I'll run thru the early stages to the present with you. Trust me, I know what i'm talking about. It started in the 90's with Sunny Day Real Estate(the bank known for creating the genre of EMO), Knapsack, The Promise Ring, ect. It THEN, it turned into Vagrant bands(Vagrant being a label that spawned Dashboard Confessional, The Get up-kids(the band that really took EMO mainstream), Saves the Day. Also Owen, early Death Cab for Cutie, Rainer Maria(one of the first girl fronted emo bands). Then it became diluted pop music and became all of the MTV bands that people mentioned in the other responses. So basically it was melodic experimental punk rock, then in turned into whiny, sensitive stuff, now it's fake, punky, radio-rocky MTV pop music. Thats about it. Go buy the Get up kids "something to write home about and Saves the Day's "Say what you are". And Rainer Marias Long knifes drawn and youll be set. And maybe a Death cab or Bright eyes cd.

Answer 3

Emo bands are bands that sing about love/feelings and complain a lot. Some would be My Chemical Romance, AFI, Hawthorne Heights, Senses Fail.
I personally kinda like emo bands.

Answer 4

emo started ages ago..
today's "emo" bands' music dont like to getting called 'emo' because their isnt a term of what it really means. all the bands people have listed ARE NOT emo because people make it up and i reckon emo is just like an MTV or whatever word.

Answer 5

dont listen to any of these loser the dont no what there talking about, EMO is more of a life style that refects in the music that they make (such as MCR, matchbook romance, circa survive, and any one on victory records) EMO means your very very open about your emotions and dress the way you feel, most EMO ppl are sad do they dress sad, write sad songs, and act sad, even though everyone groups EMO ppl depressed or sad, many can be happy or angry, If someone is very open about there emotions there are EMO. that is why EMO guys get called "gay" when they openly expess there sad emotions.

Answer 6

An example of a emo band is sunny day real estate. There is alot of confusion about what it is. Once was a music form now its a fashion trend. Mostly people stereotype it so I would just stay clear of labels of all kinds they are all retarded. And keep you from making your own decisions based on wit instead of conservatism.

Answer 7

AFI isn't emo..or at least they didn't used to be emo when i listened to them. But Fallout Boy, Panic at the disco, Hawthorne Heights, Underoath, and most of the bands on MTV are emo.

Answer 8

EMO is when your sad and cry and sing about it. Some examples of emo bands are My Chemical Romance and AFI.

Answer 9

I think emo is short for emotion, so its bands that sing witha lot of emotion, sometimes it gives a negative conotation because I have heard it called "i miss my girlfriend music", dashboard confessional is emo....I think and so is weezer

Answer 10

different people have their own opinion of what emo is but i personally dont get emo people, emo bands make dark, depressing, music