Is the term "emo" changing?

Isbjørn · 09-29-2012, 09:38 AM

Hey.
I searched up emo, and found out that it was a genre originated in the mid-80s hardcore punk.
Now, people are using the term emo for ANYTHING that's related to emotion. They're calling bands like My Chemical Romance, Panic! At The Disco and Dashboard Confessional emo, even though they don't fit into the genre. But why is it so? That people (even the producers and the people working in MTV) keep calling bands "emo", though they're not part of the genre, when they even reject it? Is it because that the word "emo" is becoming a more generic term, or is it just misunderstanding?

**Janszoon** · 09-29-2012, 10:06 AM

I'd say it changed quite some time ago.

Isbjørn · 09-29-2012, 11:42 AM

Ok, but excactly WHEN did it change, and why? I wanna know the reason My Chemical Romance is an "emo band" when they're not part of the emo genre.

LoathsomePete · 09-29-2012, 12:46 PM

Given that I'm a complete outsider to this genre (never could get into the old stuff or the new stuff), I don't know how much mileage my opinion gets, but here's my observations. I'd say the changes came around the early '00's when the style was being integrated with several other remaining popular genres of the '90's, namely alternative rock, post-grunge, and pop-punk. From what I've seen and heard, what was considered emo in the early '00's wasn't very similar to the genre of the late '80's and early '90's except the emotionally charged lyrics. One thing that is noticeably different is the sense of style, if you google image search bands like Rites of Spring or Sunny Day Real Estate, you see they don't look like this. I think that's where most of the disdain comes from, not the music, I'm sure most people that look down upon it have never heard a song, but they see people that fit the stereotype all over the place and then make their assumptions on the music by that.

Isbjørn · 09-29-2012, 01:25 PM

Yeah, but Dashboard Confessional and My Chemical Romance are not part of the genre, old style or new style. It's just the labels, MTV and society that calls them emo.
(basically, the band is not emo, but the audience is)

bob. · 09-29-2012, 01:41 PM

i just googled pics of My Chemical Romance and they look exactly like the "generic emo boy" that Pete posted

honestly i think most of society does not give two shits about them....

why are you so concerned with what they are labeled as?

SATCHMO · 09-29-2012, 01:43 PM

I think the easiest way to look at is hardcore in general changed drastically over the course of two decades, and emo changed commensurately with it. Genres do evolve over time and-- given enough time, tend to ultimately exclude, in pure criteria alone, that which created it. Emo is not a clearly defined genre to begin with. It's emotional hardcore, and since it was such a flavor-of-the-month designation for post-pubescent teens to designate the music they were listening to, it became even more vague. It's still quite vague.

I can assure you that if you took the time to search these boards you would stumble upon an epoch of Musicbanter history from about 5 years ago where you could cull enough discussion of this very topic to publish a fairly large book.

Isbjørn · 09-29-2012, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob.

i just googled pics of My Chemical Romance and they look exactly like the "generic emo boy" that Pete posted

honestly i think most of society does not give two shits about them....

why are you so concerned with what they are labeled as?

Interest.

I think emo culture and music is interesting, and I want to get into it. I also want to learn the difference between the old emo music and the modern rock music with emo audience.

bob. · 09-29-2012, 02:09 PM

http://www.musicbanter.com/hardcore-...on-thread.html

i suggest you start here :0

personally i never considered any of the music i listen to emo....but i noticed many people do....so

i suggest looking into Jawbreaker and Texas Is The Reason

**Janszoon** · 09-29-2012, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Briks

Ok, but excactly WHEN did it change, and why? I wanna know the reason My Chemical Romance is an "emo band" when they're not part of the emo genre.

It seemed like it changed in the mid 00s, when the bands you mentioned got got popular. As to why it happened, I'm not sure. But it seems like just part of the larger pattern of pop music co-opting non-mainstream genre tags.

09-29-2012, 09:38 AM	#1 (permalink)
Isbjørn cooler commie than elph Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: In a hole, help Posts: 2,811	Is the term "emo" changing? Hey. I searched up emo, and found out that it was a genre originated in the mid-80s hardcore punk. Now, people are using the term emo for ANYTHING that's related to emotion. They're calling bands like My Chemical Romance, Panic! At The Disco and Dashboard Confessional emo, even though they don't fit into the genre. But why is it so? That people (even the producers and the people working in MTV) keep calling bands "emo", though they're not part of the genre, when they even reject it? Is it because that the word "emo" is becoming a more generic term, or is it just misunderstanding?

09-29-2012, 10:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
Janszoon Mate, Spawn & Die Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Rapping Community Posts: 24,593	I'd say it changed quite some time ago. __________________ A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man Time & Place 25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die last.fm

09-29-2012, 12:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
LoathsomePete Cardboard Box Realtor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hobb's End Posts: 7,648	Given that I'm a complete outsider to this genre (never could get into the old stuff or the new stuff), I don't know how much mileage my opinion gets, but here's my observations. I'd say the changes came around the early '00's when the style was being integrated with several other remaining popular genres of the '90's, namely alternative rock, post-grunge, and pop-punk. From what I've seen and heard, what was considered emo in the early '00's wasn't very similar to the genre of the late '80's and early '90's except the emotionally charged lyrics. One thing that is noticeably different is the sense of style, if you google image search bands like Rites of Spring or Sunny Day Real Estate, you see they don't look like this. I think that's where most of the disdain comes from, not the music, I'm sure most people that look down upon it have never heard a song, but they see people that fit the stereotype all over the place and then make their assumptions on the music by that. __________________ Last.FM 101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

09-29-2012, 01:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
Isbjørn cooler commie than elph Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: In a hole, help Posts: 2,811	Yeah, but Dashboard Confessional and My Chemical Romance are not part of the genre, old style or new style. It's just the labels, MTV and society that calls them emo. (basically, the band is not emo, but the audience is) Last edited by Isbjørn; 09-29-2012 at 01:38 PM.

09-29-2012, 01:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
bob. Still sends his reguards. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Trying to get out of the cat town.... Posts: 5,039	i just googled pics of My Chemical Romance and they look exactly like the "generic emo boy" that Pete posted honestly i think most of society does not give two shits about them.... why are you so concerned with what they are labeled as? __________________ A kiss is the beginning of cannibalism. Reach out, pierce the fine fabric of the sheltering sky, take repose.

09-29-2012, 11:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
Isbjørn cooler commie than elph Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: In a hole, help Posts: 2,811	Ok, but excactly WHEN did it change, and why? I wanna know the reason My Chemical Romance is an "emo band" when they're not part of the emo genre.

09-29-2012, 01:43 PM	#7 (permalink)
SATCHMO Al Dente Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 4,708	I think the easiest way to look at is hardcore in general changed drastically over the course of two decades, and emo changed commensurately with it. Genres do evolve over time and-- given enough time, tend to ultimately exclude, in pure criteria alone, that which created it. Emo is not a clearly defined genre to begin with. It's emotional hardcore, and since it was such a flavor-of-the-month designation for post-pubescent teens to designate the music they were listening to, it became even more vague. It's still quite vague. I can assure you that if you took the time to search these boards you would stumble upon an epoch of Musicbanter history from about 5 years ago where you could cull enough discussion of this very topic to publish a fairly large book.

09-29-2012, 02:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
bob. Still sends his reguards. Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Trying to get out of the cat town.... Posts: 5,039	http://www.musicbanter.com/hardcore-...on-thread.html i suggest you start here :0 personally i never considered any of the music i listen to emo....but i noticed many people do....so i suggest looking into Jawbreaker and Texas Is The Reason __________________ A kiss is the beginning of cannibalism. Reach out, pierce the fine fabric of the sheltering sky, take repose.