About Emo
Emo, short for emotional, is a label given to a specific type of punk rock music that is characterized by its emotional lyrics and the typical dress of its followers. Many people have heard someone referred to as an "emo," or a specific type of music as being called emo music. The term describes a specific variety of culture and can be identified by certain features found both in the music and in its fan club.
History
The origins of emo music can be traced back to the more hardcore punk rock variety. In the late 1980's a variety of punk rock that had exploded in popularity in Washington D.C. was starting to lose its shine. As the enthusiasm for this waned, bands began to search for something that would be the next big thing. Guy Picciotto, who had been part of the hardcore punk music movement, began to come up with more emotional, soulful lyrics that put a more sensitive sound into punk rock. His band Rites of Spring along with Embrace, a band headed by Ian MacKaye, were among the first to truly bring about emo music. The origin of the word "emo" is unknown, but it began to pop up in interviews with the bands as they described this new craze. Over time, bands such as Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional brought the genre of emo into the mainstream in the 21st century.
Significance
While emo itself started as a type of music, it has rapidly begun to be characterized by its fashion more than its songs and popular bands. Yet without this music, emo fashion would never have been born at all. While there are many misconceptions out there about what is and what is not emo, there are some characteristics that are usually typical of emo fashion. It is responsible for two major fashion changes: black hair cuts with long bangs, and tight jeans on guys. While people by no means have to dress like this to be part of the emo scene, it is a trend most associated with it. The emo movement itself is also responsible for bringing music featuring emotionally moving themes into the mainstream for everyone to enjoy and create.
Identification
While seeming stereotypical, the image of black, spiky hair with long side swept bangs is a fairly accurate picture of the common look of choice in emo fashion. As with their punk predecessors, black clothing is a staple, though trends tend toward tight fitting jeans instead of the more hardcore black pants with chains. The music itself is characterized by its slightly milder version of a punk rock sound, and its often sad and heart wrenching lyrics. The idea of the song is to use the lyrics and instrumentation to bring the listener to a point of emotional release.
Misconceptions
While every group comes with its own stereotypes, the label of emo causes a lot of misconceptions among people about what this trend is like. Because of the emotional lyrics and the dress of most of its followers, it has often been associated with weakness and depression. Suicide and self-harm are common themes in many of the songs and are automatically associated with fans of the music. This isn't true however. While some people may have these traits, it is just as common in someone who doesn't claim to be emo. Like any other musical genre, its fans have their own sense of style and are just as sane as anyone else.
Potential
Emo has a lot of potential both in the areas of fashion and music. This movement has opened up doors that were previously considered to be taboo in the world of music as well as dress. Fashion allowed guys to embrace trends that were not seen before, such as tight jeans and long hair. In the musical world, it allowed bands to focus on the emotional needs of their listeners, and to accept that they could still create punk rock while creating deeper emotional meanings and lyrics for their songs. As this genre continues to grow and change, it allows us to experiment more and more to get in touch with our more personal side.
