What is Emo?

Emo (a shortened version of the word ‘emotional’) is an evolving genre of music that first began in 1980s Washington D.C. It is a combination of punk and alternative rock, with more sensitive and introspective lyrics that deal with real emotion, creating an intense atmosphere and mood. Over time, emo has both changed and diversified, being downplayed at some points but resurfaced at others. Today, there is no one definitive definition of emo, with different music reporting outlets and magazines disagreeing on what exactly it is.

What Emo Symbolises

Emo is a lifestyle choice, embodying individualism, emotion, and an appreciation for the arts. It values self-expression, with the lyrics of bands often disclosing personal struggles and issues. Over time, the lyrical content of the genre has evolved, with the conversation on more controversial topics becoming more commonplace in recent years. As a genre, emo can also be seen as a way for fans to express their own emotions and struggles without being judged.

The Emo Subculture

In recent years, the culture behind the music has grown and evolved, as has its fashion. There has been an extension of the genre into a larger subculture, made up of visual components like band merchandise, hairstyles, and fashion. Clothes often have a dark aesthetic, such as black jeans, combat boots, and hoodies. The hairstyle commonly associated with emo is the scene haircut, featuring choppy layers of different lengths, but this too has evolved over time to not be so closely connected to the genre.

The emo subculture is a place where its fans feel accepted, and the music and lifestyle provides solace to those people who feel that they don’t fit into the world around them. Emo goes beyond the boundaries of music, bringing together its followers with a shared sense of identity.

Conclusion

At its heart, emo is about emotion; it embraces sadness, confusion, and introspection. It can provide comfort in the knowledge that somebody understands what its followers are going through, and its fans often use it as a way to channel their own struggles and experiences. Ultimately, regardless of how the genre evolves, ‘emo’ as a concept will never truly go away.