After seeing the mini-tussle in the Handsome Hip Hop thread, I'm wondering something. What do you classify as Emo? Is it a genre? Is it a way someone sings? Is it the lyrics? Well?
Emo is more of a style, in my opinion. Not neccesarily just the way someone sings or the lyrics, but a combination of both. For example, Atreyu are considered hardcore/emo because they have the hardcore/metal element as well as the more punk element which is considered emo by a lot of people. Their screaming is the "hardcore" element whereas the singing is the "emo" element. But in all actuality, even if they didn't sing, they could be considered emo, just from the lyrics. Other bands like (my personal favorite) emery do the whole "emo" thing right: Their music is emotional, which is what emo is short for (obviously). They don't just sing a part here or scream a part there; their music is more of an opera of emotions rather than just certain parts portraying and conveying different feelings. That's emo, to me. Bands like Simple Plan, Good Charlotte, etc, are not emo. They are pop-punk with bad lyrics.
That is the only thing that you said that I don't agree with, I mean some of those bands lyrics are not emo, but some can be like if you have heard one of Simple Plans new songs "Untitled," in my opinion, that is very emo... but that's just my opinion.
Punk element + super emotional lyrics = emo. There are other bands that do only one of the elements listed above, it's not the same. I don't listen to emo, though. Maybe hardcore, but not emo.
I dislike the term "emo" mainly because it's short for emotional, and when you have a style/genre with "emo" as it's name, to me it's saying that anything that isn't considered within the genre/style "emo" then it isn't emotional. When in actual fact a lot of bands have emotional lyrics and music. I dislike the "emo" style/genre a lot. Half of the bands that fit under the category just have screaming lead singers, now, i can stand screaming in music when it has feeling and there is a purpose, but when an "emo" band comes on TV or whatever half of the bands singers scream all the way through it and i just find it irritating, sometimes i feel that "screamo" is just an excuse for singers who can't actually sing. No offence to anyone who likes the genre as there probably is exceptions.
Exactly!! Now I won't have to try explain my opinion because you said it so well How on earth can it be called emo when they scream that much??
Emo, to me at least, definitely has to have the punk element stylistically. But it's not really social criticism, the lyrics are more about an individual's feelings/thoughts. Screamo is just a sub-genre. BUT...there are those who consider Dashboard Confessional and such bands to be "emo". Emo is not singing over and over about how much you love your girlfriend even though she is cheating on you. That could be more efficiently classified as whining.
i consider atreyu as EMOCORE, thats what they are actually. a great emo band is jimmy eat world. the definition is found in the "romantic" music style, moderate rock, combined with (as will mentioned) singing and lyrics stuff.
Atreyu approach metalcore, so they're heavier than the usual F4AF copycat that will have some brutal vocals in the beginning, just to unveil a pop chorus with "emotional" lyrics about how much pain your breaking up with Mary brought. So, yeah, i dislike emo, and even though i respect some emo bands for at least being the first ones to play in that way, i think it's so new, yet already a "tired" genre.
Emo is a stupid label really. Nearly all songs have strong emotions in them so every band is Emo in one way or another. Me personaly, i love Emo music. I just like music that is either very angry or upsetting. It vents out my own emotions. But yeah, i think the term Emo is personal to the listener really. No single band can really be defined as specific Emo (even though i did just say i like Emo bands, but we'll ignore that for the time being lol) because as i said, most songs have an element of strong emotion in them
I disagree with that. Emo may have started out as a new breed of "emotional" punk (because you know, bands like the Clash were never emotional ) but I think it's evolved into, essentially, teen angst pop-rock that doesn't have much incommon with punk, except perhaps pop-punk. And that makes me sound like an elitist bitch. But I'll ignore that fact for the time being. Emo, basically, is just a media catch phrase. I think there are some decent emo (or "screamo") bands, but the idea of the genre as a whole is silly.
I can't really accurately define emo, but I think bands like Jimmy Eat World have some songs that sound like they belong in the "Emo" category.
i guess im the only one that doesnt think emo has punk elements :wth: cursive and dashboard confessional are emo. i dont see anything about them that is punk.
Same here. [/b][/quote] Ditto. I can't tell what's emo and what's not ... or even what it actually is.