Emo

Ok so, we are going to start with 'Emo'.
I went on the urban dictionary to find out its meaning and characteristics, and this is what it came up with:

"Emo is a Genre of soft core punk music that integrates unenthusiastic melodramatic 17 year olds who don't smile, high pitched overwrought lyrics and inaudible guitar rifts with tight wool sweaters, tighter jeans, itchy scarfs (even in the summer), ripped chucks with favorite bands signature, black square rimmed glasses," 

 Is this correct or just insulting? The reason I got this information from the urban dictionary, was because it tends to portray peoples actual views and opinions, as well as interpretations on a specific matter.So the website seemed ideal for my research.


I then did further research and this is what I found:

Emo is a melodious, expressive, and confessional form of punk rock dating back to 1985, to the hard-core punk scene of 80s. The style was recontextualized in the early 1990s by groups such as Jawbreaker and Sunny Day Real Estate. Today the "Emo" label is often used as a universal term by critics to describe multiplatinum acts such as 'Fall Out Boy' and 'My Chemical Romance', as well as disparate artists such as 'Coheed and Cambria' and 'Panic! at the Disco'. In addition to music, "emo" is often used more generally to signify a particular relationship between fans and artists, and to describe related aspects of fashion, culture, and behaviour.

Fall Out Boy

 I actually listened to a few of their tracks and watched their music videos, and I have to say it wasn't bad at all. It was quite catchy, it had a bit more drum and bass than I'm used to - like a soft rock'n'roll, but i can definitely see why people like their music.Their videos were fun and not 'melodramatic' or as dark as I expected.

Panic at the Disco

My Chemical Romance - Na Na Na
I quite like this song :)

Paramore

 Now this band is not listed above, and that's because I randomly found them. I had heard of them before, especially their lead singer Hayley Williams who collaborated with American rapper B.o.B on his song, 'Airplanes' last year. By the way she has an amazing voice. Her band is supposedly the personification of Emo. I love their songs and will definitely be adding them to my playlist.

'Having looked on the Internet for pictures, I found loads. I wasn't surprised that they were dark, gruesome or sad. Stereotypes portray them this way, but is that what being an Emo is all about?

 

I also found that, the subculture had been attacked by the Daily Mail, which described "Emo" as a teenage trend that started in the US in the 1980s and was "characterized by depression, self-injury and suicide". Its followers, the tabloid said, wore tight jeans, studded belts and wristbands and had dyed-black hair and long fringes obscuring their faces. This came after the death of 13 year old Hannah Bond. This is an extract from the website:

Hannah was a happy 13-year-old until she became an 'Emo' - part of a sinister teenage craze that romanticizes death. Three months later she hanged herself.


Is it fair for this subculture to be targeted and picked on for being different?

Despite these technicalities, Emo is a trend which has also been deployed into the mainstream fashion scene.Many celebrities have conform to this style.

Here are some popular Emo pieces; black skinny jeans, retro tee, Chuck Taylor and some lively accessories

Rihanna - Adam Lambert - Kat Von D