Emo | Svensk Porr

Emo | Svensk Porr

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: a style of rock music influenced by punk rock and featuring introspective and emotionally fraught lyrics

In emo , the heart forever hurts, and the ultra-introspective songwriter pines for beautiful death. — Robert Sullivan

The film is sensitively directed, full of emo songs and quiet little character moments.

— Kyle Smith

The comedy-centric stage will be open to all festival attendees, and every evening will be transformed into a different themed throwback dance party with nights of ’90s, emo and hip-hop music.

—

Glenn Rowley, Billboard , 12 July 2022

Breezy Supreme is a Black alternative artist from the D.C.-Maryland area who has dabbled in noisy, nihilistic trap-rap but seems more comfortable with the scream-till-you-cry sounds of emo , punk and post-hardcore.

—

Chris Kelly, Washington Post , 7 July 2022

Petracca and Freed had previously bonded over emo and pop-punk while working in the same office building.

—

Jessica Shalvoy, Variety , 10 June 2022

Alongside the emo and pop-punk heavyweights like Bring Me the Horizon, Bright Eyes, and Avril Lavigne are some newer names, like viral punks the Linda Lindas and TikTok stars Jxdn and Lil Huddy.

—

Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone , 18 Jan. 2022

The multigenerational embrace of pop-punk and emo is reflected at Emo Nite parties and their festival sets alike.

—

Jessica Shalvoy, Variety , 10 June 2022

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These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emo.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback .

“Emo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emo. Accessed 24 Aug. 2022.
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Get an Emo appearance. Start with getting emo styled hair ; up until the mid-2000s, there was no real emo hairstyle. These days, "emo hair" usually refers to a particular layered haircut in which long bangs are swept and styled to one side usually held in place with mousse, hair gel, or pomade. The color is mainly their original but sometimes, emo hair is dyed black and sometimes features a bright highlight of blonde or other punky colors.

To get modern-day emo hair, start growing out your bangs but still getting clean-up cuts on the back of your neck. Pull the bangs over evenly across above your eyebrow and use mousse, hair gel, or pomade. If you're female, get layers in your hair on the sides.
To get modern styled makeup, start using liquid or pencil eyeliner . Don't be afraid to apply to the waterline, experimenting with this will only make you better.
Start wearing nail polish , black is usually a popular color among emos. Don't be afraid to wear different colors or mix them, either.
Consider getting piercings . Snake bites and septum rings are very common piercings among the emo community; if you are old enough, contemplate getting one of your fancies.

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Dress in Emo fashion. Start changing your wardrobe to include more garments involved with the emo subculture. In the beginning, there was no real emo fashion, but as it moved towards the mainstream, that's when skinny jeans and eyeliner started to become popular. Start investing in:

Plaid shirts and sweaters are popular in Midwestern emo fashion. [1]
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Expert Source

Regina Dunn Goth Subculture Enthusiast

Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.

Vintage t-shirts and checked shirts : checked shirts match well with band t-shirts, especially if they are in black and white print. Wear emo bands t-shirts as Rites of Spring, Moss Icon, Sunny Day Real Estate, Armor For Sleep or American Football underneath.
Thick horn-rimmed glasses, these are optional but they were worn in the original emocore style. [2]
X
Expert Source

Regina Dunn Goth Subculture Enthusiast

Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.

Messenger bags to carry your notebooks and diary around; you never know when you may get a hit of inspiration. Emo is about being creative so don't hesitate to carry around a sketchbook or pencils in there, either.
Flat shoes such as converse or vans: any type of canvas slip-on shoes work well, too, and you can buy these from any budget shoe store. You do not have to buy them new. [3]
X
Expert Source

Regina Dunn Goth Subculture Enthusiast

Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.

Accessories: keep an eye out for scarves, bandanas , stripy socks, wristbands/sweatbands, studded belts, safety pins/badges, and fingerless gloves. Stay away from anything fishnet/anything sporting dark patterns, or anything that looks even remotely like a razor-blade, emo is not dark, and by wearing something that looks like a razor-blade, you are only perpetuating unfair stereotypes.

Skinny jeans : buy several pairs of black, blue, and even multi-colored skinny jeans; you can even branch out into boot cut jeans. Anything that you are comfortable in will work best.
Jean cuffing is a common practice among emos and punks. It has been done in their scenes from the late 1970s to the early 80s. If you want to look the part, this is a must. Simply take the bottom of your pants leg and fold it upward once or twice. To pin-cuff, pull both sides after cuffing.

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Make good friends with the hoodie . Nearly all emo styles involve in some way or another the good old-friend of the wardrobe: the hooded sweatshirt. It's possible to give that hoodie a distinctively emo flair, however, which doesn't need to take more than a little extra effort to pull off. Most emo hoodies will be black, sometimes featuring band patches or a small amount of white trim.
Cut a hole for your thumbs in the sleeves of your hoodies. Wear it with your thumbs sticking through to keep yourself warm in the winter months.

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Embrace androgyny. Style is largely similar for emo kids of all genders. The haircuts, dress, and use of make-up tend to cross the genders, resulting in a distinctive and androgynous look.

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Learn about emo. To be emo, you need to understand emo; it helps to know your history on the subculture if you're claiming to be part of it. Contrary to mainstream belief, emo does not mean emotional and is a subgenre of hardcore punk and post-hardcore. [4]
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standing for 'emotive hardcore'. Originating from the Washington D.C hardcore punk scene in the mid-80s, [5]
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the first printed use of the term "emo-core" was first said to be used in Thrasher magazine. [6]
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It describes bands who used a more confessional, self-questioning, and personal approach to lyrical themes as opposed to the confrontational and politically-charged themes [7]
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Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America:The Beat Goes On. Nelson Education, 2012. p. 360

of its parent genre. Other facts about emocore include:

The Beach Boys' 1966 album Pet Sounds was labeled "the first emo album" by Treblezine's Ernest Simpson. [8]
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Minor Threat fan Guy Picciotto despised the heightened violence in the hardcore punk scene, so he formed Rites of Spring, known as the first emo band, in 1984 to turn the focus back to the individual. To add to their legacy, they were only documented performing 15 times in two years before their disbandment in 1986. [9]
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In 1980, Ian Mackaye founded the Dischord records label where it signed many Washington D.C hardcore punk bands. Later on, it went onto sign Mackaye and Picciotto's iconic band Fugazi. Fugazi was not emo, drawing in elements of hardcore, funk, and jazz instead [10]
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Research source
Greenwald, A. (2003). Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, p.17

, but they did inspire emo bands in the mid-90s to abandon conventional hardcore roots. [11]
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Minor Threat member Ian Mackaye eventually became a fan/roadie of the band and then created his own; Embrace who followed the same characteristics of Rites of Spring. However, they hated being called 'emo'. [12]
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Research source
Greenwald, A. (2003). Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, p.14

Revolution Summer 1985. An attempt deliberately sought by bands like Gray Matter, Beefeater, Dag Nasty, and Soulside to break the limitations of hardcore punk in favor of a fresh idea of creativity. [13]
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Know the subgenres of emo. Emo did not so much evolve but grew offshoots and subgenres instead. The original emocore sound is still around but as the decades went on, other bands who became part of the scene added and exchanged characteristics. That being said, if you're more into one emo style than another, it doesn't matter because it's still emo. Here are the subgenres of emo:

Emocore: short for emotive hardcore, the original style of emo which grew from the Washington D.C hardcore punk scene in the mid-80s with Rites of Spring and Embrace. Other bands followed suit such as Gray Matter and Fire Party, who was termed "the world's first female-fronted emo band". [14]
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Research source
Greenwald, A. (2003). Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, p.14

Post-emo indie rock/Midwest emo: emo was reinvented in the 90s, becoming more melodic and mixed with indie rock to create a softer sound. A perfect example of this sound is Sunny Day Real Estate's 1994 album Diary . Midwest emo was popular enough to form a small subculture surrounding the genre, and was more romantic than emo had ever been. [15]
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Research source
Greenwald, A. (2003). Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, p.35

Emo Pop: emo-pop is a fusion genre of emo and pop-punk. The genre's characteristics include more concise, hook-filled choruses, high-pitched melodies, and lyrical themes addressing adolescence, relationships, and heartbreak. [16]
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Pioneers include The Get Up Kids, The Promise Ring, and Jimmy Eat World, whose single The Middle broke the mainstream in the 00s.
Screamo: a misunderstood genre originating from San Diego cafe in California, 1991 with bands like Heroin and Antioch Arrow. [17]
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The style has more aggressive styled vocals, unconventional song structures, and lyrical themes of human rights, politics, romantic interest, and emotional pain. The genre is incredibly influenced by hardcore punk. Some sub-genres of screamo include Emoviolence, Sasscore, Post-rock/Screamo, Blackened Screamo, and Skramgaze. [18]
X
Expert Source

Regina Dunn Goth Subculture Enthusiast

Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.

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Appreciate Emo music. Start finding emo bands to listen to, and start expanding your music taste. To understand what emo sounds like, try out the most popular and stable albums and bands of the genre:

Emocore: Rites of Spring - End on End (1991), Embrace - self titled (1987), Gray Matter - Food for Thought (1990), Dag Nasty - Can I Say (1986), Moss Icon - Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly (1994).
Post-emo indie rock/Midwest emo: Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary (1994), Texas is the Reason - Do You Know Who You Are? (1996), Christie Front Drive - self-titled (1997), The Promise Ring - 30° Everywhere (1996) and Cap'n Jazz - Analphabetapolothology (1998). Other famous Midwestern emo bands include American Football and Mineral. [19]
X
Expert Source

Regina Dunn Goth Subculture Enthusiast

Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.

Emo Pop: The Get Up Kids - Something to Write Home About (1999), Thursday - Full Collapse (2001), Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American (2001), Panic! at the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005), You Me At Six - Take Off Your Colours (2008).
Screamo: Circle Takes The Square - As The Roots Undo (2004), Touché Amoré – Is Survived By (2013), City of Caterpillar - self-titled (2002), Pg.99 - Document #8 (2001), Funeral Diner - Difference of Potential (2000) [20]
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Research source

and Orchid - Dance Tonight! Revolution Tomorrow ! (2000). Antioch Arrow is another popular screamo band. [21]
X
Expert Source

Regina Dunn Goth Subculture Enthusiast

Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.

Check out Sophie's Floorboard blog. You can download emo/screamo/hardcore albums from here, although you must remember that not everything is supposed to be free and if you can find either a physical copy of the files to buy you should.
Create accounts on Last.fm, SoundCloud , SoundClick, Bandcamp, Pandora, YouTube, and other music streaming sites to find more modern and lesser-known emo bands. Make sure that the bands are emo, though, by identifying their characteristics.

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