Parents Guide to “Emo” Music – Understanding Your Teen’s Music
Posted: Friday, January 19, 2007
by Ryan Stroud
Some parents claim to not understand their teenager or the loud racket that blares from their stereo. For those parents who want to understand where your teens are coming from and why, just why, their son feels he should wear girl’s jeans and eyeliner, this list of “emo" albums is for you.
Emo music, also know as “Emotional" music, has been around for years but only in the last decade has it really made a dent in the popular music culture. In the last ten years, Emo music has branched out from its post-hardcore roots into the wide variety of genres it has to offer today.
Emo music mostly consist of bands who sing, or scream, about relationships, breakups and other tragic events in every young adult’s life. These vocal styling’s are usually backed by aggressive rock guitars and heavy drum beats, reminiscent of its post-hardcore background.
Emo music, since its beginning, has always spoken to the “younger crowd" of teenaged angst but has now evolved into a more expectable style of music for the “older crowd" to enjoy.
Thus, for someone who has no earthly clue about emo music, this list is for them. This is “The 10 Essential Emo CD Collection from 1996-2006."
10. 10. The Postal Service - Give Up (2002)
The title alone screams “EMO!" The Postal Service is the side-project of Death Cab for Cutie front man, Ben Gibbard. Gibbard steps away from his indie roots to deliver a beautiful techno-emo album unlike anything people have ever heard. Most notable songs: “Such
- Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends (2002)
TBS took the idea of “dueling vocals" to a new level as they delivered a masterpiece of aggressive heartbreak songs to the masses. Their lyrics are witty and devilishly sinister as both Adam Lazzara and John Nolan sing about love, and love loss. Most notable songs: “The Blue Channel," “There’s no ‘I’ in Team," “You Know How I Do," and “Cute without the E (Cut from the Team)."
- Ozma - Rock ‘n Roll Part 3 (2001)
Ozma took a step to the side of typical emo music by getting in touch with their younger side. Their music lets you know that it’s ok to reminisce about the good ‘ole days staying up late and playing Nintendo. Geeks unite in this classic! Most notable songs: “Natalie Portman," “Baseball," “Battlescars," and “In Search of 1988."
- Jimmy Eat World - Clarity (2001)
This band from
- Northstar - Pollyanna (2004)
Inventive, new, creative! These are all words that can describe all the songs from this
- The Get Up Kids - Four Minuet Mile (1997)
Though it is the rawest material these “Emo Kings" ever released, it’s also their best. Poorly recorded in ’97, these (at the time) young lads poured out their hearts to the world. They gave everything they had on this record as if all of them were going to die the next day and never record anything else. Their frustration and excitement about leaving their loved ones behind for the chance at success can be heard on all the tracks. By far, the best garage style emo record ever! Most notable songs: “Coming Clean," “Don’t Hate Me," “Better Half," and “Shorty."
- Brand New - Deja Entendu (2003)
This album broke all the rule of music in general. It stared critics in the eyes and said, “We don’t care what you think!" These talented
- Saves The Day - I’m Sorry I’m Leaving (1998)
This acoustic E.P. is a small collection of some of emo music’s greatest songs ever written and recorded. It laid the foundation for future acts to see what real heartfelt acoustic should sound like. Songs about desire and romance; love loss and understanding; and songs about missing those who are closest to you. Beautifully written and extremely catchy, this album will be enjoyed by both girls and boys alike for years to come. Most notable songs: “I’m Sorry I’m Leaving," “Hold," “The Way His Collar Falls," and “Jesse and my Whetstone."
- Dashboard Confessional - The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most (2001)
We have all heard Chris Carrabba’s “Vindicated" off the Spiderman 2 Soundtrack, but have you heard anything else from this brilliant man? If not, then please, please, pick up this album. No one can match the sounds of want and desire that pours form his vocals, even to the point of passionate screams cracking on the recording. What he brings to the table is real, pure emotion. Honestly, after hearing one of his records, you personally will want to go find who hurt this man (and inspired his music) and then hurt them for torturing him so bad. Most notable songs: “The Brilliant Dance," “Again I Go Unnoticed," “This Bitter Pill," “The Best Deceptions," and “Screaming Infidelities."
- Weezer - Pinkerton (1996)
This is the record that brought emo music to where it is today. Without this masterpiece of carefully crafted greatness, emo music would not exist today. Weezer, the Godfathers of emo, stepped out of their “major label" box to craft a rollercoaster of emotions from love, regret, wanting, hating, thriving and any other powerful emotional word you can fit on this page. Let’s just say if it wasn’t for Weezer, your kids would be listening to show tunes on a constant basis. Weezer gave everyone in the music industry the understanding that you can be on a major label and still record music you truly believe in, not just what the record executives want you to hear. Most notable songs: “Tired of Sex," “Getchoo," “Across the Sea," “Pink Triangle," and “Butterfly."
Hopefully this can help you make a step towards understating the music your teen listens to. Showing an interest in their music will bring you closer together. And who knows, maybe one day they will invite you to a show!
Ryan Stroud is a military trained journalist who has served in Iraq with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army. Prior to his military experiences, Stroud grew up playing, coaching, and refereeing soccer. Also, Stroud focused many years of his life playing, touring, and recording/producing local music acts. He has a wonderful wife of 4 years, a 2 year old son and a newborn daughter.
Stroud's biggest writing influences are Jim Butcher, Chuck Palahniuk, Edward Lee, Jack Ketchum, Christopher Moore and Ben Fox.
He currently resides in Huntsville, Al, with the 59th Ordnance Brigade at Redstone Arsenal.
Stroud would also like to take a moment to thank his friends who are currently in battle over in Iraq. God bless all of you.
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More commentsThe writer of this article is speaking from the roots point of view. Of what "emo" is about to the people who created it. The so called "culture" cannot be described as a whole. Many people claim to be emo. Some musicians that are labeled emo do not like being associated with it because of the stereotypes.The fact is that every generation has their group of kids that are so depressed about their teenage existence and wanting to be praised and loved by everyone but not exactly getting those things. These are the kids that lock themselves away, these are the "cutters". There are cutters in every generation and they latch onto whatever "subculture" is relevant to the time.Let's face it, if your kid is an emo cutter in today's America. He/she would have been a Goth cutter in yesterdays America. A cutter will be a cutter and a certain "subculture/community/music" is not to blame.Like Mr. Stroud said, let the kids express themselves whether it's art, music, writing, whatever. Just make sure that if it's art you get them plastic safety scissors. ;PI don't call myself an emo but I embrace the concept and listen to many bands labeled that genre. (Actually most of my library of music can be considered emo.)I am a free-thinking, artistic, and creative mind.Now I'll leave the professionalism to Mr. Stroud again and kindly tell you parents to please, get your heads out of your asses and instead of blaming the music, think deeper. Maybe your son cuts himself because he wants to get laid really bad, he can't talk to chicks to save his life, and he thinks he has a small penis?best comment here.
keep an eye on your own patterns of association, if there's a problem focus on the actual substance. blaming an expressive effect of a cause is like blaming a mirror for what's reflected in it.
and if you want bleak apocalyptic hate music to quench your misery, try black metal
Whoever created this is soooo stereotypical. Seriously, our music rocks, regardless of wut anyone says. the list is bogus anyway. our music is way totally rad and we have new favorites! So, before you start to hate on us, and think we just have problems! try being one of us and see. *sticks out tongue*Wow. I think the whole point of this site is to show stereotypical emo music, not your personal favorites, but I guess you missed that. I think you are trying to be a non conformist... you want to go against the crowd try being a geek, a guy who does ballet, or an atheist in the south. Or maybe you can just try to be yourself and express yourself. I have no problem with emo music I don't understand screamo but who cares they are expressing themselves.
You can't just lump a group of people together and expect them to like it.
That music sucks, and I'm a 14 year old girl, by the way. Everybody calls me 'emo'. And I listen more to screamo. Well, anywyas, the person who wrote this is very stereotypical. You might as well say that everybody who listens to your albums cut themselves, are depressed and consult a psychologist. Even though I do cut myself, i am depressed, please don't generalize.
OK seriously to solve this emo problem (this goes out to all you emo parentals) Try TALKING to your son or daughter let them know that you want to try and understand them dont send them to a therapist it willl just make it worse believe me i know this cause that is what my parents did for or to me know i am 10 times worse just try and talk to them dont write them off as freaks they (we) get that enough from teachers, other kids who are too good for us and hell we even get dirty looks from random people we dont know just because we dress different listen to music that isnt about having sex or seducing someone and we create or own style yes we create our own style yet we all get thrwon into a cliche known as emo yes we are different yes we see things different from " normal" (well there is no such thing as normal) but that DOES NOT MAKE US FREAKS it makes us who we are we dont go around saying that " omg look hes wearing pants that fit him he is such a average person " basically when you have a "emo" child try talking to them dont judge or label them until you atleast try to see where they are coming from
omg you people have no background you all say awwww why is my son suisidal well mabye hes mad and those jeans arnt just for gurls you are dumb if you say that they are jeans and they are cool and just cuz that music is labled emo dosnt mean emos like that music god !!!! let us be ok just let us be ur not helping by sending us to a thereapist its dumb and think about this... are we telling the truth? huh!
i think parents area just too touchy bout this kinda stuff. if your like me, you will practically listen to anything, dont get freaked out if your kid is listening to "the best day ever" and then going for disturbed (its a band) the next day. its not that unusual.
This is sorta helpful i mean i dont realy know.i am 'emo' but that's only if you belive in tittles.but all 'we' no all i want is to be left alone. if i am sad let me be sad. i dont need any meds i am just plan and simple sad.yes emotional people are more pron to fall in love ALOT easyer than others but that is us! not you so please just let it be. and not all emo kid's cut! good goodness i am emo and do not cut! i mean i may have thought about it but i have never done it so please stop saying that stuff about how emo kids cut. and i'm sorry if i come off as mean with this letter but i am not trying to be i just feel very strongly about this.and on a happy note. 'emo' boy's with 'emo' hair are very smexy!oh and about 'emo music' it is just screamo ok so maybe they scream the words but we like it so leave us be! i realy enjoy them and if your not afraid you could check out some underoath. there a realy awsome band and there "the devil wears prada" another awsome band. so um there, those are just a few awsome bands of 'emo' music. yea well that's my input of the whole thing.
this article does not help at all.just because kids like me listen to music like this dosent mean we are "emo" or suicidal or anything like that. we may just like the music. its just what we like, we dont always have a reason for liking it, we just do. so dont go around ranting about how we need help or critisize us for wearing differnt clothes. so what? we like music that sounds angry? or sad? it keeps us entertained and dosent always have some deep meaning as to why we listen to it. you know you all say you want to "understand us" its not that hard, were the same as everyone else, just different views, all we want is to be loved like every other normal kid.. asking us all the time "are you okay?" just pisses us off. theres nothing "wrong" with us. so dont try anf fix us or make us better. let us be ourselves.
People just need to back off. We're different, so everyone just assumes we're bad people. Just because we look a certain way doesn't mean we all act that way. Yes, I've distanced myself from people and my parents. Yes, I love music. And if you must stereotype me, like the world does to teens, I suppose I'm, to most people, "emo". Whatever; it means nothing. I just prefer music to people.And for the record, some of the music is a stereotype, too. I love some of it, but I also listen to opera and Elvis...and even Taylor Swift.Nothing is wrong with us at all. So just leave us alone. Butting in will only make it worse.
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