While, The Ringer’s Emo Week wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been – what I’ve read actually seems pretty good. However, the fact that as far as I read it never once mentioned peacoats, the Tickle-Me-Emo webring, or Butterfly Clips worn by scene girls with reverse mullets means it doesn’t completely reflect the Emo scene I remember. So, here are my favorite “Emo” songs from the decade when I was sort of, I guess, not really, “into Emo”. I don’t know, at the time I had a pin on my guitar strap that said “Emo Rocks” right next time another one that said “Emo Sucks”.
Not all these songs are Emo songs by Emo artists. And…you know what I don’t really care, I’m going for a mood, not a genre.
Pre-1994 “I am the Cosmos” by Chris Bell, “Boys Don’t Cry” by the Cure, and “Never Talking to You Again” by Husker Du. None of these are Emo songs or from artists traditionally thought of as big Emo influences. However, I can’t imagine the music I listened to as a high-schooler without these songs being forerunners.
“I Am the Cosmos” has an almost unearthly beauty to its melody, while Chris Bells moans that even if he is a cosmic force, he can’t bring his ex back.
“Boys Don’t Cry” addresses the issue of male emotions and heartbreak head-on. Multiple Emo artists would go on to cover the Cure.
You can say what you want, but you can’t tell me Husker Du wasn’t an influence on the earliest Emotional Hardcore music. Before Rites of Spring and Embrace, Husker Du is ranting about someone they’re so mad at, they won’t even bother insulting them anymore.
1994 – “In Circles” by Sunny Day Real Estate Honorable Mention – “Song About An Angel” by Sunny Day Real Estate
When I think about classic emo, SDRE’s Diary is just the classic example, the biggest influence, and just the best, period.
1995 – “Stars” by Hum Honorable Mention – “Please Let That Be You” by the Rentals
Hum was never really an “Emo” band. But they certainly were one of the most self-reflective bands of the 90s. “Stars” is the song about a girl who “missed the train to Mars, she’s out back counting stars”. Is it about a break-up, a breakdown, an actual alien abduction? Hum makes it seem it could be any or all in both the lyrics and the way the music crashes up and down.
1996 – ” A Picture Postcard” by the Promise Ring Honorable Mention – “Iodine” by Jawbox “
“A Picture Postcard” is the first time I remember hearing an emo song where the emotion absolutely mattered the most. Davey Von Bohlen can sing with better diction and with better pitch. The band as a whole can keep time better. But that wouldn’t capture the emotion of the song’s story as well.
1997 – “B is for Bethlehem” by the Promise Ring Honorable Mention – “If You are to Bloom” by Hum
Really I could have picked any song from Nothing Feels Good; one of my favorite Emo albums of all time and one of the first I really got into. I just love the power-poppiness of “B is for Bethlehem”.
1998 – “Sweet Avenue” by Jets to Brazil Honorable Mention – “Softer” by Jimmy Eat World
Orange Rhyming Dictionary was probably the first Emo Album I bought solely based on its reviews. I happened to really love it and Jets to Brazil quickly become one of my most listened-to bands in high school. “Sweet Avenue” is actually one of the least emo and simplest songs by Jets to Brazil, but it’s just a great showcase for Blake Schwarzenbach’s lyrics.
1999 – “Show Me the Money” by the Juliana Theory Honorable Mention – “Mass Pike” by the Get Up Kids
There’s really only one album I can remember just putting on repeat over and over again and that’s Understand This a Dream. And sometimes it wasn’t even the whole album, my friends and I would just listen to “Show Me the Money” multiple times in a row.
2000 – “You’ve Got So Far To Go” by the Alkaline Trio Honorable Mention “Macy’s Day Parade” by Green Day
Okay, so yeah these are both Punk bands technically. But the songs are more emo than punk. “You’ve Got So Far to Go” is about the maybe blossoming of a new relationship right when one partner is about to leave. It’s something that a lot of people can relate to, and something you can relate to hard as you’re moving between high school, college, and first jobs.
2001 – “Hands Down” by Dashboard Confessional Honorable Mention – “A Praise Chorus” by Jimmy Eat World
“Hands Down” is the ur-emo example. Chris Carrabba imagines an upcoming date, including how his friends will react. It’s like listening to someone’s anxiety attack.
2002 – “Sweet Marie” by the Anniversary Honorable Mention – “Overdue” by the Get Up Kids
I have a theory that all references to holes in hearts, and dying young in the Anniversary’s Your Majesty aren’t really metaphors but are referring to actual medical problems. Either way, their import is life-changing to the singer.
2003 – “the District Sleeps Alone” by the Postal Service Honorable Mention – “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I mean I could have chosen almost any song on Give Up, which was the collaboration between electronica artist Dntel and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie (and brought out the most emo-ness in both of them). But only one song takes place in DC.
2004 – “Portions for Foxes” Rilo Kiley Honorable Mention “Your Ex Lover is Dead” by Stars
Rilo Kiley was an Indie Rock band, not an emo band. But this song is about falling into a relationship that’s bad news because both people know they’re not right for each other. But then they give in anyway.
Post-2004 – “That’s What You Get” by Paramore and “Coffee and Cigarettes” by Jimmy Eat World
Paramore is really the only Emo band I’ve gotten into post the early 2000s. One friend described them as “Jimmy Eat World with a female singer”, which honestly isn’t an insult. And speaking of Jimmy, “Coffee and Cigarettes” is their only song I’ve really loved since Bleed American. And it’s not an Emo song, it’s just a Pop song, but it does talk about finally leaving the town you grew up in.