Today I was talking to a close friend online over msn about a band Thursday. They said that they have never really listened to any “hardcore emo” music. That put me off on a tangent because it still strikes me odd that people are convinced that ‘emo’ is a genre of music.

Emo is a short form for emotional and begun when online groups categorized themselves as ‘emo kids’. Emo is a relatively new thing to most people but has been around for at least 10 years. It has more in common with Straight Edge then with a type of music. Emo kids were mainly social outcasts at the time and found support within there own groups online. They also shared the same tastes in music, which usually had dark lyrics and would put someone in a depressing mood.

Emo was equal to Straight Edge, which is a group of individuals who do not drink, do drugs or are promiscuous. Straight Edge groups mainly listen to metal or hardcore music, and signify by X’s on their hands. However there are no Straight Edge bands there are merely bands which associate with the culture. Over the years as the emo style has become more popular. This meant that bands that have darker lyrics or a lead singer with a quieter voice were assumed to be emo and that was a title given to their music.

The lines between lifestyle and music genres have become intertwined due to mainstream media associating music to a certain type of person. This creates a culture which will not listen to certain types of music because they do not think they are welcome to. I know many people which will not listen to a punk cd just because they don’t think that they look the part. That is actually no joke, it’s sad to think that people would restrict themselves musically because of the types of clothes they wear, or for the lives they lead.

I am not an emo kid nor do I support the culture. This is mainly because they have a lifestyle which is self destructive and anti social. However, I do enjoy many types of music which is now being titled as emo, which to me is a negative extension placed on good music. While people assume I will act a certain way because of the music I listen to… seems a bit ridiculous to me, but it seems to be true these days.