Emo

Emo is a genre that emerged in the 1980s from Washington, DC's Hardcore Punk scene, incorporating more melodic songwriting, poetic lyricism, and highly expressive, passionate vocals. Since its inception, the style has substantially evolved, often with different interpretations from band to band. However, it is primarily defined by its sincere expression of personal emotions, lyrically and musically. Emo originated in Washington, DC, in the summer of 1985. Initially coined Emocore, it was used to describe a group of hardcore punk bands that slowed their music down and adopted more personal, poetic lyrics along with melodic singing in response to increasing violence and reactionary sentiments in the scene. Influenced by Hüsker Dü, this movement became known as Revolution Summer, with the most notable bands being Rites of Spring, Dag Nasty, and Embrace.