# Sad emo music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 8, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947 "2003-07-08T05:23:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/1 "2003-07-08T05:23:28Z")
Just because I’m in the mood, will some people reccomend some good sad emo songs/bands to me. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/2 "2003-07-08T11:51:45Z")
Depressed Australian ratites make few sounds other than a low hiss. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/3 "2003-07-08T13:27:11Z")
Emo? As in “Emo Phillips?” ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/4 "2003-07-08T13:39:35Z")
I dunno… what are you already into? Your first term reading list should include: The Get Up Kids Cursive Death Cab For Cutie Saves The Day The Anniversary Jimmy Eat World The Promise Ring Braid and maybe Dashboard Confessional or Taking Back Sunday, but then again, depending on your taste, maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/5 "2003-07-08T14:24:07Z")
Aren’t they all sad? It’s not like the “emotion” is happiness. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/6 "2003-07-08T14:29:02Z")
Music by **Emo** Phillips? **Emo** tional music? **Emo** tion_less_ music? **Emo** llient music, that softens your skin? **Emo** din music, reminiscent of an orange crystalline compound? **Emo** lument music, that grinds? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/7 "2003-07-08T14:33:24Z")
My skin feels softer after listening to Enya. ---
**Author:** ![Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/8 "2003-07-08T15:13:18Z")
The term is a shortened version of “ **emo** tional hardcore,” **Eve**. This means Dashboard Confessional does not apply. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/9 "2003-07-08T16:58:11Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by Fred_ > This means Dashboard Confessional does not apply. While the term came from “emotional hardcore,” the music it refers to is often not hardcore. Most modern emo, for instance, is much more melodic, and can be completely unrelated to emo. Dashboard Confessional is often described as emo, and fits in with the label in a loose kind of way. The connection to Further Seems Forever also helps. And while Dashboard’s MTV whining may displease some (I admit - it’s a guilty pleasure of mine) it seems pertinent to categorise it as emo, if only for their/his history. ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/10 "2003-07-08T17:11:57Z")
Yeah, Further Seems Forevers been mentioned… how about From Autumn to Ashes - my fav. being “short stories with tragic endings” It’s bliss! A Static Lullaby, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/11 "2003-07-08T17:12:39Z")
So a minor hijack: how about emo bands with female vocalists? It seems like that might be an interesting combo. ---
**Author:** ![fallapart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fallapart/32/3018_2.png) [@fallapart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fallapart)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/12 "2003-07-08T17:18:53Z")
Hmmmm…sad emo eh? Well, you can’t go wrong with “Sunny- Day Real Estate.” Or any of Jeremy Enigk’s solo stuff. “Texas is the Reason” could also work but if you want some really sad stuff, I suggest “Pedro the Lion,” their more indi-rock then emo but hey it gets the job done. ---
**Author:** ![Tertius01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tertius01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tertius01)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/13 "2003-07-08T19:35:48Z")
I find it hilarious that **Eve** ’s response was exactly the same as Ian MacKaye’s. According to the Deep Elm website: “Hardcore lore has it that during an Embrace show someone from the crowd shouted on-stage “You guys are emo-core!” to which MacKaye replied ‘You mean Emo Phillips?’” Ian MacKaye, of Minor Threat/Embrace/Fugazi fame, is generally considered one of the founders of “emo.” ---
**Author:** ![Tertius01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tertius01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tertius01)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/14 "2003-07-08T19:44:13Z")
If you are looking for sad emo, go for **Cursive**. I’d particularly recommend _Domestica_. It is basically a concept album centered on lead singer Tim Kashir’s divorce. Its probably more angry than sad, but it is chock full of raw emotion. Their latest album _The Ugly Organ_ is good too. It features a cello which adds a lot of depth to the music in my opinion. **Rainer Maria** and **Rilo Kiley** both have female lead vocalists. ---
**Author:** ![HalberMensch242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/15 "2003-07-08T19:54:23Z")
If you want a good hardcore tinged modern emo bands check out **Planes Mistaken For Stars**. I also second the Cursive recomendations. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/16 "2003-07-08T20:02:39Z")
Oh, Ian and I always used to hang together at CBGBs when he was with The Teen Idles and Minor Threat. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/17 "2003-07-08T20:12:56Z")
I’d agree that DC isn’t really Emo according to the historic definition, but according to all the pop definitions and stereotypes, they are actually the quintessential emo band (i.e. whiny.) I haven’t heard a lot of these bands, but I haven’t heard one that’s sadder than Dashboard. And of the bands mentioned I have heard, J.E.W. is among the LEAST sad. I dunno, emo doesnt really seem all that sad to me, I guess that’s cause I’m also into 80s gloom-pop (more into Psych furs and Echo than the obvious Smiths.) Compared to that, its a lot less sad. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-emo-music/186947/18 "2003-07-09T14:12:01Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by Smack Fu_ > So a minor hijack: how about emo bands with female vocalists? It seems like that might be an interesting combo. The Anniversary have a female vocalist (and a male one). I think she’s married to one of the Get Up Kids. **Ludovic** : J.E.W. can get pretty sad (Hear You Me, for instance), and they had octave chords all over the place on their earlier records, so they get extra emo points. But you’re right, emo bands don’t always do ‘sad’ - the emo is short for emotional [hardcore] after all. Cursive are very emo, but if you listen to _The Ugly Organ_, their latest album, their is little actual sadness - he tends to be angry or confused or regretful. I guess like a lot of genre names, its definition has changed from when the word was first adopted. There’s been a good link to a “What is emo” site posted here before - anyone still have it?