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Which band is often associated with emo music?

emo

American  
[ee-moh] / ˈi moʊ /

noun

  1. emocore.

  2. a type of guitar-based rock music developed from emocore but having a softer, pop or mainstream sound.

  3. a fan of emo, especially a person who is overly sensitive, emotional, and full of angst, or who adopts a certain style characterized by dyed black hair, tight t-shirts and skinny jeans, etc.

  4. a person who is overly sensitive or emotional.

  5. emotional display; emotion.

    The storyline had too much emo and not enough substance.


adjective

  1. noting or relating to the type of music called emo or emocore.

    emo albums of the late 1990s.

  2. of or relating to a fan of emo, or to the lifestyle, dress, etc., typical of such a person.

    emo teens;

    emo fashion.

  3. overly sensitive or emotional.

emo British  
/ ˈiːməʊ /

noun

    1. a type of music combining traditional hard rock with personal and emotional lyrics

    2. ( as modifier )

      emo bands

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of emo

First recorded in 1985-90; shortening of emocore


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

He says: "The emo crowd gets a bad rep, but Emofest has some of the best shows we run across the UK."

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

Is emo making a comeback - and who are today's emo kids?

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

If you grew up with this sound, you’ve internalized voices like this to a degree that you barely notice how they connect to rap and emo.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Petracca opened up with Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar We’re Goin Down” to set the sing-a-long tone before blistering through a set of remixes to songs by beloved emo and pop-punk artists such as Panic!

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2026

“It’s taken time, I swear. I went through this whole emo phase in middle school where I played with the alias ‘Rick.’”

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

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