Rock music is a very popular music genre and has been for many years and still is and just like the world it has grown and modernised. Rock music today has had a real effect on certain people’s way of communicating with others through more than just lyrics. It communicates people’s emotions and beliefs. But most of all it shows how we are as a person and how we identify and show ourselves to our peers around us.
However, rock music is only the well known name for the overall different subgenres within the rock genre.
Emo (short for emotional), or as some put it, depressing punk rock, was once only a music scene and like everything else, over time it has modernised and has turned into a subculture which is now very well known by many people around the world. Since it started out in 2003 the ‘emo’ subculture has become very well known for its style and age group, simply because the main majority consist of teenage members between the ages of 13 and 18, because the new face of emo appeals to youths rather than adults. Because where adults may prefer the old school heavy metal, indie rock or even punk rock. This certain subgenre is more for the youths of today and has become more than just the music scene it started of as and has become more of a brand obsessed, fashion ‘craze’.
The term Emo first came about through music supposedly in the 80’ meaning, emotional music which today the music is still slated for it’s upfront, open-hearted lyrics but the truth is teenagers of today that listen to the music from bands such as:
·My Chemical Romance
·Dead by April
·Bullet for my Valentine
Are all being different from the crowd and their peers giving themselves a sense of self-expression through the way they put parts (paradigms) of an outfit together (syntagm) and through the music they listen. Thick rimmed glasses, high tops, tight jeans, band t-shirts and music with emotion, anger and aggression (sometimes all three) is a way of life for them.
However, on the other hand it does also add to their personal and social needs as a person to have that reputation as an individual which, also builds up their self esteem (Maslow) and, furthermore, self-concept because they gain that mental image of how they would like to see themselves. Moreover, this sense of belonging and self worth goes into self-presentation because they have the control and can monitor how they want others to perceive or evaluate them simply because even though they have decided to be that way inclined as a person they still have the control on how far they take it. They also create a sort of persona through their clothing and make-up. They are wearing what they want to wear which is perceived in the wrong way and they are seen as just a load of depressed youths that go around doing nothing with their lives apart from ‘crying in corners’.
Despite the ideas that the public have of this subcultures ways (practices) for example, crying, self harming and having no friends My Chemical Romance are a good example for
