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To understand emo music you have to come to terms with so-called 'emo culture'. Emo people are usually more emotionally open than their counterparts - particularly true of males. Frequently suffering from depression and/or other atypical conditions, they, seek out music that fits their personality.

One of the early emo bands who met this criteria was Jimmy Eat World, who combined emotionally open lyrics with some famously catchy hooks. This band set out the basic structure of emo music to come. However, contrary to popular belief, Jimmy Eat World, as well as many other bands, did not simply fall into the 'teenage angst' genre of song writing, their music frequently featured reassuring lyrics - such as those in The Middle from their 2001 'Bleed American' release;

"Hey, dont write yourself off yet/It's only in your head you feel left out/Or looked down on/Just try your best/Try everything you can/And dont worry what they tell themselves/When youre away.

If you dont think lyrics such as this have appeal then theres something wrong with you.

Later emotional bands remain supportive of a self-appreciating life - nowhere on a My Chemical Romance album, for instance, will you find the band encouraging its fans to self harm, commit suicide, or commit any harmful acts in any way. My Chemical Romance have played a vital role in getting the image of the 'groupies' having intercouse with the band every night, out of rock music - they still frequently take breaks during their live performances to discuss this issue, as well as that of the war in Iraq and the topic of cancer.

Modern emotional music has taken on a much more escapist quality; with so called concept albums (where an entire album is based on a single storyline, character, or theme) becoming highly successful. My Chemical Romances two most recent albums, 'Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge' and 'The Black Parade' are examples of such productions, as well as AFI's release 'decemberunderground'.

So what is the appeal of emo music then? The genre's greatest asset is it's lyrics. Many of the great lyric writers in music remain part of the emo genre. Emo music is a much more accessible type of rock music than other genre's - something which is treated as a cardinal sin in many musical circles. Finally, to understand the appeal of emo music, you must comprehend the people that it has helped. Countless fans of the previously mentioned bands, and of many more, openly discuss how the music these groups created saved their lives

Learn more about this author, Liam O Dowd.
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