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The concept of the "Emo" sub culture is supported by a new age of post-punk music, dark black hair, neo-narcissistic make-up on both men and women and the ever present attribute of sub culture dress codes. The term is short for "emotional" and has been controversially criticized for being an aspect into teenage suicide, bipolar and depression disorders due to the "not so subliminal" messages which are blurted and screamed out throughout the songs which feature such lyrics as "Cut my wrists and black my eyes" by one of the "Emo" cultures pioneer bands, Hawthorn Heights.

So just what is the fascination with the "Emo" label and why has it become such a big part of British and American society? The concept of Emo is a post-punk music style; punk of course was aimed at teenagers during the 1980's. Emo has been aimed at teenagers in the same way and as such, teenagers are encouraged to follow the trend that the popular bands and their band members wear. Prior to Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance fame dying his hair jet black, it was relatively unheard of in the punk community.

The Emo subculture however despite its commercial criticism can however prove to be a good thing. For those that are not drawn into controversial lyrics and do not take the songs so seriously, it can actually be an enjoyable sub culture to follow. Much like any other culture, the "Emo's" pride themselves on being different to any other sub culture. It can be seen as a way of unique expression and the taste in music is often enough to bring a group together which forms bonds of friendships and relationships which in turn combats the media speculation that the Emo sub culture is related to high levels of teenage suicide.

Emo, much like other genres of rock can be separated into different genres. The most common one being the post-punk sound incorporated by such bands as Lost Prophets, My Chemical Romance and Fallout Boy, and the "Screamo" genre which has been fronted by such names as Hawthorne Heights and several other bands which often simply scream, beat and "pig squeel" songs out, many of which are incomprehensive and non-understandable, yet the fans of the genre love them anyway.

The most important thing to remember with the Emo sub culture is that for many teenagers it is often just a phase which they grow out of. For others who see the sub-culture as a form of expression and rebellion, this may be spawned by personal problems or home trouble and as such it is crucial to intervene and ensure that everything is okay, just like you would with any person suffering from a problem. For some, Emo is a sub-culture of music and clothing, for others it is a lifestyle which they follow and pursue as a music or designer career, but in retrospect; it is just another unnecessary and stereotypical label that puts people in a specific category when in reality, people are people no matter their taste in clothing or music.

Learn more about this author, Wayne K. Wilkins.
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