Just a Thought...

Before I start my rant, understand this: I do not consider myself to be "emo" and do not even listen to emo music. In fact, I consider myself a fairly normal person, conforming to the cookie cutout music lover standards that exist in society today. I listen to a broad selection of rock music mainly, with emphasis on classic rock. I think music should be defined by those who listen to it, which brings me to my point:

Is "emo" a legitimate genre for music? I mean, emo stands for emotional, and it started out as meaning just that: raw vocals, with the singer pouring his or her heart out for the audience. When did it turn into this whole thing about complaining and slashing wrists? Isn't there a GOOD kind of emotional? Not this whiny, bad connotation that we give it today? Is this our macho-centered society's fault? I mean, when it comes down to it, couldn't ALL music be considered emo? Think about this: Robert Plant, had he began singing in current times, could be considered emo. Bob Dylan, if he just started out last year, could be another. Anyone who really even sings about issues they really care about could be considered emotional, when we think about it. So what happened to turn it into this whole deranged lifestyle, with its own fashions and everything? Just because you are emotional doesn't mean you are non-conformist. It just means you have feelings and aren't afraid to express them. Doesn't the term "emo" itself give power to those who consider themselves a part of it? They want to be a part of something, and they want an excuse to vent, so why not just get a particular haircut, begin listening to a certain type of bands and conform (yes, conform) to a new standard which has been set?

I say it's bogus. Music can't be classified into any kind of particular genre BUT emotional, when it comes down to it. And when you contort it and twist it around, then you are destroying its original purpose: to entertain. It isn't the theme song for you hurting yourself and thinking about how you are so much better than everyone else but have a worse life than all of them. Instead of calling it "emo," couldn't we just call it "whiny, self-indulgent crap?" It'd make it a lot easier for us legitimate music lovers to pick and choose what we really want to listen to, some of which is currently classified under such a broad term. The term emo scares off anyone who doesn't want to be a part of the scene, and it turns on anyone who does. So it is just helping to stereotype. And it sucks. And I am someone who doesn't even listen to any music that some people would consider emo.