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My Chemical Romance is touring again, there’s a pop-punk festival happening in Vegas, and Machine Gun Kelly is doing … something. In case you haven’t heard, emo is back. At The Ringer, we celebrated the beloved (and sometimes maligned) genre this week, diving into its roots, the music we love, and the culture around it. Grab your Vans and join us in the pit.

The Best Emo Song of Every Year,
1985 to Now

Dan Evans

To kick off the week, Ringer contributors Ian Cohen and Arielle Gordon tackled the long and storied history of emo, from its humble beginnings in the D.C. scene to the TRL stage in the early aughts to its more expansive present day. Year by year, they dissect the best songs from the genre’s history. You’ll find some of your favorites: Dashboard Confessional, American Football, and the Promise Ring. You’ll also likely discover some new stuff (unless you have expert knowledge of both ’80s hardcore and Fifth-Wave bedroom auteurs). Plus, there’s a big playlist with everything at the end.

Read Ian Cohen and Arielle Gordon's list of the best emo song of every year here.

The Oral History of Dashboard Confessional’s MTV Unplugged

Zeke Peña

The famed taping was, hands down, the best day in the history of the emo stalwarts. Our Alan Siegel has the story of how it came together and how it sounded in the room, through the eyes of frontman Chris Carrabba, his band, and most importantly, the fans. As one of those attendees says, “​​You felt a sense of community immediately.”

Read Alan Siegel's oral history of Dashboard Confessional's MTV Unplugged performance here.

Battle of the Bands: Fall Out Boy vs. My Chemical Romance

Getty Images/Ringer illustration
 

Who was the definitive emo band of the 2000s? Rob Harvilla and Charles Holmes took it to court. In the latest episode of The Ringer Music Show, Rob and Charles argued their cases on behalf of MCR and Fall Out Boy, pitting the bands’ lyrics, albums, and influence against one another. It got melodramatic at times (what else would you expect with these groups?), but only one winner emerged. Which was also destined to happen: Remember, this ain’t a scene, it’s an arms race.

 

How Hot Topic Defined a Generation of Emo Kids

Kyle Stecker

For suburban or rural-based emo fans in the ’90s or 2000s, Hot Topic was the only place they could go—outside of a concert—to find the music they liked, buy merch, and convene with like-minded fans. Think of Hot Topic like the anti-Abercrombie: Instead of pushing an aspirational—and blatantly exclusionary—lifestyle, Hot Topic went out of its way to be inclusive and welcoming, no matter your tastes. Ringer contributor Rachel Brodsky went deep on the history of the retailer, exploring how it went from emo to Funko Pop depot, with thoughts from musicians, former execs, and the people behind the register.

Read Rachel Brodsky's history of Hot Topic here.

 

The B-sides: All the Other Stuff You May Have Missed

“I woke up this morning with a piece of past caught in my throat.”
—Rites of Spring
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