I remember the day I decided to begin my emo phase. I went over to my friends house and once they had fallen asleep I hung out with their older sister. Her wall was covered in posters of punk bands and she had those iconic swoopy bangs. She was edgy and cool. I wanted to be like her. I went home the next day and searched the internet for the bands she had mentioned. This began a lifetime love for rock music but also the most awkward years of my life. I bought a fake lip ring, rocked cheap liquid eyeliner on both my top and bottom lids and was generally pissed off with the world. I grew out of it after a couple years but I remember the time fondly. It’s important when you are young to try out new things and see what fits you. One thing I noticed during this time is there are some characteristics people seem to have based on their favorite band during their emo phase. Here are 11 popular “emo phase” bands and what I can guess about people who consider them their favorites.
- All Time Low
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You weren’t super emo but you definitely wanted to be. They never had cool shirts at Hot Topic for ATL but every time you heard “Lost in Stereo” you couldn’t help but want to get snake bite piercings.
- Black Veil Brides
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You never related to the lyrics but you wore so much black nobody ever challenged you on it. You can only remember one member of the band and it’s Andy Biersack and you are still attracted to him to this day.
- Pierce the Veil
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Your notebooks were covered with quotes from the song “Bulletproof Love” and “Hold on Till May.” You were very sad and your parents did NOT understand. You forgave Karen and Tom for this time in your life. They have not forgiven you.
- Blood on the Dancefloor
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First of all, you weren’t emo, you were scene. You could make tires for your car out of all the rubber bracelets you owned back then. You would fight with people at Warped Tour who trash talked BOTDF by telling them the band saved your life. I’m really scared of you.
- My Chemical Romance
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You were in a very toxic relationship that took place entirely over Kik messenger. On the way to school you listen to “I’m Not Okay” and “Teenagers” and dream of the day you’ll be a teenager so can scare the “living shit” out of adults. When the band broke up you told your mom you couldn’t go to school because your life was over. Now it’s all a painful memory that you were forced to revisit when you realized they were touring again and you don’t have the time or money to see them.
- Paramore
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You destroyed a perfectly good pair of converse with black sharpie and those converse may or may not have laced up to the knee. You can pretend your love for Hayley Williams had nothing to do with you giving yourself bangs over quarantine but you’d be lying to yourself.
- Blink-182
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You liked to skateboard and drank a lot of energy drinks. Now you have chronic knee problems and get anxiety from caffeine. You are still waiting to meet your girl at the rock show but let’s face it, their shows are so big that you’ll never find her, she’s in the pit while you’re struggling to hear from your cheap spot on the lawn.
- Mayday Parade
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You knew everything about relationships and heartbreak before ever dating anyone. You think it’s gross when people sexualize band members from their favorite band because you could never look at the members of MP like that. You have a tattoo for them on your rib-oh wait, that’s just me.
- Panic! at The Disco
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You really loved Glee and being in a theater club. The only song you would dance to at school dances was “I Write Sins Not Tragedies”. You tried to be edgy and smoke a cigarette once but you almost threw up from coughing.
- Fall Out Boy
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Pretty much the same as Panic! at The Disco, but you were a band kid. You always asked the DJ at school dances to play “Thnks fr the Mmrs” but he never would.
- Green Day
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The attitude you have towards the government is still the same but now all your liberal friends join you to rock out to their anarchist songs you’ve been vibing to for years.