Emo revival
The emo revival, or fourth wave emo,[2] was an underground emo movement which began in the late 2000s and flourished until the mid-to-late 2010s. The movement began towards the end of the 2000s third-wave emo, with Pennsylvania-based groups such as Tigers Jaw, Algernon Cadwallader and Snowing eschewing that era's mainstream sensibilities in favor of influence from 1990s Midwest emo (i.e., second wave emo). Acts like Touché Amoré, La Dispute and Defeater drew from 1990s emo and especially its heavier counterparts, such as screamo and post-hardcore.
Emo revival
Fourth wave emo
Late 2000s-early 2010s, United States
- Vocals
- guitar
- bass
- drums
The movement had become prominent in underground music by the mid-2010s, with influential releases from era-defining groups like Modern Baseball, the Hotelier and Joyce Manor. It also expanded in scope and sonic diversity during this period. Soft grunge was pioneered by such groups as Title Fight, Basement, Citizen and Turnover, while State Faults, Birds in Row and Portrayal of Guilt pushed the boundaries of screamo. Fourth-wave emo entered a decline toward the decade's end, as influential bands disbanded or entered periods of hiatus. A fifth-wave of bands began pushing the genre into more experimental territory, often embracing post-rock; examples include Pool Kids, Glass Beach and Awakebutstillinbed.
Characteristics[edit]
Bands of the emo revival are predominately influenced by acts from the Midwest emo scene of the 1990s and early 2000s; according to Ultimate Guitar staff writer Maria Pro, the terms second-wave emo and Midwest emo are used interchangeably to describe that time period's scene.[2] Revival bands often display a "DIY sound" and lyrical themes ranging from nostalgia to adulthood.[3][4] Pro, however, further writes that the revival only borrowed from the second wave in terms of aesthetics; sonically, it featured a distinct fusion of math rock, post-hardcore and pop punk.[2]
Criticism[edit]
The term "emo revival" has been the cause of controversy. Numerous artists and journalists have stated that it is not a revival at all and that, as a result of increasing usage of the Internet to discover music, people have stopped paying attention to locale-based underground emo.[51][52] In 2013, Evan Weiss stated, "It's funny that people are only noticing it now because I feel like that revival has been happening for the last six years [...] It doesn't seem new to me, but if it's new to them, let them enjoy it."[53]
During the emo revival, music scholars began to consider emo music's relationship to misogyny and sexism.[54] The emo revival was also notable for revelations of sexual harassment and assault committed by members of emo bands, such as Brand New,[55] leading to a wider conversation about sexism within emo scenes.[56]