by Ella Scher ‘23

Sometimes it’s hard to focus on the things that make you happy. In these tumultuous times, more and more people are getting in touch with their inner selves, discovering more about themselves than they ever wanted to know, and consequently, going back to a time when they were happiest, a decade ago. And what better way to explore nostalgia than through music?

The 2010s were a wild decade–and I’m not saying that because we just exited said decade. Nope, as young as I was, I can still vividly remember several important details of the times. Namely, the trends. Vision-limiting side bangs dyed a rainbow of hues, raccoon-like eye makeup, sullen attitudes, chipped black nail polish and beat-up Converse. And the music. MCR, Fall-Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, Paramore, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and Pierce the Veil … All of these and more were hugely popular, developing an almost cult-like following of sullen black-clad goths, punks, and emos. However, the music was incredibly divisive; parents and teachers hated it, and My Chemical Romance came under fire at one point for a rather explicit reference to school shootings in their hit song “Teenagers.” This only made them more popular, however, as teenagers embraced the ‘rebelliousness’ of the music, crafting their identities and lives around the ‘emo’ sound of the 2010s. 

Now,  emo is making a comeback as more and more people look back at the music they once loved. With MCR making a surprise return in November of 2019, quickly curtailed by Covid-19, public interest is rising. Sadly, Panic at the Disco broke up in 2015, Paramore in 2019, Pierce the Veil and Thirty Seconds to Mars are long gone, and Fall-Out Boy hasn’t released anything new in over a year.  What’s a die-hard emo to do? The new wave of Gen Z emos have got you covered. 

One of the most promising young artists in a while is beabadoobee, a 19-year old British-Filipino singer songwriter who’s becoming more and more popular among the emo sect. With 14,518,000+ monthly listeners on Spotify, her top song “death bed (coffee for your head’)” feat. Powfu is incredibly catchy. Both singers trade verses, harmonizing at certain points with Powfu’s grittier bass mixing well with beabadoobee’s soft soprano as the snapping beat keeps the song going. The lyrics, seemingly about a pair of childhood sweethearts, have a darker undertone, much like the worries of this generation as we wonder about the happy futures that we may never get to have. Her latest album, “Fake It Flowers” is definitely worth a listen (the sixth track is literally called Emo Song, all right?)

Another band, Watersdeep, is rising to popularity, and for good reason. The music video for the single “Searching” was incredibly good. Reminiscent in a lot of ways of My Chemical Romance, the long-haired, tattooed band absolutely killed this track, with some amazing guitar solos, a headbanging drumbeat in the background, and dark, impassioned lyrics about the tribulations of the human psyche. 

Phoebe Bridgers was a surprise favorite, and the title of her self-posted discography playlist is exactly how I reacted when my friend first showed me her Spotify wrapped. “Who is Phoebe f*cking Bridgers?” 

However, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Her songs usually start slow, with a few heavy chords taking you in before she begins to sing. Lyrics about missing, and about regret, and about nostalgia–perfect for people who wish they could remember a time when they were so carefree. Her voice usually takes priority over any music, but that’s perfectly okay–it’s a melodic alto, vulnerable almost, and so lyrical that you don’t even need to know the words to enjoy it. A little off the ‘emo’ track, but so close it hardly matters. You’re going to want to close your eyes and grab a tissue the first time you hear “Smoke Signals” because damn, that hit hard. 

And finally, we have Arcadia Grey! This band is pure midwestern-emo, i- was-born-here-and-i’m-gonna-die-here, why-don’t-you-get-out-of-my-face what-are-you-gonna-do-about-it pop punk. Loud guitar rides alongside lyrics packed with a motley of pop culture references, undiagnosed mental illness, and some really, really good rhymes. And the music video (did they literally act this out with the Sims? I mean…okay. Cool.)  Buckle your seatbelts and go listen to “Braum,” the story of a transgender teen struggling to accept themselves to the tune of some really angry music.

There you have it. Emo music of the ages, old and new. Lay down, close your eyes, press play–and you might open your eyes to find them ringed in eyeliner and the drywall in your bedroom sporting a few fist-shaped holes. Your parents just don’t get it, anyway.