Emo: How Fans Defined a Subculture

by Judith May Fathallah

For many, the word “emo” calls to mind angsty teenagers, shaggy black haircuts, and skinny jeans. A popular music phenomenon in the early 2000s, emo is short for “emotional hardcore,” and refers to both a music genre and a youth scene notable for its androgynous style. Judith May Fathallah pushes beyond the stereotypes and social stigma to explore how online fandom has shaped the definition of emo, with significant implications both for millennial constructs of gender and for contemporary fan studies. First laying out the debate over what emo is, Fathallah walks superfans and newcomers through the culture surrounding thegenre’s major bands, including the emo holy My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! At the Disco. Next she examines fans’ main mode of participation in the emo subculture—online communities such as LiveJournal, Tumblr, MySpace, and band websites. Taking a hard look at the gender politics that dominated those spaces, she unearths a subculture that simultaneously defines itself by its sensitivity and resistance to traditional forms of masculinity, yet ruthlessly enforces homophobic and sexist standards. Fathallah demonstrates fandom’s key role in defining emo as a concept and genre after 2001, with probing insight into its implications for gender constructions through popular music.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Pop Culture

214 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Nev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never thought I’d see the milk fic referenced in an academic book, but here we are 😅

I enjoy reading scholarly/academic nonfiction about media that I like. It’s fun to see topics that might be seen as silly be taken really seriously and be written about and analyzed in a rigorous way. This book is focused on how emo fans ended up shaping the overall emo subculture and how it was viewed.

Writing mainly about the emo holy trinity (My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco), Judith May Fathallah explores the eras of emo fandom throughout different websites and how the general emo fandom evolved over time. Through looking at the bands, the fans, and the opinions of more mainstream rock fans and critics the book is able to discuss gatekeeping, masculinity, homophobia, genre, misogyny, and so much more.

There are points where this felt a bit dry (even by academic standards) and that it wasn’t going as in-depth as it could. The actual content of the book is only around 150 pages before all the sources and the index in the back. But overall I had a great time reading this. I think if you’re really into the emo bands of the early to mid 2000s and want to view them and the subculture through an academic lens then you should give this a shot.

[Kristyn Pittman · Rating 4 out of 5]

EMO is not the light look back at the early aughts I thought it would be . Judith May Fathallah gives us a very academic and well researched examination of Emo culture. From what Emo actually means to the fragile masculinity around the phrase; this book goes DEEP!
I recommend this for more academic audiences. There was a gap in the market for well written history and analysis and this fits the bill for sure. As millennial and gen z audiences ages we need this type of historical account to keep the Emo kid spirit alive.

[Heather | Nerdy By Nature Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received a copy of this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

*2.5

I went into this thinking it was going to be a fun look back at the music scene I grew up in, but that wasn't necessarily the case. Fathallah really dives deep into the cultural impact emo music had on society, and isn't afraid to shy away from tough subjects such as gender stereotypes, and even the violence, that plagued this genre. While she touches upon different bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate and Dashboard Confessional, she sticks with the "emo holy trinity" of My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! At The Disco to really drive her message home. Along with the musical holy trinity, she touches upon how the social media holy trinity of Livejournal, Myspace, and Tumblr also played a huge role in the success of emo music, especially in the early 2000s. This is a very research-heavy book, so I think it would be an interesting read for someone who is more into the academic side of music. While I did appreciate the nostalgia factor, it read a little too much like a thesis paper for me to fully enjoy.

[Bec · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw the title for this one and requested it before even looking any further. I will always classify myself as an “emo” I no longer have black hair with a blonde fringe or snake bites but my love for this genre of music will always be my solace.

Fathallah dive deep into the culture of “emotional hardcore” breaking down the stereotypes and tackles some heavy topics gender, social media, common misconceptions and violence associated with the genre.

I loved the band references and the emo “holy trinity” bands My Chemical Romance, Fallout Boy and Panic at the Disco. The formatting of this reads kind of like a paper rather than a book. It’s got 1000’s of references within the narrative. I really enjoyed Fathallah’s views and think it was perfectly executed.

Emo never dies, it’s not a phase, it’s a forever thing.

[Francesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

mi sento ancor più in imbarazzo ad aver pensato che stegoman potesse essere altro che misogino... something something losing chess to a dog... 🙁

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thesis of this book, while interesting and convincingly presented, is too narrow to justify this being a book instead of an academic article. The author has clearly done a great deal of original research and in each chapter, I kept wanting to hear more of her examples and findings as well as more in depth theoretical discussion of different topics that are touched upon (subculture, gender, social media etc.).

I think this should have either been condensed into an article or significantly expanded into a longer in depth book. This might also be due to my expectations but while I found "Emo" insightful it also left me unsatisfied.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have waited years for an academic book on emo culture and Judith May Fathallah delivers. I will post a full review soon because this book deserves a lot of praise.

[Anna Taylor Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best emo book

[notasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

why are all the reviews complaining about this being a work of academia like this isn’t an entire field of study like please be real right now