An emo or scene phase is categorized by a sense of self-loathing, the belief that nobody gets you, and the yearning for "swishy bangs." if you were a middle or high-school student in the mid-to-late 2000s then it is likely that you went through an emo or scene phase. It is basically a rite of passage for every angsty adolescent to go through this pivotal and embarrassing transitional period to young adulthood. Likely, or rather hopefully, you have grown out of this phase, but if you are like me then you still scream out the lyrics to these throwback jams when they come across your radio or headphones.
When these songs come on the radio while you are driving, all of a sudden you remember those sad days of raccoon eyeliner and the smell of Manic Panic hair dye. The music suddenly has you feeling like you're back in middle school and feeling like a complete outcast in the world. These are the 10 songs that will always bring you back to your scene or emo phase:
1. "If It Means A Lot To You" by A Day To Remember
The last minute of this song will send chills down your spine and bring you back to your sweat-filled days at Warped Tour. The beautiful lyrics combined with the slow build up to the heartbreaking duet at the end of the song will forever bring chills to your spine. Far too many nights were spent laying in bed crying while listening to this beautiful ballad.
2. "The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot" by Brand New
The lyrics to this song were undoubtedly your AIM away message at least once during your adolescence. "Call me a safe bet, I'm betting I'm not" will forever make your heart pang ever so slightly as you recall your years of middle school infatuation and supposed love.
3. "Miserable At Best" by Mayday Parade
Now, there are so many Mayday Parade songs that could go on this list. As a band they were pivotal contributors to the well of angsty song lyrics about unrequited love and heartbreak. But this song in particular will tug at your heartstrings and bring you back to the nights of crying in your room because your crush didn't like you back or your significant other of a few short weeks dumped you.
4. "Misery Business" By Paramore
It is impossible to make a list like this without including a Paramore song. Hayley Williams was the ultimate hair goals throughout the scene/emo phase and her lyrics expressed the thoughts and emotions of every angsty, sad girl out there. Additional points go to Paramore for being one of the few very popular scene/emo bands featuring a female lead singer.
5. "Big City Dreams" by Nevershoutnever!
The soothing sounds of Christofer Drew's voice were a nice break from the angry angst rock typically listened to by emo or scene kids. Listening to this would make you think about just how badly you couldn't wait to finally get out of your town and move to [insert big city here] to pursue your dream of music or art or some other creative passion.
6. "The Sadness Will Never End" by Bring Me The Horizon
BMTH was a staple of the emo/scene music culture. All of their songs revolved around sadness and pain and anguish and death. They were a rather hardcore band usually listened to on your lowest of days when all your little angst-ridden heart wanted to do was drown out the sounds of your thoughts.
7. "Not Good Enough For Truth In Cliche" by Escape The Fate
"Sitting in this room playing Russian roulette, finger on the trigger to my dear Juliet." Yet another AIM away message or background song on your myspace, this song was a staple in every emo/scene kid's iTunes library. The perfect mix of screaming and singing, this song will forever be a favorite for our kind.
8. "If I'm James Dean, You're Audrey Hepburn" by Sleeping With Sirens
"They say that love is forever, your forever is all that I need." This song made you feel every single emotion associated with unconditional love. The lyrics entirely revolve around falling in love and the troubled road ahead once two people are together. As one of the most famous emo/scene songs of this period, it is also, oddly, one of the happiest seeing as it is about love and not death or breaking up.
9. "Adam's Song" by Blink 182
The whole song encompasses how it feels to be alone and sad yet unable to tell others. It starts out talking about losing hope and giving up after years of sadness and suffering, but rather than just ending on that depressing note as so many emo/scene songs do, it transforms into a song about hope and survival. The title character decides to live and his life transforms for the better, and he finally overcomes the despair that he had his whole life. It is a song about survival and the possibility of a better future even when the days seem darker than imaginable. And for that reason it remains a favorite of former emo/scene kids.
10. "Welcome To The Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance
This is hands-down the ultimate angsty emo ballad by the ultimate angsty emo band. That first G note is basically the catalyst for every single former emo kid to stop what they are doing and revert to their old angsty ways just long enough to belt out the entire song. MCR continue to this day to be my favorite band of all time and even years after departing from the emo phase I remain devastated over their breakup.
We stop wearing the terrible chained and baggy clothes and cease bleaching our hair for the sake of the perfect shade of electric blue, but maybe the emo/scene phase isn't all bad. Is it extremely tragic to look back on now? Absolutely. But going through this stage in your journey through growing up taught you how to deal with feeling alone and like nobody understood you. It instilled the coping mechanisms necessary to live in our society. Plus, you discovered some great music along the way. So all in all maybe the emo phase isn't as bad as we tend to believe, and maybe it will forever be a part of us.
