Formally, emo is not what many people think it is. It's unfortunate that the term has been stigmatized, but emo music actually refers to an offshoot of punk and indie music. Typical characteristics: gruff but intelligible vocals, distorted riffs mixed with jangly guitars, and emotional, contemplative lyrical content. Classic bands include Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, Cap'n Jazz (who are a lot closer to hardcore punk than emo today), while some of the more acclaimed emo bands include Snowing, Castevet, and Joyce Manor (who are representative of a shift towards more of an indie and post-rock influenced sound in the genre).
It isn't. But the emo label has been hijacked poorly, as has the metalhead and its sub cultures by teens. Emo nowadays is whatever teens want, BVB and the rest of the poppish ''ost-hardcore'' bands.
You guys know they even deny about being in the mainstream? listen to Rusty James, it has lyrics that say "Anything but the mainstream". now i do agree they are changing their style of music though i wouldn't go as far as saying they are mainstream. they are kinda like in a halfway between stage. Plus they were just trying a new type of style with iUNO!, iDOS!, And iTRE'! Billie Joe even stated that these new albums were just experiments, and they wanted to see how many copies would be sold and if people like this new style. and in the end, if your in a band for like 25 years your style of music WILL change over time. There is no avoiding this.
Green day isn't emo, metal, punk, goth, or what-have-you. Because none of those groups want to associated with Green Day. If I had to put them in a group, I'd put them in... marketing. Ha ha! social commentary.
You guys know they even deny about being in the mainstream? listen to Rusty James, it has lyrics that say "Anything but the mainstream". now i do agree they are changing their style of music though i wouldn't go as far as saying they are mainstream. they are kinda like in a halfway between stage. Plus they were just trying a new type of style with iUNO!, iDOS!, And iTRE'! Billie Joe even stated that these new albums were just experiments, and they wanted to see how many copies would be sold and if people like this new style. and in the end, if your in a band for like 25 years your style of music WILL change over time. There is no avoiding this.
They are mainstream. There are many punk bands that stayed through to their roots and refused to cave in. GD isn't one of them. Having a song that even decries the band isn't mainstream is the ultimate pathetic signal that the band is mainstream.
Changing your style of music may not be a bad thing. But that doesn't mean they aren't mainstream or sell outs. Lots of punk bands such as GD have sold out, because the very founding principles of punk are rooted in the underground DIY scene, and by making generic, radio friendly music to reach out to more mainstream audiences, they sold out.
I hate the phrase "sellout" so much, sometimes. It's just such a self-righteous phrase to me. Maybe it's pretty apt for Green Day, of all people, but whatever. I liked their new album trio. It's just fun. It's enjoyable music. Nothing like they used to be, that's for sure. But I'm not going to detract from my own enjoyment of it because they're "sellouts."
I ver much prefer some albums to others, I haven't really listened to their most recent three but I am aware that it sound different. They're developing as artists I'm just not exactly along for the ride right now.
