What they had in common: a greater emphasis on melody, dynamics, and, yes, lyrics about feelings. punk during the so-called Revolution Summer. The first known usage of emo dates back to the mid-1980s, when “emo-core” served as shorthand for “emotional hardcore,” a label applied to a wave of bands that deviated from the macho aggression of D.C. Let’s just blame it all on Washington, D.C. “The stupidest fucking thing I’ve heard in my entire life.” Musician-activist Jenni Toomey, speaking on behalf of perhaps the first emo band in Andy Greenwald’s Nothing Feels Good

“Rites of Spring existed well before the term did, and they hated it.” Photo-Illustration: Vulture and photos by Getty Images and Shutterstock