It was never a phase mum, it’s a lifestyle. Prepare to feel ancient as we delve into not 5, not 10, but 15 of your all time favourite emo bands with their most memorable albums.
Blink 182 - Enema Of The State (1999)
22 Years Old
With instantly recognisable intros and quotable lyrics, it’s hard to believe this album can legally drink in the US already. The album responsible for over-exaggerated American accents all across the globe, only topped by I Miss You on their 2003 self-titled album. Featuring Dumpweed, What’s My Age Again and All The Small Things, this Blink 182 album shaped a generation.
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity (1999)
22 Years Old
It’s hard to find a fan sitting between the emo and rock genre of the early 90s-2000s who doesn’t know a song by Jimmy Eat World. Sweetness is among these widely recognisable tracks, only topped by The Middle in their following album Bleed American, which blended alt rock and emo and expanded their reach firmly into the mainstream.
Sum 41 - All Killer No Filler (2001)
20 Years Old
With generation-defining tracks still pumped out at alternative rave nights, Fat Lip and In Too Deep are just two of these that shaped the youth… who are no longer the youth. You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone in their late 20s to mid-30s who haven’t heard of this band, or these songs.
Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends (2002)
19 Years Old
Covered by almost every cover band sharing their emo and alt rock influences, the iconic Cute Without The ‘E’ (Cut From The Team) rang out from stages of cover bands in the 2000s. It’s extremely impressive that it came from Taking Back Sunday’s first studio album.
The Used - The Used (2002)
19 Years Old
The self-titled album (and first studio album of the band) features the same tracks as their demo album USED and hosts one of their most played (and most recognisable) tracks on Spotify, The Taste Of Ink. Having seen The Used perform only a little over a year ago at Belly Up Tavern in San Diego, I can confirm that they sound as good today as they did on this album, which was released a whopping 19 years ago!
Good Charlotte - The Young and The Hopeless (2002)
19 Years Old
This album sold more than 5 million copies worldwide, with one of their most famous tracks poking fun at Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, which is pretty ironic now. But their catchy tracks captured the thoughts and minds of the teens of the 2000s. Girls & Boys is a classic example of this.
Simple Plan - No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls (2002)
19 Years Old
So iconic that Simple Plan released a 15 year anniversary live version of the album. This is another debut studio album that took off, with the endearing I’m Just A Kid perfectly articulating teen melodrama.
Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue (2003)
18 Years Old
The title track graces any decent emo playlist. With chuggy guitars and melodic vocals, this album slots perfectly alongside any classic emo.
Green Day - American Idiot (2004)
17 Years Old
The angsty barre chords that introduced hopeful teens to simple guitar with heaps of attitude. This album really is a beautifully gritty piece of art, seamlessly transitioning through tangible themes and rockable riffs. From American Idiot, to Wake Me Up When September Ends, to Homecoming and beyond, every track works as a standalone piece as well as a crucial part of the album.
The All-American Rejects - Move Along (2005)
16 Years Old
As if their name wasn’t emo enough, Move Along placed this band in the hearts and minds of kids that revelled in the art of being a misfit. Dirty Little Secret and Move Along are the tracks that really stick in my mind when I think of this band bringing strong reminiscence of simpler times.
Fall Out Boy - From Under The Cork Tree (2005)
16 Years Old
You ready to Dance, Dance? From the band who famously discovered Panic At The Disco and featured Kim Kardashian in a music video. This controversial crew brought us some of the longest and oddest track names such as Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued, this album features Sugar, We’re Going Down and firmly put Fall Out Boy on the map.
Panic At The Disco - A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out (2005)
16 Years Old
Before Panic dropped the exclamation mark from their name, in the early days of this emo sensation, Panic merged surrealism, steampunk and storytelling to seduce the ears of willing listeners. Panic is a landmark in the emo scene with an eclectic following, many of whom will go to extremes for a piece of singer Brendan Urie.
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade (2006)
15 Years Old
From the band that has you reaching for the guy-liner. Although Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge houses the emo classic I’m Not Okay (I Promise) that is still belted out in rock clubs to this day, The Black Parade was the album that securely placed MCR as emo royalty, cementing an army of loyal comrades worldwide. Although singer Gerard Way made it clear in 2007 that he doesn’t consider MCR to be emo, there’s no denying that he is globally considered the king of emo.
Paramore - Riot! (2007)
14 Years Old
Whenever any female-fronted alternative band appears, it’s almost guaranteed that they will be compared with Paramore… and it’s a compliment of a comparison. Paramore are iconic as the biggest, and one of the only well-known female-fronted emo bands of the era. This might not say something outstanding about the culture in the music industry at the time, but either way it’s a pretty stand-out achievement. Paramore got the balance right between attitude, aesthetics and art, casting a wide net to captivate an audience of not only emo fans, but pop and rock fans too.
All Time Low - So Wrong It’s Right (2007)
14 Years Old
You might have seen recently a TikTok making the rounds featuring men in their 30s shouting, “It was never a phase mum, it’s a lifestyle!” before belting out Dear Maria, Count Me In. This track has survived the ages to become a symbol of emos still embracing the songs they loved over a decade before.
Get those albums on and play them loud and proud! While your favourite tunes might be cemented in the early 2000s, get your threads up to date with a fresh look from Blind Maggot. Check out our latest designs here.
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Sarah Rachel
