Decoding the Subcultures: How to Tell the Difference Between Emo and Scene

The late 90s and early 2000s witnessed the rise of numerous youth subcultures, each with its distinct aesthetic, music preference, and overall vibe. Two prominent groups that often get confused are “emo” and “scene.” While they share some overlapping ground, such as a focus on alternative music and fashion, they are fundamentally different. Understanding these differences can help you appreciate their unique characteristics and avoid mislabeling. This detailed guide will delve into the key distinctions between emo and scene, providing clear steps and instructions to help you identify each subculture.

Understanding the Historical Context

Before diving into the specifics, it’s essential to understand the historical origins of each subculture:

• Emo: Emo originated in the mid-1980s as a subgenre of hardcore punk, often characterized by emotionally charged lyrics and a more melodic sound. Bands like Rites of Spring and Embrace are considered pioneers of the genre. As the 90s progressed, emo evolved, branching into various styles, from the more melancholic sounds of bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and American Football to the pop-punk influenced emo we see with bands like Dashboard Confessional in the early 2000s. The focus remained on raw, often introspective emotion, often tackling themes of heartbreak, angst, and existential questioning.
• Scene: Scene emerged in the early to mid-2000s, heavily influenced by emo, but with a more flamboyant and often technology-driven aesthetic. It drew inspiration from various sources, including the burgeoning internet culture, manga, and elements of rave and punk rock fashion. The scene subculture placed a strong emphasis on self-expression, vibrant colors, and often a more playful, though sometimes angsty, attitude compared to the more introspective focus of emo. Bands like Bring Me the Horizon (early material), Breathe Carolina, and the Devil Wears Prada were popular within the early scene wave.

Key Differences: Visual Aesthetics

Perhaps the most noticeable differences lie in their respective visual aesthetics. Here’s a breakdown:

Emo Fashion:

Emo fashion generally leans towards a more understated and melancholic look:

• Color Palette: Predominantly dark colors like black, grey, and dark blues. Occasional use of deep reds or purples, but generally avoiding bright, saturated hues.
• Clothing: Skinny jeans (often black or dark wash), band t-shirts (especially bands associated with the emo or post-hardcore genre), hoodies (often black or grey), and sometimes v-neck sweaters. Leather jackets might also be incorporated.
• Accessories: Studded belts (often black), wristbands (sometimes with band logos or pins), and simple jewelry like silver chains or rings.
• Hair: Typically straight or slightly wavy, often parted to the side, with long bangs covering part of the forehead. The hair is usually dark (black, dark brown), but could also be dyed deep red, dark blue, or other dark tones.
• Makeup: Minimal to no makeup for males, while females might wear dark eyeliner, sometimes extending to create a winged look, and natural or pale lip color. Focus is on making the eyes stand out.
• Overall Vibe: The overall vibe of emo fashion is understated, introspective, and somewhat melancholic. It’s about blending into the background while still expressing a sense of individuality through the selection of bands and accessories.

Scene Fashion:

Scene fashion is much more vibrant and flamboyant:

• Color Palette: Bright, saturated colors are key: neon pink, electric blue, lime green, and vibrant purple are common. Often, these colors are mixed in bold, eye-catching ways. Black is used, but generally as an accent rather than the dominant color.
• Clothing: Skinny jeans (often colored or patterned), band t-shirts (from metalcore, electronicore, or pop-punk bands with a scene following), graphic tees with bright, quirky designs, tutus or layered skirts (for females), and hoodies with vibrant colors or graphics.
• Accessories: Large, colorful bead necklaces, bracelets (often with candy-like colors), rubber bands, fingerless gloves, studded belts, bright bows or ribbons in the hair, and platform shoes or sneakers.
• Hair: Voluminous, often teased or backcombed hair, usually styled into extreme, asymmetrical shapes. The hair is usually dyed bright colors: neon pink, electric blue, bright green, or a combination of multiple colors. Sometimes, the hair is styled in a “raccoon tail” style – a black and brightly colored striped pattern.
• Makeup: Heavy black eyeliner is a staple, often applied in thick, dramatic lines. Bright eyeshadows are also common. Females frequently wear heavy blush and bright lip color.
• Overall Vibe: Scene fashion is about expressing individuality through vibrant colors, bold patterns, and a playful, energetic attitude. It’s meant to be attention-grabbing and visually dynamic.

Key Differences: Musical Preferences

While both subcultures are associated with alternative music, their preferences differ significantly:

Emo Music:

• Core Genres: Emo primarily revolves around emocore (the original hardcore influenced emo), midwest emo (mathy and intricate), emo-pop (more accessible and commercially viable emo), and post-hardcore (a more aggressive and experimental form of hardcore punk with emo influence).
• Characteristics: Typically, emo music is characterized by emotionally charged lyrics, often dealing with heartbreak, loneliness, and introspection. The music features melodic guitar work, dynamic song structures, and powerful, often vulnerable vocals.
• Key Bands: Rites of Spring, Embrace, Sunny Day Real Estate, American Football, The Get Up Kids, Dashboard Confessional, Brand New, Mineral, Cap’n Jazz, Braid, Taking Back Sunday, and My Chemical Romance (while often considered a crossover into scene, their early work had heavy emo influences).

Scene Music:

• Core Genres: Scene music is more diverse, including elements of metalcore, electronicore, pop-punk, and post-hardcore, often with a strong emphasis on electronic and synthesized elements.
• Characteristics: Scene music is often characterized by fast tempos, heavy breakdowns, electronic influences, and often screamed or growled vocals alongside melodic choruses. The lyrics often deal with themes of rebellion, partying, or personal struggles but generally less introspective than emo.
• Key Bands: Bring Me the Horizon (early material), Asking Alexandria, I See Stars, Breathe Carolina, The Devil Wears Prada, Attack Attack!, Millionaires, Jeffree Star (more known as a personality, his music aligned with scene), and 3OH!3.

Note: There is considerable overlap, and many bands have crossed over or influenced both subcultures. However, the core musical preferences remain relatively distinct.

Key Differences: Lifestyle and Attitude

Beyond fashion and music, emo and scene also differ in their overall lifestyle and attitude:

Emo Lifestyle and Attitude:

• Emphasis: Emos often focus on introspection, emotional vulnerability, and personal struggles. They tend to be more introverted and reserved.
• Social Activities: Emo culture is not heavily associated with large social gatherings or partying. Rather, it is more centered around expressing emotion through creative pursuits, like music, poetry, or art, often in a more personal setting.
• Social Media: While present on social media, emos may use it to share personal thoughts, feelings, and artwork rather than focus on flamboyant self-promotion. They are less likely to post flashy photos or engage in attention-seeking behavior.
• General Demeanor: The general demeanor is often perceived as melancholy, thoughtful, and sometimes withdrawn. There’s a focus on depth and genuineness.

Scene Lifestyle and Attitude:

• Emphasis: Scene is characterized by a more extroverted and energetic approach to life. The focus is on self-expression, being unique, and often pushing the boundaries of social norms.
• Social Activities: Scene culture is often associated with going to shows, parties, and social gatherings. It’s about being seen and expressing yourself in a public space.
• Social Media: Scene culture is very active on social media. Selfies, fashion posts, and showing off your unique style are common. It’s often about portraying an exciting, vibrant, and attention-grabbing persona.
• General Demeanor: The general demeanor is often perceived as playful, confident, rebellious, and attention-grabbing. There’s a focus on being visually striking and making a statement.

Detailed Steps to Identify Emo vs. Scene

Now that we’ve covered the core differences, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you identify whether someone is more aligned with emo or scene:

1. Analyze the Color Palette:
   • Step 1: Observe the colors in their clothing and hair. Are they predominately dark, muted colors (black, grey, dark blues)? If so, it’s more likely emo.
   • Step 2: Do you see lots of bright, saturated colors (neon pink, electric blue, lime green, etc.)? If so, it’s more likely scene.
2. Assess Clothing and Accessories:
   • Step 1: Look at the clothing. Are they wearing band t-shirts, skinny jeans, and hoodies? This could lean towards either, so look at the colors. Black band tees and dark wash jeans with plain hoodies suggest emo. Bright band tees and colorful jeans, skirts, or tutus, suggest scene.
   • Step 2: Check the accessories. Are there studded belts and simple silver jewelry? This points towards emo. Or are they wearing brightly colored beads, large bows, fingerless gloves, and platform shoes? Then it is most definitely scene.
3. Examine Hairstyle:
   • Step 1: Is their hair straight or slightly wavy, parted to the side, with long bangs? And is the hair color dark? This is classic emo.
   • Step 2: Is their hair voluminous, teased or backcombed into extreme shapes? Is it dyed in bright colors or styled in a “raccoon tail” pattern? That’s a definite sign of scene.
4. Inspect Makeup:
   • Step 1: Minimal makeup or just dark eyeliner is an indicator of emo.
   • Step 2: Heavy black eyeliner, bright eyeshadows, heavy blush, and bright lip color are strong indicators of scene.
5. Consider Musical Preferences:
   • Step 1: Do they talk about or listen to bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, The Get Up Kids, and Dashboard Confessional? This is a sign of liking emo.
   • Step 2: Are they fans of bands like Bring Me the Horizon (early material), Asking Alexandria, and Breathe Carolina? This suggests scene.
6. Observe their Social Media Presence:
   • Step 1: Do they use social media for posting personal thoughts, feelings, and artwork, generally avoiding flashy self promotion? If yes, then it may lean toward emo.
   • Step 2: Do they post many selfies, fashion posts, and try to show off their unique style? And are they quite active on social media? This is a strong sign of scene.
7. Assess Overall Vibe:
   • Step 1: Does their overall demeanor seem introspective, melancholy, and thoughtful? Then they are leaning towards emo.
   • Step 2: Do they seem playful, confident, rebellious, and visually striking? This is more of a scene vibe.

Common Misconceptions

It’s important to address some common misconceptions:

• All Emo is Depressed: While emo deals with intense emotions, it’s not solely about depression. It’s about exploring and expressing a wide range of feelings, including sadness, anger, and vulnerability.
• All Scene is Just Attention-Seeking: While the vibrant and extroverted nature of scene can be interpreted as attention-seeking, it’s more about self-expression and celebrating individuality through bold aesthetics.
• There is No Overlap: Both scene and emo draw from the same alternative music scene, and overlap is expected. It’s more about dominant influences and overall aesthetics. It is common to see someone that has elements of both scene and emo styles.
• Emo and Scene Are “Outdated”: While their peak popularity might have been in the early 2000s, both emo and scene are still very much alive, having evolved and adapted to contemporary trends. You can find people who identify with each subculture across the globe.

Conclusion

While both emo and scene share some common ground in alternative music and fashion, they are distinct subcultures with unique identities. Emo focuses on introspection, raw emotion, and an understated aesthetic, while scene emphasizes self-expression, vibrant colors, and a more extroverted attitude. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can develop a clearer understanding of their differences and appreciate the richness of each subculture. Recognizing these differences allows us to appreciate the unique cultures that the internet age has provided for young people over the past several decades. Remember that labels aren’t everything. People often exist in the space between multiple genres, styles and labels, and it is most important to celebrate the diversity of individual expression that these subcultures are designed to promote.