Q&A for How to Know the Difference Between Emo and Goth

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  • Question
    My parents think I have the devil in me because I wear black clothes, lipstick, and so forth. I'm a Baby Bat, I've tried to explain it to them but they just ignore me. What should I do?
    Janice Tieperman
    Community Answer
    At the end of the day, it’s your identity. Try having a respectful conversation with your parents to talk through your differences, so you can explain why you enjoy wearing dark clothing and makeup.
  • Question
    Can you be a mix of goth and emo?
    Janice Tieperman
    Community Answer
    You can definitely incorporate fashionable elements of both subcultures into your outfits.
  • Question
    What if my parents don't want me to be an emo kid?
    Janice Tieperman
    Community Answer
    Try to talk with them and work out a compromise. While they might not want you to make permanent alterations to your hair, you might be able to strike a balance on which emo clothes you can wear.
  • Question
    I'm considering being emo but I'm not sure my parents would approve and I don't think they would get me the clothes or let my hair be like that. What do I do?
    Janice Tieperman
    Community Answer
    If you’re under 18, you have to respect your parents’ wishes about any permanent alterations you’d like to make to your hair or body. However, if adopting an emo fashion style is important to you, it might be worth discussing with your parents.
  • Question
    Can you tell me some emo and goth bands to listen to?
    Regina
    Community Answer
    There are several bands named in the article, however, if you wish to listen to more goth artists then check out some second wave goth artists like The Merry Thoughts, Solemn Novena, Frank The Baptist, Nosferatu, etc. If you want to listen to some emo artists, check out bands like Braid, Sunny Day Real Estate, Indian Summer, Texas is the Reason and if you're wanting something more modern then try The Hotelier, Joyce Manor, and Modern Baseball.
  • Question
    What if my parents do and don't want me to be an goth and emo?
    Regina
    Community Answer
    Don't dress it, focus on the music on either scene first. Learn about and study both subcultures, then start developing yourself into each sub-genre of each music genre. Your parents don't have to know. Make sure to avoid all negative stereotyping of either subculture.
  • Question
    Why do people confuse Marlyn Manson as goth?
    Regina
    Community Answer
    It's mainly due to the mainstream not understanding that goth isn't synonymous with "darkness". Other shock rock/nu metal/alternative metal bands were also labelled as "goth", most notably Evanescence, Korn, and Slipknot. Every decade, there seems to be a new crop of bands or musicians who are incorrectly labelled - "goth" is a buzzword to the mainstream media as every time a celebrity wears black, they claim "goth is back!" despite it never going away.
  • Question
    Is 60's psychedelic rock is close enough to goth music?
    Torpi
    Top Answerer
    60's psych rock isn't very close to gothic rock at all, at least not in terms of rock music (obviously it's closer than, say, smooth jazz). But there's nothing stopping a goth from listening to gothic rock AND 60's psychedelic rock, and psychobilly combines elements of both.
  • Question
    I wear black jeans and black/grey shirts and black jackets/long coats, and I colour my hair black. I also play bass and I hear mostly rock n' roll music. Is it goth/emo or something else?
    Torpi
    Top Answerer
    Goths listen to gothic rock (and today, many originals of the goth scene think that clothing isn't important at all as long as you listen to the music), and emos listen to emo music. If you don't listen to either of these specifically, you're just a bassist with great fashion sense.
  • Question
    Is there a subculture for someone who is wearing black clothes and black hair, play bass and listens to rock'n'roll, likes Arthur C Doyle's and Oscar Wilde's works but also Monty Python's comedy?
    Torpi
    Top Answerer
    If you mean rock & roll as it's usually meant today (rather than just rock) - Elvis, Buddy Holly, etc - then, depending on the clothing, that sounds like a rockabilly who happens to like Victorian literature. If your clothing is more punk inspired then that's not really a subculture, you're just someone who wears alternative fashion and likes rock & roll and Sherlock Holmes. But no subculture can encompass any member's entire taste.
  • Question
    Are all depressing songs emo?
    Torpi
    Top Answerer
    Not at all (and many emo songs aren't depressing, despite the subgenre's reputation). Emo is pop punk influenced by hardcore, with emotive lyrics; these days a lot of emo has "twinkly" rather than distorted guitars. Other depressing songs belong to different genres: Evanescence is symphonic metal; Arvo Part's Cantus In Memory of Benjamin Britten is minimalist classical; Nine Inch Nails' Hurt is industrial rock (and Johnny Cash's cover is country), etc.
  • Question
    Why do people get eboy and emo mixed up. When I walk in public, people call me a eboy when I am emo. I get so confused on how they look similar.
    Regina
    Community Answer
    It might be down to the 'e' subculture being influenced by the late emo pop scene in the beginning of the 10s. Alternative fashion in general is shared among these groups, so you can't tell just by looking at someone what, if any, group they're part of. It's also possible that people who aren't into any subcultures themselves can't tell the difference, so they often mislabel others not realising the damage, if any, or confusion it's creating.
  • Question
    Since I am a goth girl, why do people assume that I am a "bad kid"?
    Regina
    Community Answer
    Usually down to stereotypes. When it comes to goth, many people create visions in their head of figures in black who are stereotypically gloomy or unhappy. A lot of people are intimidated or scared of things they're uncertain of or don't understand, which creates negative reactions against you and others. Being a "bad kid" could be one of these.
  • Question
    I listen to metal and wear corsets, ripped jeans, boots, and dark makeup. All the clothes I wear are black. Am I an emo or goth?
    Regina
    Community Answer
    If you're mainly into metal music and you like to discover bands of that similar sound, you're a metalhead.
  • Question
    Would Evansecence count as emo or goth music?
    Regina
    Community Answer
    Neither, their music is alternative metal and hard rock. Their band just uses dark imagery.
  • Question
    The goth kids at my school have hooked up with the emo kids. They’re now like a club and I want to join, but I don’t want to get rid of my wardrobe. What do I do? They don’t like kids who wear color.
    Regina
    Community Answer
    Don't join. Don't change yourself in order to become part of a group - they'll never be your real friends.
  • Question
    I believe I am goth but my music taste is all over the place but I am 14 and dislike constant formal clothing. Is it okay to be more focused on the aesthetic rather than the music? I like only 5 bands.
    Regina
    Community Answer
    You can be focused on what you like. However, the simplest definition of a goth is someone who listens to goth music, so if you don't listen to goth music, you may not be a goth. However, you don't necessarily need to call yourself one. There's other options like alternative and darkly inclined.
  • Question
    Can you be a mix of both emo and goth?
    Regina
    Community Answer
    You can be part of two subcultures at the same time, but they still stay their separate things. There's no "emo goth" subculture, for example.
  • Question
    As a young goth with limited fashion options, how can I look less emo/edgy? What clothing should I wear/makeup styles should I do, and what should I avoid to look less edgy?
    Community Answer
    Emo pop is edgy and intense, this article is based on original emo, Midwest, even modern emo like Snowing and Mom Jeans and screamo. Emo fashion isn't dark, it's just sweaters, Converse, horn rimmed glasses and messenger bags.
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