Emo Vs. Goth

Emo Vs. Goth: Why They're Not The Same

How anyone could confuse an emo kid for a goth kid is well beyond me, but apparently, there are a lot of people wandering around the world seeking the answer to this very question: what is the difference between emo and goth? As such, I have decided to unleash this groundbreaking and insightful report on emo and goth.

Let's start off with music. While nothing is 100% in terms of what an individual listens to, here are some bands that fall into the goth and emo genres. Both are offshoots of punk, by the way, though emo retains much closer ties to its punk roots. Modern goth has moved more towards electronica, in terms of a close "sibling."

Some bands goth kids listen to: Sisters of Mercy, Screams for Tina, Bauhaus, Joy Division, The Cure, Alien Sex Fiend, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Clan of Xymox, Danse Society, Sex Gang Children, Tones on Tail, Specimen, Christian Death, 45 Grave, Fields of the Nephilim, Dead Can Dance, London After Midnight, Cruxshadows, Bella Morte, Covenant, and Switchblade Symphony. This is by no means an all-inclusive list.

Some bands emo kids listen to: Fall Out Boy, Chiodos, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Say Anything, My Chemical Romance, I Am Ghost, Aiden, Silverstein, Hawthorne Heights, Escape the Fate, Paramore, Panic! At the Disco, The Academy Is..., Midtown, Rites of Spring, Dance Gavin Dance, Thursday, Atreyu, Saves The Day, Rye Coalition, Jawbreaker, Lifetime, The Movielife, Midtown, Taking Back Sunday, Texas is the Reason, The Promise Ring, Bayside, and Dashboard Confessional. Like its counterpart above, this is by no means an all-inclusive list.

An interesting anomaly that should be noted is The Smiths. The Smiths are a band that emo kids and goth kids like just about equally. The Smiths have a universal appeal. I don't think Morrissey even knows how to scream, which is almost always a part of emo music, but he sure as hell knows how to emote. Anyone who could write a song romanticizing the death via a crash with a "double decker bus" can not in any way be limited to a single genre, and this is why both Morrissey and his former band, The Smiths resonate so strongly with both emo and goth kids.

Two other bands that have a similar effect - albeit not quite as strong -- are The Cure and Joy Division.

As for personalities, people who goth and emo resonate with are somewhat similar. Both scenes tend to be labeled as "depressing" and associated with things like darkness, suicide, cutting, and other negative things. Of course, this isn't usually the case. And with both emo and goth, one size does not fit all. You can't shove either scene's "personality" into a box and apply it like a paste to everyone who looks or self-identifies as goth or emo. As such, I am not even going to try to define a "typical goth" or a "typical emo" because I'd just get it wrong. Anyone would.

Fashion, however, is pretty easy. Goth fashion and emo fashion are very different. In goth fashion, aside from hair color, you see very little color that isn't black. [Unless you're dealing with raver-goths or glitter-goths, as they tend to like color, and lots of it. Yet they still retain their goth edge. How? It's one of the mysteries of the universe.] As with everything, this can vary, but here's some basic goth fashion:

- Black. Black shirts, pants, vests, sweaters, ties, dresses, skirts, band t-shirts, socks, shoes, fishnets... BLACK. Combat boots. Black eyeliner. Black nail polish. Black lipstick. Usually, color will fit into the mix in the form of: striped stockings [black and a color], hair dye, or eyeshadow. That's about it.

- Goth people tend to be more fancy than emo people. Think: lace, frills, bows, dangling jewelry, leather chokers, corsets.... It's more gypsy, more Victorian, and more "classy," overall.

- Basic emo fashion doesn't ignore black, but it's certainly not essential. In general, band t-shirts, layered with hoodies and/or long-sleeved shirts are common for emo boys and emo girls. Tight jeans. Converse or canvas flats. Some girls will do the cute skirt/fishnets/knee socks thing, but it's not nearly as common. Scarves and hoodies are really staples. Also, emo kids are more likely to have plain black hair, whereas goth kids tend to dye their hair brighter colors.

Actually, now that I've written that? I have to say... it's pretty hard to mistake a goth kid for an emo kid, or vice versa. The fashion, music, scene, and styles are both so different, I have no idea how anyone could make this mistake.

Here's a handy photo guide for anyone still confused:

Goth:

Emo: