Emo music first emerged with Rites of Spring in mid-1980s Washington DC. This first wave of emo music leaned away from themes expressed by the popular punk scene of the time, which centered around rebellion and breaking societal norms. Instead, this genre focused heavily on expressing feelings and human connection, while still embracing a lot of the punk and hardcore influences the genre was built upon.
This first wave eventually morphed into Midwest emo in the mid-1990s. Midwest emo is widely considered the second wave of emo music. Pioneered by bands like American Football and Sunny Day Real Estate, Midwest emo still embraced elements of punk and hardcore but introduced twinkly melodies backing these heavily introspective lyrics. Eventually, Midwest emo lost its hardcore roots and embraced a heavy, emotional tone.
While the third wave of emo in the early 2000s took a heavy detour into emo-pop and pop punk, the fourth wave in the 2010s took a turn back to Midwest emo and was dubbed, “The Emo Revival”. Since the fourth wave, Midwest emo has stayed relevant in pop culture through bands like Mom Jeans. and Modern Baseball, that spread well beyond the Midwest. To me, Midwest Emo feels like a summer night. So, now that summer is here, these are my top three favorite Midwest emo bands that’ll help you make it through the heat.
1) Thoughts on Bowling
Formed in 2024, Thoughts on Bowling is a three-piece band based in Chicago and Northwest Arkansas. Influenced by popular Midwest emo bands like Mom Jeans., their music is able to balance this traditional emo sound with a modern twist that feels like a breath of fresh air. From mentions of "JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure" to sampling Benson’s crash-outs from "Regular Show", Thoughts on Bowling layers in these pop culture references that not only bring humor but also strengthen the emotional tone of the music. Their latest EP, "Who U Callin Pinhead?", really embraces this concept. The EP feels really personal to the band, yet extremely relatable for the listener.
My Picks: "Cavity", "Trshboat", "dude", "benson is gonna be so pissed!"
Thoughts on Bowling's Discography
2) azar & SEDVTED
An instrumental Midwest emo duo from New Jersey, azar & SEDVTED are making waves in the music industry without lyrics. Even with only one album and two EPs, this duo has a developed and well-rounded sound. Their whole discography feels almost like you’re sitting in on a jazz improv session. This duo has so much clear chemistry without having to say a word (except in "Bitter End"). Each track flows so naturally and is unique to itself, yet the duo still maintains a cohesive sound in each EP and album. Every song feels like an incredible needle drop in a coming-of-age movie.
My Picks: "can we go back to how things were?", "intro to a movie about a f*cking loser", "season’s end"
3) Slaughter Beach, Dog
Slaughter Beach, Dog not only takes inspiration from one of the most prolific Midwest emo bands but also includes a former member! Initially beginning as a solo project, Jake Ewald of Modern Baseball, formed Slaughter Beach, Dog in 2014. One place this band really shines is in the instrumentals. Each track is pretty guitar heavy, with unique melodies that still have a cohesive sound. Ewald originally pitched songs he’d written for acoustic guitar to the band and together, they decided what felt right. This collaborative writing process makes for a really great balance of poetic lyrics and catchy riffs.
My Picks: "Acolyte", "Strange Weather", "Your Cat"
Slaughter Beach, Dog Discography