Emo songs defined a generation of raw feeling and cathartic choruses, turning personal pain into anthems that still resonate in playlists and mosh pits. From breakthrough singles to deep cuts, these tracks shaped the genre's sound and emotional honesty. Vote to rank them by how well they capture the spirit of emo.
What counts: Best means the most influential, emotionally raw, and enduring emo songs; figures are approximate round ratings on a 0-10 scale
The Middle▲ Rising
Jimmy Eat World's 2001 breakout turned suburban frustration into a massive sing-along that defined early-2000s emo radio. Its crisp guitars and hopeful hook proved emo could be both vulnerable and arena-ready. The track's enduring presence on every emo playlist cements its top spot.
Year: 2001Artist: Jimmy Eat WorldAlbum: Bleed AmericanEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 10/10
added by IJRThe Middle
Cute Without the E (Cut from the Team)▲ Rising
Taking Back Sunday's 2002 single exploded with screamed confessions and call-and-response vocals that became the template for emo drama. The song's live-wire energy turned betrayal into a cathartic ritual for fans. Its influence on the genre's vocal style remains unmatched.
Year: 2002Artist: Taking Back SundayAlbum: Tell All Your FriendsEmotional Intensity: 9/10Popularity: 9/10
added by IJR
Your Guardian Angel▲ Rising
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus delivered one of emo's purest piano-ballad pleas in 2006, stripping the genre to its emotional core. The song's quiet-loud structure made every word of longing hit harder. Its acoustic simplicity helped it dominate prom playlists for years.
Year: 2006Artist: The Red Jumpsuit ApparatusAlbum: Don't You Fake ItEmotional Intensity: 9/10Popularity: 8/10
added by IJRYour Guardian Angel
A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White▲ Rising
Underoath's 2005 track fused metalcore intensity with emo vulnerability, creating one of the heaviest emotional peaks in the genre. Spencer Chamberlain's screams and the soaring clean chorus gave the song lasting power. It helped bridge emo and hardcore scenes.
Year: 2005Artist: UnderoathAlbum: They're Only Chasing SafetyEmotional Intensity: 9/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJR
Helena▲ Rising
MCR's 2005 tribute to Gerard Way's grandmother fused funeral imagery with soaring melodies, proving emo could be both morbid and majestic. The dramatic video and choir-like chorus turned grief into spectacle. It remains the band's most theatrical emo statement.
Year: 2005Artist: My Chemical RomanceAlbum: Three Cheers for Sweet RevengeEmotional Intensity: 9/10Popularity: 9/10
added by IJRHelena
Jesus Christ▲ Rising
Brand New's 2006 single confronted faith, mortality, and existential dread with stark honesty that pushed emo into darker territory. Lacey's raw delivery and the song's swelling climax made doubt feel communal. It became a touchstone for the genre's maturation.
Year: 2006Artist: Brand NewAlbum: The Devil and God Are Raging Inside MeEmotional Intensity: 10/10Popularity: 8/10
added by IJRin 3 rankingsJesus Christ
I'm Not Okay (I Promise)▲ Rising
My Chemical Romance channeled teen alienation into a defiant anthem that became the face of mid-2000s emo. The song's theatrical build and Gerard Way's urgent delivery made vulnerability feel heroic. It single-handedly brought emo to a global audience.
Year: 2004Artist: My Chemical RomanceAlbum: Three Cheers for Sweet RevengeEmotional Intensity: 9/10Popularity: 10/10
added by IJRI'm Not Okay (I Promise)
A Decade Under the Influence▲ Rising
Taking Back Sunday's 2004 single refined their signature style into a polished yet passionate statement on growing up. The track's infectious energy and layered vocals kept the band at the forefront of emo. It showed the genre could mature without losing edge.
Year: 2004Artist: Taking Back SundayAlbum: Where You Want to BeEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 8/10
added by IJRA Decade Under the Influence
Adam's Song▲ Rising
Blink-182's 2000 ballad addressed depression and suicide with surprising directness, turning pop-punk toward genuine emo territory. Mark Hoppus's vulnerable verses gave the song lasting therapeutic value. Its honest tone still resonates in mental-health conversations.
Year: 2000Artist: Blink-182Album: Enema of the StateEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 9/10
added by IJRAdam's Song
The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows▲ Rising
Brand New's 2003 track captured the slow burn of a failing relationship with haunting precision and Jesse Lacey's weary delivery. Its driving rhythm section gave emotional weight a propulsive edge. The song helped shift emo toward darker, more introspective territory.
Year: 2003Artist: Brand NewAlbum: Deja EntenduEmotional Intensity: 9/10Popularity: 8/10
added by IJRThe Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows
You're So Last Summer
Taking Back Sunday's follow-up single sharpened the band's signature back-and-forth vocals into pure post-breakup venom. The track's urgent pace and biting lines made it a staple of 2000s emo playlists. It proved the band could sustain the intensity of their debut.
Year: 2004Artist: Taking Back SundayAlbum: Where You Want to BeEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 8/10
added by IJR
Lostprophets brought a more polished emo edge with this 2006 single's soaring chorus and reflective verses. The track's anthemic quality helped it reach beyond core emo audiences. Its optimistic tone offered a counterpoint to darker genre peers.
Year: 2006Artist: LostprophetsAlbum: Liberation TransmissionEmotional Intensity: 7/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJRRooftops
The Taste of Ink▲ Rising
The Used's 2002 debut single channeled self-harm and recovery into a cathartic explosion of screamed verses and melodic choruses. Bert McCracken's unfiltered delivery gave the track lasting emotional weight. It helped define the heavier side of emo.
Year: 2002Artist: The UsedAlbum: The UsedEmotional Intensity: 9/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJRThe Taste of Ink
Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades
Brand New's 2003 opener used a driving riff and regret-filled lyrics to paint a vivid picture of lost innocence. The track's narrative structure and emotional payoff helped launch the band's reputation for depth. It remains a fan-favorite deep cut.
Year: 2003Artist: Brand NewAlbum: Deja EntenduEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJRSic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades
There's No 'I' in Team▲ Rising
Taking Back Sunday's debut-era track used biting call-and-response to explore friendship betrayal with unmatched venom. The song's raw energy helped launch the band's career and the emo vocal-trading trend. Its live intensity remains legendary.
Year: 2002Artist: Taking Back SundayAlbum: Tell All Your FriendsEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJR
Hawthorne Heights' 2004 single captured small-town longing with dual vocals and a soaring chorus that became an emo anthem. The song's heartfelt delivery and relatable setting made it a scene staple. Its legacy lives on in countless covers and tributes.
Year: 2004Artist: Hawthorne HeightsAlbum: The Silence in Black and WhiteEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 8/10
added by IJROhio Is for Lovers
At Your Funeral
Saves the Day's 2001 track mixed pop-punk energy with emo introspection, creating one of the genre's most upbeat yet dark anthems. Chris Conley's rapid-fire vocals and the song's ironic title made it instantly memorable. It helped bridge pop-punk and emo scenes.
Year: 2001Artist: Saves the DayAlbum: Stay What You AreEmotional Intensity: 7/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJR
Dashboard Confessional's breakthrough single laid bare the pain of infidelity with stark acoustic guitar and Carrabba's trembling voice. The song's confessional style defined the early-2000s emo singer-songwriter wave. Its emotional directness still resonates.
Year: 2001Artist: Dashboard ConfessionalAlbum: The Places You Have Come to Fear the MostEmotional Intensity: 9/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJRScreaming Infidelities
The Best Deceptions
Dashboard Confessional's acoustic confessionals reached a peak with this 2001 track's intimate storytelling and raw vocal delivery. Chris Carrabba turned personal betrayal into a communal sing-along. The song helped popularize the emo acoustic style.
Year: 2001Artist: Dashboard ConfessionalAlbum: The Places You Have Come to Fear the MostEmotional Intensity: 9/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJR
The Used followed up with another raw 2002 cut that explored isolation and self-destruction through crushing riffs and desperate vocals. The song's intensity helped solidify their place in the emo canon. Its live energy remains a fan favorite.
Year: 2002Artist: The UsedAlbum: The UsedEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 6/10
added by IJRBuried Myself Alive
Seventy Times 7
Brand New closed their debut with this furious 2001 track that turned personal betrayal into a genre-defining explosion. The song's screamed climax and biblical reference gave it lasting impact. It set the template for emo's angrier side.
Year: 2001Artist: Brand NewAlbum: Your Favorite WeaponEmotional Intensity: 9/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJR
Something Corporate's epic 2003 piano ballad stretched emo's emotional range with its nearly ten-minute journey through longing and memory. Andrew McMahon's piano and vulnerable delivery made it a live staple. The song proved emo could be grand and intimate simultaneously.
Year: 2003Artist: Something CorporateAlbum: Leaving Through the WindowEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 6/10
added by IJRKonstantine
Panic! at the Disco's 2005 debut single brought baroque emo-pop to the mainstream with theatrical flair and a memorable violin hook. The song's narrative twist and Brendon Urie's acrobatic vocals made it instantly iconic. It expanded emo's sonic palette dramatically.
Year: 2005Artist: Panic! at the DiscoAlbum: A Fever You Can't Sweat OutEmotional Intensity: 7/10Popularity: 10/10
added by IJRI Write Sins Not Tragedies
AFI's 2003 single fused goth-tinged emo with punk urgency, creating a dramatic farewell anthem. Davey Havok's distinctive vocals and the song's cinematic build made it a standout. It helped expand emo's stylistic boundaries.
Year: 2003Artist: AFIAlbum: Sing the SorrowEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJRThe Leaving Song Pt. II
The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot▼ Falling
Brand New's introspective 2003 cut examined self-sabotage with quiet guitar and aching vocals. The song's understated approach highlighted the band's growing lyrical sophistication. It remains a fan favorite for its emotional subtlety.
Year: 2003Artist: Brand NewAlbum: Deja EntenduEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 7/10
added by IJR
Understanding in a Car Crash▼ Falling
Thursday's 2001 track delivered urgent emo with screamed verses and melodic choruses that captured the chaos of loss. Geoff Rickly's delivery gave the song lasting emotional urgency. It helped define the post-hardcore emo sound.
Year: 2001Artist: ThursdayAlbum: Full CollapseEmotional Intensity: 8/10Popularity: 6/10
added by IJRUnderstanding in a Car Crash
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Voted, but this order is going to look very different in a month once more people find it.
This is the most honest version of this ranking I've seen anywhere. The pros and cons are fair.
The Middle at the top is the correct call and I'll die on this hill.