Emo deserves all the vitriol it gets. It is an effete musical genre that encourages people to wallow in self-pity and whine about the way things are, instead of firing listeners up to change circumstances they find unsatisfactory. That’s why I’ve never understood why emo supposedly shares something in common with punk–punk was about empowerment. It was about a thousand other things as well, but the DIY aesthetic is really key to anything that wishes to associate itself with glorious punk rock, as far as I am concerned.

100% agree with Brandon Flowers, emo is an unprogressive genre that offers nothing of real emotion to anyone. its become the hair metal of the 21st century, and will probably kill itself off with its stagnant aproach to art and music.

why do so many people care/live for emo bands, then? are they all just morons?

Brandon is my meal ticket. Stop the hate.

Emo was originally connected to punk because of the DC sound in the 80’s and Ian from Minor Threat (thus the connection between strait edge and emo as well.) You what’s really sad? People whi complain about a genre of music in general. Arn’t there more important things out there to spend time forming a coherent opionion on, such as the foggy “war on terrorism” and where out tax money goes? To quote Detroit Rock City (wow, I’m so educated, uh?) good tunes is good tunes. No one should limit themselves to particular sound.

yeah but i think the argument is that this particular sound is shitty, not just objectionable to certain people.

sarah! hi! no one is hating on brandon … he’s the hater … right?

Fall Out Boy is not Emo

Really?! Emo bands suck? Brandon can’t say much because the Killers suck!

Since when did Brendon Flowers become a professional sociologist? First of all, nowadays most bands are lumped under the name ‘emo’ if their songs are just a bit more melodramatic. Being ‘emo’ use to be about individualism, being straight-edge, socially aware, standing up for your beliefs and being free to express themselves (basically what punk rock stands for, considering emo is stemmed from punk rock as stated by 84Catillac). In the past couple of years, being emo and punk has turned into a social stereotype in which the people dress and act in a certain way, but the genre of music, as well as the emo/punk community are taking heat for people who are doing it just to follow the trends. And come on, how mature is Brandon to say that he wants to beat up all emo/pop punk bands. What is he, still back in high school where the jocks need to beat up the freaks? If Brandon is allowed to spew unbacked sociological analysis of how emo and punk is detrimental to a society, I can say that emo is taking so much vitriol is because the ‘popular’ kids are feeling threatened by the message of individualism (that was started by punk rock, but currently mass distributed by the emo movement) and how it can topple them from their throne on the high school social hierarchy. Hell, I can say that Brendon Flowers is a Communist because he is against emo and punk which means that he is against individualism and freedom of expression (Please note the sarcasm in the previous sentence because I know there will be dumbasses out there who will say something about this). I have to admit, emo music is not for everyones ear, but I am disgusted by how acceptable it is to talk about things like ‘National Emo Beatdown Day’.

I Agree EMO Really, Really, Really, Really, Well u get the point SUCKS. Yes there is one or two good songs in the 500 emo bands but that is it 2
WHAT THE Hell happen to rock, I guess it is just the cycle awesome, gay, awesome, gay.

I don’t like emo. But this statement is LAUGHABLE coming from the Killers.

Ostracizing an entire musical genre just shows immaturity. When will rock stars learn to control themselves, act sensibly, and speak intelligently? Hopefully never .

must be a mormen thing…

emo is just a trendy fashion whore genre,it has absolutely no staying power so i don’t think you haveto worry about it corrupting youth. wait another few months or so and something else will come along for trendy fashion whores to follow, ska’s looking promising so far… i hate ska

the worst thing about a lot of emo is the incessant “my girlfriend is the center of my universe” lyrics. There is no wit or subtlety, just a reduction of the male in the song lyrics to some freak stalker weirdo bringing his ex-girlfriend a poem he wrote about his bleeding heart at 3 AM in the rain. Just a word of advice to young guys out there if you really think this is what relationships and honest “feelings” are about, be prepared for a life of misery and rejection.

While it is ironic of Flowers to dictate what constitutes good and bad music I kind of agree with him. There are so many crappy emo bands out there, and the number grows every day. Lord knows we don’t need any more unoriginal, talentless, bleeding heart songwriters to pour out their teenage angst over watered-down punk bedtracks. I’ve got nothing against emo, only crappy bands. It just so happens that nowadays many crappy bands play emo.

I dislike untalented bands putting out records rather than staying in a pub doing covers like they should. Alot of these bands(that suck) fall from the EMO genre. On the same note The Killers are crap. Give ‘em a soap box and they all become a preacher eh Brandon. I got soul but I am not a Solider….grrrrr, if The Killers had a soul they would stop making music.

Mr. flowers hit it right on the spot. Emo is gay and the eye lining hair styled emo “rockers” should all be taken behind the shed, beaten and locked into a room with good music playing. i could beat up everyone in fall out boy….they are all 5foot 8 and 120 pds, and they are always “emotional”…

If Professor Flowers wants to talk about a particular type of music being detrimental to future generations, why doesn’t he bring up gangster rap? After all’s said and done, wouldn’t you rather have your kids weeping about their ex than gunning down strangers on the street curb?

But then again, I’m not quite the master sociologist that Brandon Flowers is .

the killers suck so much that of course he wants to stop any other music. did i mention they suck…mainly him, can’t sing his way out of a paper bag without autotuning. boy they suck.

emo is hollow and..american. its phoney music. falloutboy and bravery wud b blown outta the water by the Arctic Monkeys, the Libertiens, The Kilelrs or Franz any day. go indie!!

emo is hollow and..american. its phoney music. falloutboy and bravery wud b blown outta the water by the Arctic Monkeys, the Libertiens, The Killers or Franz any day. go indie!!

you peaple better leave brandon alone or else ill curse you peaple out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you peaple suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Ok I think Brandon Flowers is confused as just as shallow and whiney as the people he attacks. he is know stating the Boss as a major influence when it used to be Morrissey (whom he couldn’t touch with his bolo tie when it comes to talent) The guy is a complete hack and think about the Killers, they are an emo band, Mr brightside? (emo) somebody told me (could be another emo song) They sound like pop punk mixed with synths (very bad synths at that. These guys might know music history that doesn’t mean they are using it as a reference point to make quality timeless music, they are just part of the system with the rest of the brittneys, fall out boys etc. Plus they’re just as bad as emo, just another act promoting our shallow, self serving society that severely lacks any edge or originality and they are just puppets of the blood sucking mea music corps who constantly milk the back catalogs of prodominent acts to support these fakes.

Wow, most of these comments bashing emo and what not, are coming from people who can’t spell nor type right. Everyone thinks that emo is just what they see as eyeliner-wearing sad boys/girls who play a certain music. But if you look at the actual history of so-called emo (Which I don’t believe it actually exsists, if it does, then Kurt Cobain is the most EMO GUY EVER.) Most people think that the people who wear tight jeans with black hair that is parted from the side and over their eye are “Emo”…. it’s actually more in the lines with post-hardcore and hardcore music.

But everyone should just get a life and stop bashing another music genre. You just sound immature and it’s make clear that you have no idea what you are talking about. You don’t have to listen, nor writing a couple of paragraphs of how it “SuCKs” is just a waste of time and won’t convice or convert anyone because you said so. It’s called “Different types of Taste”. GET USED TO IT. NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE THE SAME THING. If you don’t like it, good for you, but don’t bash someone else just because they like something different.

I like The Killers, but Brandon does has a mouth on him. He should really examine himself, before anything else stupid happens.

I love Brandon:D

The Killers are an outstanding band, they consistently aim for originality and strive to keep the roots of Rock N Roll in our culture, Brandon Flowers takes much pride in the American Culture, “Emo- defined as a musical genre long pre-dated the use of “emo” as a slang term. At the same time, most current bands are labeled “emo” unwillingly, largely because they share some of the fashion trends and attitude associated with “emo”. The culture represents no positive growth for the industry it tends to be used as a general insult even when it is not directly applicable. Some people use the term “emo” to describe a feeling of depression, alluding to the association of depression with the “emo” subculture. today’s emo is even more vast, leaving the term “emo” as more of a loose identifier than as a specific genre of music. Those who bash “The Killers” are usually outside the demographic the band is reaching out for. I think the band will do ok with out you!

jonny276

i agree with brandon flowers but he isnt really an expert on this issue is he?

jonny20

THE KILLERS ROCK AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

how fucking sad is he OMG i cnt believe what i just read!!! it makes me laugh im 17 and more mature than him! ‘emo’ is just a stereotype and it is pathetic how people can call people emo just because they like the music it doesnt mean hey cut thereselves!!!!! i loovveee mcr and was origianaly into rnb n dance n mcin n crap n they made me realize what good music is… they are not depressing to me at all infact quite the opposite so how he fuck do you explain that this music is dangerous!!!!!…..

the killers are whiney shits you cant even tell the dfference between there songs and other indie bands cos they all just follow eachother and have no individuality at alll they are realy sad and just be indie for the press which is reallllyyyy low and sad.

shut it flower boy!!! its not the bands who make people depressed and ‘dangerous’(wtf) its people like YOU! people like you are making these people depressed because they are bullied and abused just for liking a type of music, that is realy horrible and i dont know what this world is turning into,,, people who stereotype should be beaten to death not poeple who get bullied for being themselves and not copying others like for instance,,, indi bans…. my point has been said.

Brandon Flowers is going after so many bands, simply ’cause his band doesn’t get enough recognition as others. So then, he takes his insecurity out on other bands, who don’t even bother him what so ever, and starts to bitch about futile things such as emo. Obviously, he wants to convince people to not pay attention to emo or pop-punk because he wants people to listen to more of there genre, with the other two being of course popular. That just shows a weakness in musicianship that you have to win people over to listening to your music by telling them what is and isn’t good, rather than focusing on how you can improve your music/sound. Bashing on other genres/bands is just another way of showing how insecure and unsatisfied you are with yourself and your band. Oh, and for future bashers, I am not emo. I also hate Fall Out Boy, but for other bands out there that I enjoy listening to, they’re not about cutting or any self harm what so ever. It’s the individual’s resposibility who takes it as it is. Brandon should quit being a control freak and let people do whatever the hell they want to do. Everyone needs to watch after themselves and quit relying/blaming problems on others! Here’s a little advice. If he wants more people to listen to his music, then maybe he should quit being an egotistical, self-righteous bastard. I don’t know about you guys, but I think it’s pretty hilarious to hear “emo sucks”, coming from The Killers.

So let me get this straight … emo music (which usually contains people whining about stuff or, in Fall Out Boy’s case, just talking nonsense) is dangerous, but the hero saying he wants to beat them to death isn’t?! You didn’t think this through, Mr. Flowers. Just because you don’t like a band doesn’t make it bad.
It’s a typical Christian (or the more extreme Mormon in Brandon’s case) trait … whatever’s different or whatever they don’t appreciate is automatically dangerous.
And I won’t even bother going into what I think about the emo label, suffice to say it has been mutilated beyond belief by people who just never understood it in the first place.

the killers suck…they talk a lot of shit

The Killers re the best band ever! I agree, all the wierd emos that I know of, are all depressed. They cut themselves as well. So I’m gonna be shallow and judge them all on the few emos I know.

I love Brandon. When I saw Mr.Brightside video i fell in LOVE that day. Not only with his music but especially with Flowers. Also, because of the killers my music genre changed and I think for the better. The point I want to bring up is that beard. I’ve seen better shaved and dressed bums on the street. He looks like he should be in corner playing his guitar for money.Oh, Brandon!You had something great that would have increased sells and made everyone(at least the girls)forget about bands like FOB, Panic! at the Disco, and the Bravery and that was sex appeal. I still love the Killers music and I like that they are going back to their old stuff.

Look I like the Killers but I also like Bands like Fallout boy. To me they are not emo, because pete wentz wears eyeliner alot of people think they r.I do c what Brandon is tryin 2 get at but there r people who listen 2 emo music for the music and not cuz they r depressed.Emo is interesting cuz there r people who dress emo but r not actually depressed so yeah.

With a name like Flower, what can you expect? LOL PANSY. Go get a real name, momma’s boy.

Its wrong to bash other bands and their music unless they behave like eddie van halen and drag their fans through shite! Brandon, just keep the focus on making great music like you have been. Leave the drama and nonsense behind.

I love Brando…I love the killers. I am 23 and have been waiting for the next big thing since the 90’s and when the killers came on the scene it was an answer to my prayers. I just dont want to see the band become ego maniacs but to dispute some of these comments that the band doesnt get enough recognition is false….and any fan that has listened to all three albums they have released know that they are the real thing. Emo is annoying but music is a choice, I think Brando is just expressing an opinion.

wow, i am floored, i never thought he’d say something so… positive, and against something he’s kinda a part of. but that’s great. i actually like the sound but i totally agree with him. i don’t think he’s bashing other bands, i think if you look at his comment, & he’s sincere, he’s recognizing the link between certain kinds of music & the (vast, sweeping – so obvious it doesn’t need a sociologist) negative effects it has on teenagers. i think that’s really responsible as i thought he was a part of it, and i’ve seen first hand how crazy into it (depressed, hyper-medicated, hyper-sexualized, cutting, just a dark, dark world) kids can get. it’s not just gangsta rap & it’s about time someone, & within the industry, pointed it out. though the brits have amy winehouse, so maybe it’s just a sign of the times. we’re all messed up. i’m scared. :/

and i just realized how old this article is – i wish it were more publicized! :p i hope it had an impact. prolly not.

He is no rocker neither. Some of the Killers tunes are ok, but c’mon kid, this is pathetic. Growning a beard makes you feel like Captain America? The Killers guy came from the same background as the Bravery or the Kaiser Chiefs guys. That summer of 2005 was great with all these bands, but I have to admit Fall Out Boy sucks big time. Chemical Romance too and all these emotive-post hardcore pop-punk bands. Not to mention Panic at the Disco, that is the band I would beat up like shit. Harmful for the kids allrite. Anyway none of these bands are close to American Minor or Rose Hill Drive, or the mighty Black Crowes. Nice try kids but you are just a one-album band among the others who will be eaten up by the machine called record labels. Hope the Killers will survive!
sorry for the brutaly honest-words, but that is a fact. Having a Gibson les paul given by your dad and some good contacts and a nice hairdresser friend does not make you a good musician Fall out Boy.

I can see everyone is really angry, but the fact is this article failed to state that Brandon apologised.
He said, “I’d like to take it all back. These people are just doing what they want to do, just like I am…I’m actually a nice person and I love people. I just am opinionated, and sometimes jealous. It’s not something I’m proud of”
So there you have it. We all say things we don’t mean every now and then. I love the killers, but i don’t half mind Fall Out Boy or Panic at the disco. There tunes are good. Everyone has a different style. Part of living in this world is accepting that, and resecting there decisions.

woops sorry i meant to say respecting before.
So yeah…just take into account what i said below…:)

Oh man, I totally agree with him. Well, not the fact that he loathed the bravery, cuz i actually like them, but anyway. The genre and style etc, has brougth so much bullshit and scum into my life the past year. I do not concider my self as emo at all, I do not slide in with those stereotype emoes (as i would call it), with my blonde curled hair and pink clothes. It’s just when i weat my ONE striped, white and red sweater, along with my blue converse, people tend to shout on the street to me: “EEEMOO!” It is so annoying, and i don’t know anymore: do day think i’m suicidal or that i cut my self? or do they think i dress bad? or do they actually don’t mean anything about what they say. I really don’t know anymore, and it is so confusing. I am so tired of the whole Emo-thing, and even though i could like a few songs from Fall out boy, or other bands in the pop-emogenre, i would really wish that they’d never exist. people need to just shut the hell up about this emohystria. And when kids who maybe want to be popular cut them selves because they think that’s how to become emo and popular… its just sick! It shouldnt be possible…And by the way, my English here sucks bigtime, cause i’m from Sweden.

Um, personally, I am so incredibly sick of the emo generation. Honestly, its just preteens and teens who think that they are unique and are feeling things that no one else is feeling. They think they’re deep and no one understands them when in reality, everyone feels the same way. Plenty of my friends can be qualified as emo, so I don’t dislike them, but I think they should get over themselves. Come on, it is so boring to think that you’re not boring.

Emo is emo

Wow, most of these comments bashing emo and what not, are coming from people who can’t spell nor type right. Everyone thinks that emo is just what they see as eyeliner-wearing sad boys/girls who play a certain music. But if you look at the actual history of so-called emo (Which I don’t believe it actually exsists, if it does, then Kurt Cobain is the most EMO GUY EVER.) Most people think that the people who wear tight jeans with black hair that is parted from the side and over their eye are “Emo”…. it’s actually more in the lines with post-hardcore and hardcore music.

But everyone should just get a life and stop bashing another music genre. You just sound immature and it’s make clear that you have no idea what you are talking about. You don’t have to listen, nor writing a couple of paragraphs of how it “SuCKs” is just a waste of time and won’t convice or convert anyone because you said so. It’s called “Different types of Taste”. GET USED TO IT. NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE THE SAME THING. If you don’t like it, good for you, but don’t bash someone else just because they like something different.

I like The Killers, but Brandon does has a mouth on him. He should really examine himself, before anything else stupid happens.

FAG FAG FAG emo is gay and worthless and is about people who think they got it worse then any1 else.. FAGS! please forgive me bob marley for spreading hate but i HATE EMO!

Lets put out one thing.
Emo is not a matter of how you dress, it’s a state of mind. you don’t need the signature “hair over one eye mostly black hair, skinny jeans, && band tees” too be emo. Anyone who cries more than 3 times in two weeks can be considered emo. emo currently stands for emotional, not “i’m going to cut my wrist any second.”
people only do that for the attention.
Punk-rock isn’t a type of person in this case, so i can automatically say your an idiotic person. Punk-Rock is a genre of music some people tend to like. You can’t “discriminate” against it, thats being rude to the max. That’s like me saying Mr. Flowers you must’ve been born on a highway, because i heard thats where most accidents happen.
yes. i am pissed off at this article.

When kids in middle America are cutting themselves cause they think it’s cool then something is wrong!!! Brandon has an excellant point!!!

Brandon Flowers is a great artist,
i love the killers…
Where as Pete Wentz is just famous for being a pretty boy..

i agree with brandon!!
emo/punk is distructive..

Well I consider the Killers to be Emo-pop,
so I guess by my definition, and Brenda’s statement there, that means that the Killers music could do countless damage to the children of the world.
Yeah, I support that.

Brandon is a douche.

get over it. it exists. it all exists. get over it.

The Killers are a very unoriginal, and disposable band. Their songs tire me and so does the singer. I think they try way too hard with their fuck ugly mustaches, and emo inspired fashion I wonder when they will beat themselves up.

V F U.
The Killers Rock. Brandon is Amazing, I’m not Emo so I’m not offended.

….uh the Killers are fuckin’ emo c’mon, this is more worse than a confused teenager that is in denial of his own homosexuality! The Killers are emo, and suck rat balls.

Hmm, I am actually kinda choked over all this talk og Brandon as a person, emup, people bashing eatch other over an article about some stupid tihin,Brandon, Said… I´s he´s life, coice ect. What I can say is that I´m into, here it comes: The Cure-Bjørk-Suede, Oasis-Blur-Eminem- ms. Spears-The Killers. BUT I don´t say people are iditos, cos they don´t like the music I/ MY SELF ALONE play on the cd player. I can choose my “own” music whem I´m alone. So I actually listen to A LOT of different music, that has nothing to do with my fave music, but instead be a bigtime hit from a new or old band, that just sits inside your head, and sing along when it`s on the radio ect… I just, unfortnatly,think that ALL peopel in general is jaloux, and tha grass is greener on the other side of the road….So WHAT, as I read somewhere;”There is only one person who could ever make you happy, and THAT person is YOU. So get on with the real life… I saw this by suprise and HAD to read is all, damn… Let Brandon has he´s apponion, wright or wronge.. He could have ahd a stupid day. taht day… That´s just human, ironic, ey… I see the Killers a nice joyful music, not a band who wants kids to cut them self or friends straight up, and the eveliner “project” , he just wants to be deffrent. About he´s style, he just want to be BRANDON FLOWERS, Great singer/songwriter ect and has a wife who happens to design alternative clothes. SOO WHAT?
From Denmark.
To every band in the vorld:Keep on doing what you are best to

Get over it, get a life, he could have had a bad day… AND did acually said that he was sorry afterwards…
I think The Killers doing fine… And I think many other bands are to, but have my faves, of couse, so does everyone.
And the fact that Brandon would or could be a rolemodel for teens to cut them selfs, would just KILL him inside. He and hes wife have both a little a baby-boy and baby girl, who travels the world with them at the moment…
Brandon is just Brandon. The most loving person, as well as hes wife,and some of the most loving people who I EVER have been in contact with personally.. So chill out before you judge, OK.
xx
Karyn, Denmark.

Ok. As a successful drummer, guitar player, bassist, pianist, vocalist, and harmonica player in four successful bands, and a hardcore emo kid i wanna say that I’m really sick of all this emo discrimination shit. Do you fuckers even know what emo is? And i think that the killers are a bunch of fat washed up retards like coldplay who have big mouths and no talent whatsoever so i’m a little pissed that such an untalented dick would say something against a group of people he knows NOTHING about. Emo isn’t a cult or fashion, nor something you can just decide to be, it’s a way of looking at life, and a certain taste in fashion so anyone who’s against emo, grow up and get lives. And Mr. Flower, shut you’re fuckin mouth before the “unhealthy emos” kick your ass. And everyone’s bitching about cutting, but have any of you ever tried it? Hmm. Thought so.

And one more thing. I’m glad all you bastards have such wonderful lives, but some of us arent so lucky so the next time u wanna bitch about emos, maybe you should try comparing yourself to one of them. :@

Emo Kid That Nobody Likes.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAAH AHAHAHHAAAA.
SHAME-O NOBODY LIKES YOU SONNY!
hm i wonder why they don’t like you? Maybe it is because you are just so incredibly cool and they are super jealous.
Not.
Get over yourself mate.

You have no idea what peoples lives are like you idiot, just because everybody who has something shit happen to them doesn’t make a few scratches on their wrists and dye their hair black and then show everybody. It isn’t for anything other than attention and trying to make other emo friends.

Hahaha fuck,
some of these comments are just too funny man.
Superb displays of ignorance and blatant dismissal of fact from some of you. Congrats.
Firstly, the emo genre is cool as fuck, remember that part in Spiderman 3 when Maguire went all bad boy and had a tiny emo fringe and eyeliner? Case in point.
Either way, Flowers is wrong. I

How dare are you to upset Brandon Flowers and Coldplay? Brandon is the best singer in the world and that’s his opinion!
I love him!

Are we human or are we dancers?

The lead singer of a song that asks that question should really not be questioning other people’s artistic sensibilities.

Um, I love the Killers, but I would totally consider them more emo than anything else…. I’d consider them more emo than 80% of the “emo” bands out there. The Killers music is absolutely mind blowing compared to everything out today… when you sit down and listen to their lyrics, it’s extremely original and creative and it can mean so many different things to so many different people. I will say that IMO Sam’s Town and Sawdust are their best albums, I believe their true talent comes out best in those 2. They are also amazing live… Whatever Brandon’s beef with emo is, well so be it and yes… fall out boy sucks… hard, but I wish he’d realize that there are a lot of people who consider them emo…but i’d go with the commercialized emo… not the social vision of what emo is….
but emo boys are ultra hot… so I have no problem with it…. I just don’t listen to the crappy music… I actually listen to 99% techno, the killers, phish, blind melon and oasis are the only non techno bands on my ipod.

I meant un-commercialized emo. Not cutting themselves on a friday night and crying over their gf that just made out with another dude while wearing eyeliner and fondling their “friends” balls…. (not that there’s anything wrong with that, cos there’s not…but in reference to music…no one likes gay ball fondling songs)