RTRRO

type

status

date

1. Jimmy Eat World – "The Middle"

Jimmy Eat World got famous because of this song. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t fit in.

Their old record label dropped them. So they paid for their album "Bleed American" themselves.

"The Middle" shows they didn’t give up. And it tells you: "don’t write yourself off yet."

MTV’s Total Request Live played the music video a lot.

The video has a teen at a party. Everyone else there is in underwear. It gets that outsider feeling right.

The line everyone remembers? "It just takes some time, little girl, you're in the middle of the ride. Everything, everything'll be just fine."

2. Dashboard Confessional – "Screaming Infidelities"

Chris Carrabba sings this acoustic song about heartbreak. It set the standard for emo vulnerability. It’s raw—no sugarcoating the pain of betrayal.

Just his strained voice and an acoustic guitar. Makes the lyrics feel so personal. Like he’s singing right to you. A secret whispered through headphones. A lot of people say it’s one of the best emo songs ever.

Iconic Lyric: "I'm missing your bed, I never sleep. Avoiding the spots where we'd meet."

3. Taking Back Sunday – "Cute Without the 'E' (Cut From the Team)"

Two people sing to each other here. The lyrics are sharp. They’re about jealousy and revenge.

The song has raw energy. You can feel the tension between singers Adam Lazzara and John Nolan. It gets the messy emotions of a toxic relationship right.

The music video has scenes like the ones in "Fight Club." It matches the song’s angry, confrontational mood.

This one’s meant to be screamed. It’s a way to let out hurt when someone wrongs you.

Iconic lyric: "And will you tell all your friends you've got your gun to my head? This all was only wishful thinking."

4. My Chemical Romance – "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"

My Chemical Romance was the undisputed king of 2000s emo. This song made that official. It’s a defiant anthem for outcasts and people who feel misunderstood.

Gerard Way sings with drama. The band plays loud, powerful music. Sounds dramatic but so relatable. The music video looks like a movie trailer. It’s about a group of high school misfits. Cements the band as champions for the underdog.

Iconic Lyric: "I'm not okay. You wear me out."

5. Fall Out Boy – "Sugar, We're Goin Down"

This was Fall Out Boy’s big break. Bassist Pete Wentz writes clever lines. Patrick Stump sings with soul—loud and strong. The song is catchy, but the emotions are complicated.

Lyrics are all about insecurity and having a crush. A feeling a lot of teens get. It got so popular that high school bands loved covering it. Iconic Lyric: "We're going down, down in an earlier round, and sugar, we're goin' down swinging."

6. Paramore – "Misery Business"

Hayley Williams and Paramore broke into the emo scene—one that was mostly guys. This song is fiery. It’s about female rivalry.

Unapologetic. Super catchy.

Williams doesn’t sing it live anymore, though. She doesn’t love the lyrics now. But it’s still a big deal for people who grew up dancing to it in their bedrooms.

Iconic Lyric: "Woah, I never meant to brag, but I got him where I want him now."

7. The Starting Line – "The Best of Me"

This song is about young love. Hoping it lasts. Sweet. Sincere. Super catchy pop-punk. The tone is optimistic. The chorus is easy to sing along to. It was a favorite at Warped Tour.

It’s a snapshot of simpler times. Reminds you of first love. Of feeling like anything is possible. Iconic Lyric: "We got older, but we're still young. We never grew out of this feeling that we won't give up."

8. Yellowcard – "Ocean Avenue"

This song has big violin solos. The lyrics feel nostalgic. It’s a total summer song.

It’s a soft look back at being 16. Back then, you think you have the whole world figured out.

It’s great to play loud with the windows down on a warm night. And it feels like a place that’ll always be home.

The music video has time travel. That adds a little sci-fi fun to the track.

Iconic Lyric: "If I could find you now, things would get better. We could leave this town and run forever."

9. New Found Glory – "My Friends Over You"

This is a pop-punk classic. It says friends come first—above anyone romantic. Fun. Energetic. Super relatable. The music video makes fun of typical music video tropes. The band has huge animated heads.

Iconic Lyric: "I'm telling you, you're hiding something. 'Cause it's my friends over you."

10. Good Charlotte – "The Anthem"

The title says it all.

This song’s for anyone who won’t conform. It’s for people who rebel against what parents, teachers, and society expect.

And it’s for kids who make their own path.

It celebrates being yourself. Not just another face in the crowd.

Iconic Lyric: "I don't ever want to be like you. I don't want to do the things you do."

11. The All-American Rejects – "Swing, Swing"

This is a power-pop gem. But it has a dark side. The tempo is upbeat. The chorus is catchy. But the lyrics are about a relationship ending badly. Total emo move—pairing sad words with a fun melody.

Iconic Lyric: "Now I'll be seeing you in my dreams. I'll be seeing you, seeing you."

12. Saves The Day – "At Your Funeral"

Saves The Day is great at writing dark but romantic songs. Chris Conley sings sweet—almost naive. The lyrics are about death and devotion. Feels so sincere. Unsettling but moving. Shows emo can find beauty in dark places.

Iconic Lyric: "And I'll be there, at your funeral. I'll be there."

13. Brand New – "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows"

Brand New knows how to make music that’s complicated and hits you emotionally.

This song grows. It starts quiet, like someone thinking. Then it gets loud—this big release in the chorus.

It’s worth hearing more than once. Every time, you might pick up new little bits of what it means.

Iconic Lyric: "So keep the blood in your head, and keep your feet on the ground. If today's the day it gets tired, today's the day we drop out."

14. Something Corporate – "I Woke Up In A Car"

Andrew McMahon plays piano for this band. That makes their pop-punk sound different.

This song’s about road trips. It’s about looking for a place to belong.

It gets that young, restless feeling right. You don’t know where you’re going—but you’re excited for the journey.

Iconic Lyric: "I've never been so lost, I've never felt so much at home."

15. The Get Up Kids – "Holiday"

The Get Up Kids are a cornerstone of the Midwest emo scene. This song is one of their most loved. It’s about a relationship ending. But it’s not bitter or angry. Just sad—accepting.

Perfect for a late-night drive. A quiet moment to think about what was, and what could’ve been.

Iconic Lyric: "I guess this is the first time in a long time you've been on my mind. And it's all right."

This music was the soundtrack to first heartbreaks. To long drives with friends. What song got you through it all? Share your go-to emo anthem in the comments.