The term “emo” is short for emotional, and many people see emo music as sad punk rock. Emo focuses more on emotions and relationship issues, while punk music is typically centered around social and political issues. Punk music often involves some level of rebellion in their style of music and their look. They also often carry some message that is anti-religion or government. Punk has a much more vibrant and more valuable history than emo music.
Punk rock peaked around the mid-seventies, and back then, it was an underground sort of thing. It was all leather jackets, spikes, and an androgynous sort of appearance. The Sex Pistols, The Pixies, The Dead Kennedys, and The Misfits all fit into this category. Emo music is more expressive and less volatile. Some influential emo bands include Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, The Cure, and The Smiths. Emo is, of course, newer, as it came around in the mid-’80s. Emo bands have one thing in common, and they are all emotionally charged and melodic.