Get ready to dust off your darkest eyeliner, crank up My Chemical Romance, and scream “I’m not o-f*cking-kay” because there’s a new exhibition at the Barbican Music Library in London that pays homage to emo culture in all its glory—or gloom, depending on your perspective. Running until 15 January 2025, “I’m Not Okay (An Emo Retrospective)” delves into the rise of Britain’s Y2K subculture, with a particular focus on the first-generation Emo scene from 2004 to 2009.

For those who might be scratching their heads and not currently jamming to Fall Out Boy, here’s a quick primer. Emo is a music genre that originated from the term ‘emotional’ or ‘emotional hardcore’—a style that emerged in the mid-80s, characterized by introspective lyrics and influences from bands like The Smiths, Joy Division, and The Cure. Typically, Emo is linked to sensitivity, shyness, or a heavy dose of angst, often manifesting as social alienation and introversion. More controversially, it’s also associated with destructive behaviors and mental health issues, though this is largely a tabloid narrative. In reality, Emo is a subculture that fosters creativity and self-expression, far from the harmful stereotypes of anger and extreme sadness.

In the 2000s, Emo was revitalized by alternative rock and indie bands such as Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, My Chemical Romance, and Fall Out Boy, whose albums achieved mainstream success. The summer of 2002 was a pivotal moment for Emo culture, with Jimmy Eat World’s ‘The Middle’ leading the charge and paving the way for bands like Good Charlotte, Bullet For My Valentine, The Used, Panic! At The Disco, and Paramore.

The subculture also permeated fashion, with skinny jeans, band tees, studded belts, jet-black hair, and copious amounts of eyeliner becoming staples for “emo kids.” Now you’re mostly up to speed.

“I’m Not Okay (An Emo Retrospective)” takes its name from the My Chemical Romance hit ‘I’m Not Okay (I Promise)’ from their second album ‘Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge’. This exhibition is a collaboration between the Barbican Music Library and the Museum of Youth Culture. According to the Barbican, the exhibition showcases how the ethos of emo “struck a chord with a generation, transforming collective teenage melancholy into a transatlantic subculture that flourished both online and in the dingy basements of pubs.”

The exhibition features photographs taken on early digital cameras and mid-2000s phones, exploring how the subculture became a positive force in addressing mental health, identity, sexuality, and belonging. Jamie Brett, Creative Director of the Museum of Youth Culture, stated, “In addition to the digital content we uncovered, we are deeply grateful to everyone who shared how Emo culture shaped their lives and contributed visual material for the exhibition, essentially giving them a stake in its creation.” Brett added, “We are immensely proud of ‘I’m Not Okay (An Emo Retrospective)’ and look forward to hearing how it resonates with vivid memories of this pivotal era in people’s lives over its four-month run at the Barbican Music Library.”

So, head on over to the Barbican website for more details. We’ll see you there—and ready to belt out our heartfelt rendition of Fall Out Boy’s ‘Sugar, We’re Goin Down’ if the Barbican asks.

“I’m Not Okay (An Emo Retrospective)” is now open at the Barbican Music Library until 15 January 2025.