Over the last several decades, emo music has experienced moments of mainstream popularity. Dashboard Confessional won a VMA in 2002, and more recently, Paramore won two Grammys in 2024. But the vast majority of the scene has always existed in a more under-the-radar way, so much so that it can be easy to wonder if it still exists, if it’s still relevant.

If you take the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an authority, the answer is a resounding yes.

Rising from the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio, the Rock Hall looks like a massive glass pyramid. Music blasts across the circular plaza outside — meant to emulate a record — and fills the glass atrium inside, bringing the space alive. Cars from U2’s Zoo TV tour dangle from the ceiling. Step on the escalator heading down a level and you’ll glide past a giant hot dog Phish flew in on for several New Year’s Eve gigs, and see the famous awning from CBGB.

Just past these artifacts a new exhibit featuring Hopeless Records and its bands puts emo music in this esteemed company, and makes clear that emo music not only still exists — it’s thriving.

New voices and new audiences

Hopeless is an independent record label based in California. Its roster features some of pop punk and emo music’s biggest names, from Sum 41 to All Time Low. But how exactly did this small indie label land on real estate just down the way from Taylor Swift’s catsuit, and around the corner from an exhibit honoring 50 years of Hip-Hop?

CEO and founder Louis Posen remembers it began with a phone call to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceo Greg Harris.

“We gave [Harris] a call and I said, Hopeless Records. And I thought he’d say, never heard of it,” Posen says. “But he said, ‘Hopeless Records, I’m so excited to be on the phone with you guys.’”

Harris says that the Rock Hall is known for celebrating iconic musicians of the past, but there’s more to it than that.

“To do things that are more contemporary is always welcome. And to bring new voices into the museum, new audiences and to connect. So it was a perfect fit.”

At the start of the exhibit, a big screen looping videos from Hopeless bands like Avenged Sevenfold, Destroy Boys, Illuminati Hotties and The Wonder Years gives visitors footing in the music, whether they’re fans or new to it.

Three cases filled with memorabilia from various Hopeless bands celebrate its history and future, and emphasize the community that keeps it going. There’s a colorful, short sleeved, collared Dickies shirt from Sarah Tudzin of Illuminati Hotties. An old school cashbox from All Time Low, a bass from Johnny Christ of Avenged Sevenfold. A copy of the first issue of the Hopeless zine, that emphasized the inclusivity and DIY ethic of the music scene. And there’s a copy of the first ever Hopeless Records release, the 1993 EP from punk rock band Guttermouth.

“Actually, the first song on the seven inch was called ‘Hopeless’ and where the name of the label comes from,” Posen says. “[Guttermouth] dared me to put out the seven inch for them. So I went and bought a book called How to Run an Independent Record Label and asked my brother and his friend for $1,000 and put out the Guttermouth seven inch. And here we are 30 years later.”

Posen says that it feels amazing that Hopeless has a spot at the Rock Hall — but it’s about more than just their label.

“This is really about great artists, a great team, and of course, the fans who make this all happen.”

Haley Cronin is one of those fans. The 22-year-old is an assistant curator at the Rock Hall. She was the main researcher on the exhibit for Hopeless. Cronin says that when people see this exhibit, “I want them to feel a sense of belonging, a sense of community that punk, emo, metal is still alive and well.”

“If people look at one of these artifacts in one of these video stills or the big picture wall here and find themselves in one of these bands, then we’ve done our job,” Cronin says.

An ever-evolving genre

Their community of dedicated fans hasn’t changed over the course of Hopeless’ 30 years. But the bands making the music have.

“Our roster is now more than 50% female or non-binary, 40% of our roster is LGBTQ. And so it’s nice to see artists like this really getting a spotlight on them and being put next to Aerosmith and the Beatles,” Posen says.

He brings this up because this kind of music — emo, pop punk, rock, whatever you want to call it — was founded by young white men, and for a long time, they dominated the scene.

Not anymore, thanks in part to newer bands like Spanish Love Songs, Hot Mulligan and Sweet Pill.

Sweet Pill signed to Hopeless in 2023.

“Sweet Pill sounds very big, very rock and emo, and just very melodic,” front woman Zayna Youssef says. “It’s kind of like if you took Paramore and asked them to do some math rock.”

When her band performs, Youssef says she can feel a real sense of community around Sweet Pill’s music. Community is something that drove the early days of emo, and Youssef sees first hand that it’s still a big part of the scene.

“Here I am, writing about my feelings. Like, that’s what our songs are about. And I’m performing them and I see these people resonating with it. And they come to me after shows and they speak about what the words mean to them, the album, what even just being at the show might mean to them,” Youssef says.

“It just makes me feel a little less alone in myself. And I’m sure the same can be said for them.”

Youssef says her identity is one of the things Sweet Pill’s fans connect with. She’s a woman of color — born in the U.S., to parents from Syria.

“One of the most incredible feelings is out of show when someone who is also maybe Middle Eastern or even just in general — maybe Indian, Pakistani, like. Like anything that is not white — and they come to speak to me and they tell me, like, ‘Hey, it’s really cool to see a person that looks like you doing something like this,’” Youseff says.

“I also agree, it is really cool because if I saw that when I was younger, I really wouldn’t have to believe that I had to change my look or that I had to act a certain way to fit a certain mold. It just feels so good to see someone be their authentic self and to be able to accept it.”

Posen, the Hopeless Records CEO, says supporting artists like Youssef and Sweet Pill and helping them connect authentically with their fans is essential to push the genre and his label forward.

“We want to get better at what we do. We don’t look at ourselves as a record label. We look at ourselves as a team that helps artists develop their careers,” Posen says. “Everyone who feels like they don’t have a home — Hopeless and our community is that home.”

And now, that community has a home at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum. But will artists from Hopeless and other pop punk, emo labels ever achieve that ultimate status — induction into the hall of fame? Don’t count them out, says Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris.

“When I started here, people used to say, you know, I can’t believe Stevie Ray Vaughan is not in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. I can’t believe that Rush isn’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Can’t believe that Tina Turner isn’t in as a solo artist. Guess what? They’re all in.”

So, maybe just give it time. And whether that happens or not, former — and current — emo kids will always have the music and the memories.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony show streams October 19 on ABC and Disney+ at 7PM eastern.

And if you can’t get enough, listen to the All Things Emo playlist NPR’s Brianna Scott has put together for this story:

Copyright 2024 NPR

Throughout Greenville County, eight Senate and 16 House seats are on the general election ballot with 11 contested races. S.C. Senate candidates Rex F. Rice (R-District 2), Tom Corbin (R-District 5), Jason Elliott (R-District 6), Karl B. Allen (D-District 7), and Shane Martin (R-District 13), and S.C. House candidates Neal Collins (R-District 5), Thomas Beach (R-District 10), Mark N. Willis (R-District 16), Mike Burns (R-District 17), Alan Morgan (R-District 18), Patrick Haddon (R-District 19), Bobby J. Cox (R-District 21) and Bill Chumley (R-District 35) are running unopposed.

S.C. Senate

District 8

Incumbent: Ross Turner

Party: Republican

Occupation: Small-business owner

Years as a Representative: 12

What are you planning to work on in your next term? I’d like to see the state government move to a results-based budget. With the cost of everything going up, people are being asked to do more with less. It’s time for our government to do the same thing. State agencies and departments need to justify every dollar every year. Taxpayers deserve to know how money is being spent and the results. It won’t be easy, but we can do it. This is something that will help our children and grandchildren achieve the kind of success that makes South Carolina a place where they will want to raise their families.

Photo provided by Taylor Culliver

Challenger: Taylor Culliver

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Nonprofit director, Center for Courage & Renewal

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? My priority is empowering everyone in our community with the freedom and opportunity to live a good life. That includes making housing, health care and child care more affordable for hard-working families, investing in smarter growth and stronger infrastructure, restoring reproductive freedom so that women and families can make their own health care decisions alongside their doctors, championing public education, passing common-sense gun-safety laws, and expanding economic opportunity for all. I think it’s important that all of our constituents feel they have a representative that will listen to them and focus on the priorities that will make their lives better.

District 9

Photo provided by Danny Verdin

Incumbent: Danny Verdin

Party: Republican

Occupation: Farmer and small-business owner

Years as a Representative: 23

What are you planning to work on in your next term? As the chairman of the Senate Medical Affairs committee, I have used that leadership role to push for important conservative causes like protecting the unborn, providing lower costs, higher quality health care options, and rejecting experimental ‘woke’ medical procedures that harm our children. This committee plays an important role in maintaining the health and security for children, adult families and the vulnerable alike. I have a proven record of leading on these issues, and others, and will continue to do so when re-elected to the Senate.

Photo provided by C. Randy Driggers

Challenger: C. Randy Driggers

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Former embalmer/funeral director

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? Social Security benefits, a minimum of 50% increase on all who worked 35 years or more. All benefits cut off on anyone who reaches the wealth of $1 million. Health care 100% free after first five years straight full time of employment then free for life with 35 years employment. Fair housing in America is gone, the fix, a new capital gains and a rental tax imposed 35%-50%. Current tax laws brought out every Wall Street wolf. Until this happens it will never be fair again. No taxes on $75,000 single $100,000 married. It’s time the rich are taxed.

District 12

Photo provided by Roger Nutt

Candidate: Roger Nutt

Party: Republican

Occupation: Owner of TNC Engineering and Development LLC

Years as a representative: 4

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? Tort reform, working on making an easier path for adoptions, tax reform, etc.

Photo provided by Octavia Amaechi

Candidate: Octavia Amaechi

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Family physician

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? In my first term, I will focus on protecting reproductive freedom, enhancing health care access and improving education. I aim to ensure that health care decisions remain private between patients and their doctors, advocate for Medicaid expansion to lower uninsured rates, and support comprehensive educational reform with better funding for schools and competitive teacher salaries. These initiatives are essential for addressing the immediate needs of our community and setting a strong foundation for future progress in South Carolina.

S.C. House

District 7

S.C. House District 7 candidates Lee Gilreath (Republican) and Hunter Savirino (Libertarian) are on the ballot but did not respond to the Greenville Journal in time for this article’s publication.

District 20

Photo provided by Stephen Frank

Candidate: Stephen Frank

Party: Republican

Occupation: Commercial insurance

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? South Carolina businesses are suffering from unjust lawsuits that place fault where there is none. We need tort reform, and we need it now.

Photo provided by Stephen Dreyfus

Candidate: Stephen Dreyfus

Party: Democratic

Occupation: Retired therapist and professor

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? Provide a progressive voice to the State House. Improve public education. Protect the environment. Give women the right to have control over their own bodies. Legalize marijuana. Provide sensible gun legislation so our children can be safe in school. Eliminate needless wasteful spending without jeopardizing necessary government programs. Make daylight-saving time last all year so no one has to reset their clocks. Protect and preserve democracy.

District 22

Photo provided by Paul Wickensimer

Candidate: Paul Wickensimer

Party: Republican

Occupation: Retired Greenville County Clerk of Court

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? I will work on improving our roads and bridges, continue to increase our teacher’s salaries so we can attract and retain quality teachers, and build relationships with members of the General Assembly so I can get support to get things done. I also will work with law enforcement to make sure they have they have the funding necessary to pay competitive salaries and the resources they need to deal with career felons, illegal immigrants, gangs and human trafficking. One thing I would like to change, if elected, is to reduce the level of state income taxes South Carolinians are paying.

Photo provided by Brann Fowler

Candidate: Brann Fowler

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Lawyer

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? My biggest concern is getting our state government back to governing. We need to focus on real issues that affect real people, like traffic, growth, crime and how our state government lost track of $5 billion, rather that arguing about culture war nonsense and canceling book fairs.

S.C. House District 23*

Photo provided by Chandra Dillard

Incumbent: Chandra Dillard

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Director of community relations at Furman University

Years as a Representative: 16

What are you planning to work on in your next term? During the next legislative session, I will continue to provide accessible and accountable leadership to my constituents.  I will continue to work collaboratively with my colleagues and other stakeholders for common-sense solutions that advance South Carolina and her residents with a emphasis on affordable housing, financial stability, and community and economic development.  One thing I hope to change is the insurance requirements that govern liquor liability for our small-business owners and nonprofits.

*S.C. House District 23 candidate James Archibald Atkins Jr. (Libertarian) is on the ballot but did not respond to the Greenville Journal in time for this article’s publication.

District 24

Photo provided by Bruce Bannister

Incumbent: Bruce Bannister

Party: Republican

Occupation: Attorney

Years as a Representative: 19

What are you planning to work on in your next term? As chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, my top priority is ensuring that our state has a balanced, fiscally responsible budget that prioritizes our needs, invests in our state’s future and keeps taxes low. The rapid growth of Greenville County – and the entire state – means we must be prepared to embrace the opportunities that come with growth. When I speak with my constituents, I hear that they want us to invest in education, support our teachers and improve infrastructure. My position as chairman of Ways & Means gives me unique access to address those needs.

Photo provided by Shauna R. Johnson

Challenger: Shauna R. Johnson

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Psychiatric nurse practitioner

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? After speaking with countless Republicans, a common ground can be found in most situations. We, as humans, are more alike than we think, and it’s past time we leave partisan politics in the rearview mirror. Our country has become stagnant, as those with the most inflammatory opinions (on both the left and the right sides) are the ones with the microphones. For a change, I would make it my first priority to establish working relationships with both Democrats and Republicans. Bipartisan effort has not been a priority for the SC legislature of late.

District 25

Photo provided by Tim Kennedy

Challenger: Tim Kennedy

Party: Republican

Occupation: Information technology

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? For District 25 I will begin working toward revitalizing and growing economically depressed areas within the district. For South Carolina, I will work to eliminate human trafficking across our state. I will work to improve and protect our education system by removing political and social agendas from school curriculums and focusing on teaching math, science, history, reading, writing, and useful life and career skills.

Photo provided by Wendell Jones

Incumbent: Wendell Jones

Party: Democratic

Occupation: Pastor/entrepreneur

Years as a Representative: 2

What are you planning to work on in your next term? My legislative focus will continue to be on creating policies that grant greater access to quality education, jobs (includes empowering small businesses), housing and health care. On a grassroots level, we will continue to execute our plans to increase the average household income in District 25, which would alleviate many of the problems the district faces.

District 27

Incumbent: David Vaughan

Party: Republican

Occupation: General contractor

Years as a Representative: 2

What are you planning to work on in your next term? In my upcoming term as the State House representative for District 27, my commitment remains steadfast in promoting transparency and upholding our conservative Republican values. I will focus on protecting life from conception, defending the Constitution and safeguarding our civil liberties. By prioritizing these principles, I aim to ensure that our district’s values are represented with integrity and dedication. Together, we can work toward a future that respects our fundamental rights and upholds the values we cherish.

Challenger: John MacCarthy

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Adjunct lecturer of physics

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? In my first term, I would work to make child care more affordable and available by expanding the current SC Child Care Scholarship Program. The median cost of child care in Greenville County is over $9,000 per child per year. The current program only provides an average of about $1,650 per child and covers less than 6% of the children in the state. I would also work to repeal the six-week abortion ban which is a threat to women’s freedom and the unpermitted open carry of handguns which is a threat to our children, our public safety and law enforcement.

District 28

Candidate: Chris Huff

Party: Republican

Occupation: Self-employed

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? I plan to lessen government overreach and reduce the tax burden on our citizens. One immediate change I would like to see is the end of property taxes. We need to stop propping up big business while small businesses are working just as hard. I look forward to fighting for individual liberty and freedom!

Candidate: Fritz Wiebel

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Retired industrial electrician

What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? If elected I will propose a 10% raise for teachers, fully fund ABC Daycare, more classroom money for teachers, more WI-FI equipped buses, and fully fund the S.C. teacher retirement system. Will not support any more rate increases for Duke. Try to get the tax system in S.C. in line with the federal tax code, to maximize the power of deductions for S.C. taxpayers. Fees and sales tax are not deductible and amount to double taxation. The legalization of cannabis. Both medically and personally. one ounce legal for adults to possess. No selling, five-plant grow limit.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS)— Palmetto Promise Institute President & CEO Wendy Damron announced Thursday that a donor has offered funding for private school students impacted by a recent decision of the S.C. Supreme Court.

According to the South Carolina Department of Education, as many as 1,500 students were affected by the ruling.

The Supreme Court determined South Carolina would not give the Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) case a rehearing. It follows the court’s initial ruling last month, barring recipients of the ESTF program, also known as the school voucher program, from spending the $6,000 they would receive annually on private school tuition.

In a press release, the nonprofit announced Pennsylvania businessman Jeff Yass will be able to fund ESTF scholarships for school tuition through the end of the calendar year.

Yass, worth $44.4 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, has been a proponent of school choice laws for Pennsylvania’s private and charter schools.

“The Supreme Court waited over 180 days after oral arguments to deliver a decision that has been devastating to families who had every reason to believe that their ESTF school choice scholarships would be funded for the entire 2024-25 school year,” Damron said.

“We know the next quarter’s school tuition is soon due, and we are moving quickly to provide funds to schools as soon as logistics allow.”

Damron said that more details will follow in the coming days. These funds will be available for students currently attending a private school under the ESTF program.

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