The difference, by ear
Both trade a heavy verse against a huge sung chorus. Metalcore screams the verse; emo-pop sings it.
Melodic metalcore is part sung, part screamed where emo pop is sung cleanly, and a little faster: 150 to 190 bpm against 130 to 170. To hear the difference, play Jimmy Eat World next to Killswitch Engage. Emo pop comes from the rock side of the tree and melodic metalcore from the metal side.
In figures
Emo pop
Where it sits
Rock › Punk rock › Hardcore punk › Post-hardcore › Emo › Emo pop
In short
The emo formula with a radio chorus and polished production. The version that reached MTV and the shopping mall.
How it sounds
- Choruses built for radio, with dense production and heavy compression.
- Nasal vocals with a lot of words crammed into each phrase.
- Distorted guitars mixed under the voice, pop punk style.
Key acts
- Jimmy Eat World
- Fall Out Boy
- My Chemical Romance
Start here
The pickJimmy Eat World - Clarity. The album before the success is the good one.
Full page →Melodic metalcore
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Metalcore › Melodic metalcore
In short
Gothenburg harmonies imported into American hardcore. The dominant formula of the 2000s.
How it sounds
- Melodic death metal guitar harmonies over hardcore structures.
- Clean sung choruses with melodic vocals and broad production.
- A final breakdown as the song's climax.
Key acts
- Killswitch Engage
- As I Lay Dying
- Trivium
Start here
The pickTrivium - Ascendancy. Metalcore that remembers to include solos.
Full page →