The difference, by ear
Both are sincere about mental health and both borrow pop production. This is far heavier and far stranger.
Emo pop is sung cleanly where new nu metal is part sung, part screamed, and a little faster: 130 to 170 bpm against 90 to 150. To hear the difference, play Tallah next to Jimmy Eat World. New nu metal comes from the metal side of the tree and emo pop from the rock side, and emo pop came first, by nineteen years.
In figures
New nu metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Nu metal › New nu metal
In short
The generation raised on Korn and Slipknot brings back low tunings and electronic textures with today's production.
How it sounds
- Very low tunings and modern production with electronic and trap elements.
- Short structures built for streaming and vertical video.
- Vocals switching rapidly between rapping, processed singing and screaming.
Key acts
- Tallah
- Vended
- Sleep Token
Start here
The pickLoathe - I Let It in and It Took Everything. Deftones and shoegaze, done very well.
Full page →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 →