Midterms are upon us, and if you’re asking yourself, “How am I going to get through this?” The answer is by cranking the volume up to 100 and blasting these “everything is terrible, my life sucks, screw society” songs, that’s how.
- Drown – Bring Me the Horizon
“Don’t let me drown,” – Me to my roommate every time tests roll around. Honestly, few songs could beat this one out for “Most Emo Song Ever,” in which Oli Sykes transitions flawlessly from demure vocals to growly wailing – perfect for feeling all the feels.
- I’m Not Okay (I Promise) – My Chemical Romance
I think this song speaks for itself. From the quiet piano intro to the head banging chorus, this one is a must have for wallowing in teen angst.
- Welcome to My Life – Simple Plan
I dub this the “You don’t understand me, Mom” song. It’s basically the song that every middle schooler directed towards their parents in their peak days of teen angst, managing to hide broody lyrics behind a deceptively peppy beat. Now you can direct this towards all your friends who think their classes are just as hard as yours.
- I Just Wanna Run – The Downtown Fiction
Don’t we all? With super relatable lyrics, this song is perfect for any and all study slumps.
- The Kill (Bury Me) – 30 Seconds to Mars
Jared Leto is getting a whole lot of buzz for his acting gig as the Joker in Suicide Squad, but I’d like to take a moment to remind everyone that he’s been rocking guyliner since day one. This song is real over the top with the angst, which earns it a spot on this playlist.
- In the End – Linkin Park
“In the end, it doesn’t even matter.” An accurate summary of what studying for midterms feels like. Like we could have an emo playlist without a Linkin Park song.
- The Anthem – Good Charlotte
Aptly named “The Anthem,” this song is the quintessential proclamation that you won’t ever be the boring conformist that society wants you to be. With an infectious chorus and catchy beat, this song will make you feel much, much better about the possibility of failing your midterms.
- I Miss You – Blink-182
I’m dedicating this song to my high school self who did all her homework the night it was assigned. Tom Delonge takes angsty pleading to a whole new level, and it’ll have you wiping a stray tear in no time.
- American Idiot – Green Day
The perfect song for a little angsty dance break in classic Green Day alt rock fashion. Also a reminder that you should strive to not be an American Idiot. You probably can’t afford to fail your exams.
- All Signs Point to Lauderdale – A Day to Remember
A good emo playlist is not complete until you have an obligatory “I hate my town” song. A Day to Remember somehow blends metalcore and wistful longing, and it totally works. Would you believe me if I told you this was one of their lighter sounding songs?
Just remember, even if you fail your midterms, you’ve still gotten so much farther education wise than about 90% of your favorite bands.
