Despite the title, the bands featured in the series have a diversity of sounds that do not all necessarily fit into the emo style of rock music. Andy Greenwald, in his book Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo, claims that the series "stake[s] a claim for emo as more a shared aesthetic than a genre."
The title of the series does not accurately represent the varied musical styles showcased, which do not all conform to the emo style. According to Andy Greenwald's book Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo, the series "asserts a claim for emo as more of a shared visual identity than a specific music genre.