emo
These are the best emo artists featured on Release Wave.

Shoreline
Starting out on the floors of squats and basements, SHORELINE have played pretty much every venue in Europe that has provided them with a power outlet over the past ten years. Since then, they have played shows with scene legends such as FOUR YEAR STRONG, KNUCKLE PUCK, and SILVERSTEIN. This February, they will be touring the UK with ARM’S LENGTH – and just recently, they played a sold-out, acclaimed hometown show at Sputnikhalle in Münster with 600 tickets sold, their biggest headlining concert to date. SHORELINE was formed in 2015 out of a desire to be an active part of the scene back home in Münster. First demo songs on YouTube and plenty of DIY diligence soon got the band on the road. With their third album, To Figure Out, SHORELINE gained attention beyond Europe’s borders when they became the first German band to release an album on the US label Pure Noise Records. The band is gearing up to release their latest LP 'Is This The Low Point Or The Moment After?' on March 13, 2026, through Pure Noise Records.

Endearments
Based in Brooklyn, Endearments are set to make their mark with the upcoming release of their debut album 'An Always Open Door' on March 6, 2026, via Trash Casual. Their emotionally dense and lush synth-backed indie rock, produced by Abe Seiferth of Nation of Language and Car Seat Headrest fame, draws on influences from 80s synthpop and late-90s emo. With a sound that navigates the realms of energetic indie rock whilst preserving raw lyrical storytelling, Endearments captivate listeners with their introspective and poignant musical craftsmanship.

Fire In The Radio
Fire in the Radio is a Philadelphia-based indie rock/punk band known for their catchy high energy sound blending 90s indie rock, emo and melodic pop-punk influences, drawing inspiration from Jawbreaker, Bob Mould, Superchunk, Samiam and the like. Formed in the 2010s, key members include Rich Carbone (vocals/guitar), Jon Miller (vocals/guitar), Ed Olsen (bass), and Adam Caldwell (drums). They gained attention for albums like Telemetry (2015) and Monuments (2020) on Wednesday Records, praised for their catchy songwriting and dynamic rock style. They are gearing up to reissue their debut LP Red Static Action (2000) and are working on new material for 2026.

Capillary
New Jersey has produced some of the greatest emo and rock bands of all time, and the state is continuing to build the next generation of soon to be staple acts. Enter Capillary, the four piece crafting emotive and powerful tracks sure to capture the attention of even the most staunch genre purists. Signed to 51st State Records (run by Joey Chiaramonte of Koyo), the band released their debut self-titled EP in early 2024. Gearing up to release a full-length in 2026, today Capillary share a two song promo - "Lost Sleep" and "Time Before The Order.”
Taking influence from bands like Rites of Spring, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Mineral, you’ll hear strong building melodies, compelling riffs, and poignant vocals. “Lost Sleep” captures living in New Jersey - “a melancholy feeling in the air sometimes longing for those really simple and blissful times,” while "Time Before The Order" calls out the feeling of longing for someone. The tracks were recorded, mixed, and mastered with Justin Bartlett at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, PA (All Under Heaven, Carly Cosgrove).
RIYL: Title Fight, Anxious, One Step Closer, No Pressure

Long Square
Long Square is a new Detroit, Michigan indie/emo /alt-rock band that looks back on the second wave of midwest-emo in which they were raised. Containing big and soaring melodies, technical twinkling guitar riffs over heavy distortion, and emotionally charged vocals, Long Square are gearing up to release their debut LP on Forge Again Records called "Even A Single Lumen". RIYL Braid, Minus the Bear, The Promise Ring, Cap'n Jazz, This Town Needs Guns, Kind of Like Spitting, Cursive

Glean
With a foundation of San Diego’s punk influences from Drive Like Jehu, Blink-182, Heroin and others, a band like Glean naturally have a sense of melody. Formed in 2019 by four kids (now young adults), the band blends that melodic instinct with their love of punk and hardcore, crafting energetic, emotional, and catchy songs in the vein of Seaweed, Samiam, Jawbreaker, Lifetime, and Title Fight.

Grief Mop
Grief Mop is an alternative rock/emo band from Portland, Maine, formed by songwriter Joseph Lacy. The band's debut EP, You Were Right Here But So Far Away, was released in 2024, featuring heavy, beautiful songs that blend emo and alternative rock influences. The music explores themes of grief and memory, dedicated in part to Lacy's late friend and musician, Tim Landers. Grief Mop is signed to Sunday Drive Records and includes members from bands like Transit and Infernal Diatribe. Their sound has evolved containing more shoegaze and post-rock elements with their debut LP for Sunday Drive Records set for release in October 2025.
RIYL: Hum, The Appleseed Cast, Mock Orange, Starflyer 59

Feverchild
Feverchild is a Belgian emo/post-hardcore band from Ghent, formed around 2020, known for blending '90s emo aesthetics with heavy guitars, dynamic shifts, and catchy melodies, drawing members from hardcore scenes (Minded Fury, Force, Animal Club) and featuring production from Gilles Demolder (Oathbreaker). After the release of their EPs in 2021 and 2023, Feverchild are gearing up to release their new full-length album, 'Center of the Earth', on March 20, 2026, via Sunday Drive Records. Feverchild draws comparisons to bands like Texas Is The Reason and Sense Field, promising a compelling addition to the Sunday Drive discography.

Red Arrow Highway
Red Arrow Highway, hailing from West Michigan, is an alt-rock band gearing up to unveil their sophomore album, *Be Someone Better*, on March 20th, 2026, under the banner of North Carolina's indie label, Self Aware Records. Drawing inspiration from rock legends like Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, as well as modern torchbearers such as The Menzingers, The Gaslight Anthem, Spanish Love Songs and Bright Eyes, their sound marries classic rock aesthetics with contemporary indie punk passion with big alt-rock hooks. Through their lead single 'Not the End,' the band delves into societal critique with infectious melodies and fervent instrumentation, encapsulating the essence of their upcoming record.

Sweet Pill

Tigers Jaw
Tigers Jaw is an American indie rock band formed in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 2005 by Ben Walsh and Adam McIlwee. Known for their catchy, emotional, and relatable music, the band has evolved significantly, with Walsh and Brianna Collins becoming the primary members after McIlwee's departure in 2013. They are recognized for their DIY ethos and contributions to the "emo revival" scene, releasing several influential albums and EPs throughout their career. The band is currently signed to Hopeless Records and will release their Will Yip produced 7th LP in March of 2026.
RIYL: Jimmy Eat World, Weezer, The Get Up Kids, Macseal, The Hotelier, Modern Baseball, Charmer, Oso Oso, Pet Symmetry

Bicycle Inn
Bicycle Inn is an emo band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 2016. The band consists of Declan Moloney (bass), Noah Aguiar (guitar/vocals), Dylan Ilkowitz (guitar/auxiliary vocals), Gilmar Perez (lead guitar), and Josh Giaquinto (percussion). They are known for blending emotional, often melancholy themes with an alternative and sometimes post-hardcore edge, and have released albums like This Time and Place Is All I'll Ever Know and forthcoming LP "Long in the Tooth" scheduled for November 2025.
RIYL: Good Sleepy, Charmer, Arm's Length, Ben Quad

Stay Inside

Acceptance
Acceptance is a Seattle-based alternative rock band formed in 1998, known for their cult-classic 2005 debut album Phantoms, two EPs, and a subsequent reunion that led to their 2017 follow-up Colliding By Design and other subsequent releases including the recently released 20th anniversary reimagined version of Phantoms, called Phantoms/Twenty featuring several guest artists from the scene. After disbanding in 2006, the original lineup reformed in 2015 and has been active since, touring and releasing new material.
RIYL: The Starting Line, The Academy Is, The Maine, The Early November, Something Corporate

Honor Choir
Honor Choir, an up and coming Oklahoma City emo/post-hardcore band will release their new EP "Modes of Transport" on February 13, 2026 via Sunday Drive Records. Drawing influence from Blink-182 with a twist of early-2000s emo and post-hardcore sounds, as well as 80s new-wave bands like New Order, their tracks like "Satellite Receiver" and "Envelope" showcase a cohesive blend of their diverse influences, each featuring catchy choruses.

Awful Din
Brooklyn-based emo punks Awful Din, formed in 2014, have become fixtures in the New York DIY scene with their crunchy, emo-inspired melodic punk sound. Influenced by bands like Saves The Day and Texas Is The Reason, guitarists Kat and Aaron showcase their chemistry honed since childhood. Their upcoming ANTI BODY LP, set for release on January 28 via We’re Trying Records, promises bittersweet and introspective themes, continuing their evolution from their debut LP Only Constantly in 2022.
Pacifist
Pacifist is a Mumbai-based, 5-piece post-hardcore band known for their cathartic, emotionally charged music blending 90s hardcore, post-punk, and noise-rock, reflecting themes of urban anxiety and societal apathy. Since forming, they've gained recognition in the South Asian hardcore scene with their energetic live shows and releases like the Greyscale Dreams EP, aiming to connect Indian hardcore to the global stage with DIY ethics and powerful soundscapes. The band will release a new EP titled Five EP in January 2026. RIYL: At the Drive In, Refused, Thursday, La Dispute, Touche Amor

Footballhead
Initially the solo project of Ryan Nolen, FOOTBALLHEAD showcases the poppier side of 90s radio rock. With big guitars and bubblegum hooks, these nostalgia soaked songs evoke the energy of early Jimmy Eat World, Third Eye Blind, and blink-182 while also incorporating elements of grunge and post-hardcore with bands like Story of the Year, The Used, Basement, and One Step Closer. Nolen has teamed up with Adam Siska (The Academy Is... & Say Anything) to keep the ethos of 90s/2000s alternative pop music fresh and dynamic. The band is currently signed to Tiny Engines and released an LP and EP through them already, and a new LP is set for March 2026.

Good Sleepy
Good Sleepy is an emo band from Worcester, Massachusetts, formed as a DIY project in 2018 with a demo titled "Rest Easy" and eventually signed with No Sleep Records. The band's music, which draws from various eras of emo, has been described as an outlet for their collective experiences and emotions. Their first full-length album, "everysinglelittlebit," was released in 2021, and described as a blend of mathy '90s Midwest emo, anthemic early 2000s emo, and modern revival styles. They released an EP in 2022 and a single in 2024, and just announced they will self-release their sophomore LP "Constant Humming" in February 2026 revealing lead off single "Trap."
RIYL: Carly Cosgrove, Ben Quad, Marietta, Hot Mulligan, Arm's Length, The Wonder Years

Warper
Warper is an alternative rock band from Colorado, formed by Jack McManaman (vocals, guitar, bass, songwriter) and Adam Gilsdorf (drums). Based in Loveland, the group has released multiple EPs and singles, gaining traction within the Colorado indie and shoegaze scene and will release their debut LP on Candlepin Records in October 2025. Warper's sound is characterized as "downer shoegaze" for its blend of heavy, distorted instrumentation and melancholy lyrics, a blend of alternative rock, shoegaze, dream pop and emo. The band frequently works with producer Corey Coffman, who records, mixes, and produces their releases in Loveland and sometimes provides backing vocals and percussion on some tracks.