26 Emo Icons Who Defined The Scene And How They've Changed Over The Years

Emo music is back, baby! With longtime favorites like Fall Out Boy, Paramore, and My Chemical Romance making their way back to the stage and releasing all-new music, my teenage self is having a moment.

SpongeBob SquarePants listening to music
SpongeBob SquarePants listening to music

Nickelodeon / Via giphy.com

So, if you also spent every summer at the Vans Warped Tour, had those classic side-swept bangs, and still listen to your favorite angsty bands on repeat to this very day, here's a look back at the emo musicians we loved the most then vs. now:

1.First, Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy:

Pete Wentz in 2006
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic

And here's what he looks like now:

Pete Wentz at the Super Nintendo World celebration
Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images

2.Hayley Williams of Paramore:

Hayley Williams performing on stage in 2006
Aaron Rapoport / Corbis via Getty Images

And here's what she looks like now:

Hayley Williams performing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
NBC / Todd Owyoung / NBC via Getty Images

3.Brendon Urie, formerly of Panic! At the Disco

Brendon Urie performing on stage
John Shearer / WireImage for / MTV.com

4.And here's what he looks like now.

Brendon Urie performing at TODAY
NBC / Nathan Congleton / NBC via Getty Images

5.Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy:

Patrick Stump performing in 2006
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic, Inc

And here's what he looks like now:

Patrick Stump performing at the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Game
Eliot J. Schechter / NHLI via Getty Images

6.Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance:

Gerard Way at the 2005 MTV VMAs
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic, Inc

And here's what he looks like now:

Gerard Way performing in 2022
Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

7.Tyson Ritter of the All-American Rejects:

Tyson Ritter performing at the MySpace second anniversary party
Chris Weeks / WireImage

And here's what he looks like now:

Tyson Ritter at the premiere of Prisoner's Daughter
Jeremy Chan / Getty Images

8.Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day:

Billie Joe Armstrong performing on stage in a red tie
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic, Inc

And here's what he looks like now:

Billie Joe Armstrong performing at Outside Lands 2022
Steve Jennings / WireImage

9.William Beckett of the Academy Is...:

William Beckett performing in Hollywood
John Shearer / WireImage for New Line Cinema

10.And here's what he looks like now:

11.Gabe Saporta, formerly of Midtown and Cobra Starship:

Gabe Saporta performing in 2008
Gary Miller / FilmMagic

And here's what he looks like now:

12.Davey Havok of AFI:

Davey Havok at the 2006 MTV Movie Awards
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic, Inc

13.And here's what he looks like now:

Davey Havok performing at the 2022 When We Were Young Festival
Tim Mosenfelder / FilmMagic

14.Adam Lazzara of Taking Back Sunday:

Adam Lazzara performing in 2004
Theo Wargo / WireImage

And here's what he looks like now:

Adam Lazzara performing in 2022
Jason Squires / FilmMagic

15.Ryan Key of Yellowcard:

Ryan Key visiting TRL in 2005
Carley Margolis / FilmMagic

And here's what he looks like now:

Ryan Key performing in 2022
Jason Squires / FilmMagic

16.Vic Fuentes of Pierce the Veil:

Vic Fuentes performing in 2009
Joey Foley / FilmMagic

And here's what he looks like now:

Vic Fuentes and Tony Perry performing at the 2022 When We Were Young Festival
Tim Mosenfelder / FilmMagic

17.Sonny Moore (now known as Skrillex) of From First to Last:

Sonny Moore performing in 2009
John Shearer / WireImage

And here's what he looks like now:

18.Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low:

Alex Gaskarth in 2009
Jason Laveris / FilmMagic

And here's what he looks like now:

Alex Gaskarth performing in 2022
Josh Brasted / WireImage

19.Derek Sanders of Mayday Parade:

Derek Sanders performing in 2010
Steve Jennings / WireImage

And here's what he looks like now:

Derek Sanders performing in 2022
Jason Koerner / Getty Images for Audacy

20.Jordan Pundik of New Found Glory:

Jordan Pundik of New Found Glory
J. Shearer / WireImage

And here's what he looks like now:

21.Craig Owens, formerly of Chiodos:

Craig Owens performing in 2008
Paul Warner / WireImage

And here's what he looks like now:

22.Oli Sykes of Bring Me the Horizon:

Oli Sykes performing in 2010
Metal Hammer Magazine / Future via Getty Images

And here's what he looks like now:

Oli Sykes performing in 2022
Katja Ogrin / Getty Images

23.JT Woodruff of Hawthorne Heights:

JT Woodruff performing in 2010
Joey Foley / Getty Images

And here's what he looks like now:

JT Woodruff performing in 2022
Tim Mosenfelder / FilmMagic

24.Kellin Quinn of Sleeping with Sirens:

Kellin Quinn performing in 2012
Joey Foley / Getty Images

And here's what he looks like now:

25.Pierre Bouvier of Simple Plan:

Pierre Bouvier in 2004
Harold Cook / FilmMagic

And here's what he looks like now:

Pierre Bouvier performing in 2022
Mariano Regidor / Redferns

26.Finally, Bert McCracken of the Used:

Bert McCracken performing in 2003
David Pomponio / FilmMagic

And here's what he looks like now:

Bert McCracken performing in 2022
Jason Koerner / Getty Images for Audacy

Which emo icon did you love the most? Share yours in the comments!