Before emo morphed into the drama and eyeliner of the 00s, it was a different scene altogether. Fans of the genre consider the 90s to be its golden age, before it was corrupted by commercialism. It was wide-ranging in style – although always some combination of indie rock and punk/hardcore – yet, was tied together by heartfelt lyricism that cut right to the core – even if still slightly dramatic sometimes. Here are the 10 best songs from that era of emo.

Jimmy Eat World – ‘A Sunday’ (1999)

Jimmy Eat World are now most well-known for ‘The Middle’, a pop-punk hit from their 2001 breakout ‘Bleed American’. But the album prior, 1999’s ‘Clarity’, is the one often cited as their emo classic; a gorgeous, expansive, wide-roaming everest of a record. On ‘A Sunday’, they didn’t so much throw the toolbox as place all of its contents gently and precisely; xylophones, strings and drum machines shape the song and allow it to swell into its bursting final chorus.

Best emo lyric: “What you wish for won’t come true / Live with that”

Mineral – ‘Gloria’ (1997)

‘Gloria’ is a masterclass in balancing beauty and energy. It opens with a storming riff, screeching guitars, before rolling into a serene verse and crashing back into life for the chorus. Vocalist Chris Simpson really makes the song, carrying such emotion and desperation in his voice, whether soft and restrained in the verse or crying out in the chorus.

Best emo lyric: “I just wanna be something more than the mud in your eyes / I want to be the clay in your hands”

The Promise Ring – ‘Why Did Ever We Meet’ (1997)

The Promise Ring’s ‘Nothing Feels Good’ provided a great template for the poppier strain of emo that would go on to see mainstream success. Had it been released a few years later, ‘Why Did Ever We Meet’ in particular would have been ubiquitous. The verse is driven by a pounding rhythm section and the chorus impeccably catchy, climaxing with a ‘Ba ba ba da ba ba ba ba da ba da’ that’s meant for a euphoric singalong. As 90s emo goes, this track is the life of the party.

Best emo lyric: “We lie together, why care about the weather? / It only ends, it ends in darkness”

Sunny Day Real Estate – ‘Seven’ (1994)

Sunny Day Real Estate always had a more theatrical feel than their peers, due in large part to frontman Jeremy Enigk’s striking vocals. They’re backed up on ‘Seven’ by an equally dramatic instrumental, as two foreboding guitar parts intertwine and converge. The rhythm section – Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith, who would go on to join Foo Fighters – is outstanding on this track, Goldsmith’s tight fills adding an extra tension to the track and Mendel’s basslines a dark presence beneath it all.

Best emo lyric: “When time is poetry / And stolen the world outside / The waiting could crush my heart”

Jawbreaker – ‘Jinx Removing’ (1994)

Jawbreaker had a straightforward punk approach reminiscent of their West Coast peers like Green Day, but what put them under the emo bracket was frontman and lyricist Blake Schwarzenbach, who wrote of love and heartache with a poet’s soul. ‘Jinx Removing’ is a heart-wrenching lyrical moment, while the instrumental is energetic and to-the-point, only further driving Schwarzenbach’s gruff and pained vocals straight to the heart.

Best emo lyric: “Someone said your name, I thought of you alone / I was just the same twenty blocks away”