A Brief Introduction to Scene Culture

Question from Anon:

“How would you suggest someone get into scene culture? What staple concepts and/or media should someone research first when brand new to the community?”

First, thank you so much for being my first ask for the column! <3

Here is a non-comprehensive research guide for the brand-new Scene Kid, by Zombie Stardust!

Start with Music! Music is the heart of any subculture and if you're interested in stepping into the world of Scene the best place to start is by listening to the music. Now “Scene” isn't a music genre like Emo or Punk, it's instead a broad Umbrella Category of lots of different music styles!

I find it really interesting that a lot of people don't seem to know that scene kids were metal heads, metalcore, deathcore, nu metal, all huge in the scene! Bands like Black Veil Brides, Bring Me The Horizon, Asking Alexandria, and Bullet For My Valentine were all incredibly popular in the Scene!

Then you have your pop-punk like All Time Low and Paramore, your Bedroom Pop like Owl City and Amy Can Fly, and what the Scene is most well-known for, Crunkcore.

Crunk is a mix of electronic, pop, rap, and metal music, generally having sexual lyrics, and often included screamed vocals (though not always). This is what most people think of when they think of “scene music”, bands like 3OH!3, The Medic Droid, Breathe Carolina, Millionaires, Brokencyde, Hollywood Undead, Dot Dot Curve, and even more!

Once you've found the scene genre(s) you like and you are knee deep in music then you can enter the culture equipped with this knowledge!

I, sadly, wasn't a part of the original scene. I wasn't on Myspace because I was too young, and I didn't even know about the broader internet. And because I wasn't there, I can't fully say anything about the culture from firsthand experiences, but I can recommend a lot of YouTube videos I've watched about Scene and the subculture!

(A little disclaimer: I don't personally know any of these people closely and I'm not affiliated or endorsed by any of them, I just thought these videos in particular were good resources!)

This video by Maya Malice is technically about the difference between Scene & Scenecore, but I think that's a very good place to start when entering the Scene as not to confuse the two: https://youtu.be/1TxiiGWCMXc?si=wHUQrWXmZ8FJpQby

This guy isn't scene but his brief overview of the Scene I thought was very fun and silly so check this video out if you want something short: https://youtu.be/V6CN2TQUw6E?si=8Wibj6Uelp-Uwp1f

This is a great video about scene culture, the good and the bad, I think this girl has a very good explanation of the Scene being a former scene kid herself: https://youtu.be/zgM0RFOddR8?si=7Yw8_xjBD2X44-1Y (there is a slight content warning later in the video about harassment & grooming, but I think that's an important subject to talk about regarding the history of the Scene.)

This is the last video I'll link to from a guy who was older when the scene started and watched the scene play out from an outside perspective: https://youtu.be/YZoGB22sAtk?si=mIBAV7rpOGL2K2zU (I think he's got some very interesting things to say about the culture, including pointing out how hating on “scene bands” was completely ridiculous)

Other than all that researching general Emo & also Rave culture will tell you a lot about Scene culture since it borrowed a lot from those older cultures!

The scene is, above all else, from everything I've gathered, about confidence and a shared passion for life. It's about being ridiculous and owning it, about being bold and taking risks and living life to its fullest! Life can suck, you can feel like an outcast and a loser, but you know what kid? Here within these Neon and Black streaked walls, we're more than happy to welcome you in!

& make sure you remember to love yourself ^-^)o♡