Rites of Spring is widely considered to be the first emo band, as they were the first to incorporate emotive and personal lyrics into hardcore punk music. They influenced many subsequent emo bands, especially in the Washington D.C. scene.
Embrace was another emo band from the Washington D.C. scene, featuring members of Minor Threat and Rites of Spring. They were more melodic and expressive than their hardcore peers, and helped define the emo aesthetic and ethos.
Sunny Day Real Estate was one of the first bands to bring emo to a wider audience, as they signed to Sub Pop records and gained critical acclaim for their albums. They combined indie rock, post-hardcore, and emo elements, and influenced many later emo bands, especially in the Midwest.
Jawbreaker was one of the most influential bands in the 1990s emo scene, as they blended pop punk, indie rock, and emo elements, and wrote witty and heartfelt lyrics. They gained a cult following and inspired many bands, such as Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, and The Wonder Years.
Cap'n Jazz was one of the pioneers of Midwest emo, as they played a chaotic and experimental style of emo, influenced by jazz, math rock, and post-rock. They were highly influential for many bands in the emo revival scene, such as American Football, The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, and Algernon Cadwallader.