Editing Rites of Spring (section)

== Musical style and legacy ==
Rites of Spring incorporated confessional lyrics into their hardcore punk style. According to Quinn Villarreal of [[Sirius XM|''Sirius XM'']], "Songwriting focus shifted from [[Contempt|disdain]] and [[Rage (emotion)|rage]], to themes like relationships issues, [[Psychological trauma|trauma]], and other hard to discuss topics."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Villarreal |first=Quinn |title=Emo Through the Years: Explore the Ever-Evolving Genre |url=https://www.siriusxm.com/blog/emo-day-genre-evolution |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=SiriusXM |language=en}}</ref>

Although Rites of Spring are regarded as having "unknowingly created and defined" the emo subgenre of [[hardcore punk]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rites of Spring Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & ... |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rites-of-spring-mn0000282800 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref> Picciotto himself has publicly rejected this notion. When asked about it in an interview his response was, "I've never recognized 'emo' as a genre of music. I always thought it was the most retarded term ever. I know there is this generic commonplace that every band that gets labeled with that term hates it. They feel scandalized by it. But honestly, I just thought that all the bands I played in were punk rock bands. The reason I think it's so stupid is that – what, like the [[Bad Brains]] weren't emotional? What – they were robots or something? It just doesn't make any sense to me."<ref>[http://www.markprindle.com/picciotto-i.htm "Guy Picciotto - 2003 Interview"] markprindle.com. Retrieved on February 23, 2009.</ref>