But plenty happened in between the genre's birth and its most popular peak. Now, with emo experiencing a small but enthusiastic revival, a number of yesteryear's most influential bands are coming out of retirement. We've seen bands like The Promise Ring, American Football, Mineral and more spring back to life recently, with the reunions ranging from a few shows to full-on comeback albums and everything in between. 

Keeping track of it all can be overwhelming if you're not familiar with the history of these acts, so consider this a guide to the biggest reunions we've seen so far.

Regardless of whether you loved these bands when they first came out or if you're just discovering them, the important thing is to enjoy this while it's happening in real time—because it sure isn't going to last forever. Take the opportunity to discover something you were never familiar with or relive something you forgot about years ago.