Crying Tom & The Neons

About

Genre: Late 2000s Emo Rock
Active: 2007-2011
Location: Columbus, OH

Bio:
Crying Tom & The Neons emerged during emo’s final commercial peak in the late 2000s, but while their peers were singing about heartbreak and sadness, Tom was crying about significantly more awkward subjects.
The band became regional favorites in the Midwest emo scene, known for Tom’s theatrical emotional delivery and lyrics that turned family dysfunction into three-and-a-half-minute emo anthems. Their skinny jeans were tight, their eyeliner was thick, and their subject matter was deeply inappropriate.

“Sissy’s Got An Onlyfans” was allegedly written years before OnlyFans actually existed, leading to conspiracy theories that the band was either time-travelers or extremely prescient about the future of online content creation. The more likely explanation—that the song was re-recorded and re-titled in the 2020s—is far less interesting.

Crying Tom & The Neons disbanded in 2011 when emo fell out of mainstream favor. Tom allegedly went to therapy, while The Neons pursued various projects that their mothers could actually tell people about. Their reunion in the 2020s was brief but resulted in updated versions of their catalog for a new generation of dysfunction.

Notable Releases:
Sissy’s Got An Onlyfans (2024 re-recording of a 2008 original)

Sound: Mid-tempo emo rock with emotional vocals, power chords, driving drums, melodic guitar leads, and choruses designed for crying in your car.