What is the difference between grunge, goth, emo and scene?

What about goth?

Grunge became a thing around 1986 starting gaining mainstream traction around 1989-mid 1991 and complete maintream pop status between late 1991 - late 1992.  It is closely related to alternative rock, which became fully mainstream around late 1987 to late 1988, which has similar ethos, looks and musical elements. Grunge music itself is focuses on introspective, cynical and outsider lyrics with 70s garage, traditional heavy metal, 80s punk and alternative rock influences, with alternative and punk being a bit bigger influences. The fashion borrows from all the influences. The subculture itself, which came a bit later, is based around generation x dissatisfaction with the status quo of the late 80s to mid 90s and a rejection of materialism with an emphasis on individualism. Slacking off, being different, living outside the mainstream, being trippy, and weirdness is sometimes celebrated.  Sometimes it wasn't a subculture, it's just fans of the music who adopt the look. 

The movie slacker from 1989 represents the era, along with films like singles 1992 and reality bites 1994. 

1986

First grunge band Green River 



1987:

Soundgarden



1988

Nirvana




Grunge Fans:

Grunge fans looked very close to bands or someone you'd see at a rave party, junior high to college student with long droopy hair parted over the face, or skateboarder in 1987-1991, the styles were close. Sometimes there isn't really a look though. 

Nirvana Uk tour in 1989



Rave Kid from 1988 that could pass for grunge and what many everyday fans could look like, they didn't necessarily have to always fit the look exactly:



Tony hawk 1991


Mark Gonzaloes 1987



River Phoenix - 1988 - E! Interview : 

Keanu Reeves - River's Edge 1986 - 

Seth Green - In 1991

 

1992-1996 it was almost the same, but grunge fashion was just slightly toned down was much more part of the very day looks, big brands like GAP and other companies made flannel and ripped jeans part of everyday fashion at some point in the mid 90s, and then you started see more fans like this, and it wasn't always a subculture for many but just a style or interest in music:




1994/1995-1998, you started to see more post grunge bands, post grunge, nu metal bands come around which some grunge fans may have liked.. but there was still a fanbase some of the original style was a bit watered down, it was mostly gone in 1997 but still hanging and post grunge which blew up in 1994/1995 helped, as it was  really popular. 




Gavin rossdale 1994/1995 of the band bush (biggest post grunge band of the mid to late 90s)



Silverchair 1997 (1997-1998 was the last year of first wave post grunge)

"Goth music" is quite a massive category.

It goes from goth rock:


To goth metal:


To industrial music:


To dark wave:


That's probably why as a subculture it has lasted for decades, it's very expansive.