A research has been conducted, with the discrete element method introduced, on the failure process under uniaxial compression and the acoustic emission characteristics of transversely isotropic rocks with different orientation angles. The experimental results show that the difference in orientation angle of transversely isotropic rocks results in various acoustic emission characteristics. A coupling relation has been found between acoustic emission characteristics and the corresponding stresses, with the spatial response of acoustic emissions occurring mainly at the interface of two kinds of rocks. Differences between mechanical properties of transversely isotropic rocks result in a stress concentration at the interface of inter-stratified rock mass where a crack initiation may first occur, which expands into the nearby area and then causes macroscopic cracks to form, finally resulting in the total failure of the entire specimen. With the increase of orientation angles, the uniaxial compression strength and modulus of elasticity decrease initially and then increase. The compression strength reaches its peak when =90°, where it exceeds the corresponding compression strength when =0° .