The music industry has come a long way since its inception and with time, new and creative music styles continue to enter the music world. As new music genres emerge, it’s difficult to keep track of which forms are popular in this day and age.
In our blog today, we’ll discuss the 10 fundamental genres of music today:
Electronic dance music
What was previous known by many different names like Jamaican dub music and the disco music of Giorgio Moroder in the early twenties, electronic dance music, or ED if you will, is what you usually hear in club and bars. DJ’s produce this unique form of music by adding dozens of various tones to an existing piece.
Rock Music
This form of music originated in the U.S as Rock and Roll and has been around since the 1950s. Loud music and strong beats are characteristic of the genre and although it was first produced on string instruments alone, modern instruments are now also being used to fashion rock music.
Jazz
Jazz is said to be one of the original art forms of America and comes from West African and European culture. The genre originated in the late 19th to early 20th century and demonstrates a rather pleasant combination of creativity and coactions. Characteristic of jazz include swing and blue notes paired with call and response vocals, making it only one of its kind.
Dubstep
Dubstep is a form of electronic music that was developed in the late 90s. The genre is known for its bass and rhythm and has gained increasing popularity overtime.
Rhythm and blues
The genre that Michael Jackson conquered with his extraordinary voice and abundant talent—rhythm and blues is driven by themes like relationships, freedom and sex, and is identified by a unique mixture of hip hop, funk, dance and pop music.
Techno
It’s basically the use of technology to enhance the style of music. Often used interchangeably with EDM, techno music is actually a sub-genre of EDM that originated in 1980s and has its roots in Detroit, Michigan. It’s a high energy music-form with fast and repetitive beats.
Country
Although Country music started in the 20s, it wasn’t until the 1990’s that it was officially recognized. Inspired by American folk and western music, it’s produced using simple instruments like electric guitars and drums. The genre has has been widely popularized by sensational singers like Taylor Swift.
Electro
A form of music that distinguishes itself with a unique mix of hip hop and electronic music, electro (also known as electro-funk) uses instruments like vocoder, drum machine and talkbox to produce the distinct tunes.
Indie-Rock:
Indie rock falls in the alternative rock music category and was first introduced in the 1980s. The genre has gradually influenced the music industry, giving birth to new forms like math-rock, emo, and lo-fi.
Pop music:
The term “pop” in the pop music comes from the word popular and is therefore a genre that characterizes popular music. Pop music can include a range of different genres like rock, dance, country or Latin. Songs of Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears are among the best in the genre, with the exemplary work of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, on top of the list.
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