How to Classify Music by Genre
Classify rock music., Identify top 40 pop music., Classify country music., Understand soul and R&B., Identify rap and hip hop., Classify electronic music.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Classify rock music.
Rock n’ roll is a broad form of pop music that contains nearly a hundred spin offs and subgenres.
The characteristic sound of rock n’ roll is a strong beat, simple (sometimes advanced) chord structure, and played loudly.
Rock n’ roll was born in the 1950s out of rhythm and blues.
It typically features an electric guitar (sometimes distorted), drums, bass, and vocals.
There are several variations of rock n’ roll that makes defining the genre difficult.
Some of the early rock pioneers are The Kinks, Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Buddy Holly, and Bo Diddley.Rock n’ roll evolved through the 1960s, 1970s, and each following decade.
In the 1970s, punk rock was born.
In the 1980s, metal and hair metal was born.
In the 1990s, grunge hit the scene as well as countless other styles.
If you hear a song with a strong beat and personality, you might be correct to classify it as rock. -
Step 2: Identify top 40 pop music.
Top 40 is a way of tracking the success of a pop song, based on listeners and popularity.
Today top 40 has turned into a genre of pop of its own.
Its music is written by songwriters and produced by a music corporation.
The easiest way to find this music is by skimming through your radio stations until you find the “pop” station.
The songs of top 40, more than any other genre, are designed to be catchy and get stuck in your head.
With this idea embedded into the songwriting process, top 40 songs typically have a grandiose chorus that repeats several times.Some popular figures of top 40 hits are Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Keke Palmer. , Country music, like all other genres, continues to grow and develop into subgenres.
Country music’s strongest emphasis is the narrative of the song.
The song remains in a pop song format with a verse and chorus.
It is also characteristic for the singer to have a bit (or a lot) of twang.
Since country music is fixated more on the song’s narrative, instruments play less of a role.
Instruments popular in country music are acoustic guitars, pedal steel guitars, and other folk instruments.The roots of country start with the honky tonk days of the 1950s.
The most celebrated star from this decade is Hank Williams.
Folk music is another popular subgenre of country.
Folk music takes the narrative focus of country and intensifies the storytelling.
Popular folk musicians are Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. , Soul and rhythm & blues are genres of music inspired by gospel and blues music.
These genres represent a larger umbrella of genres of music created by African Americans.
Soul music is characterized by powerful vocals and a catchy groove accompanying it.
R&B is another large genre that has roots in the 1950s and transformed around the late 1980s into a catchier form of pop.
Early soul pioneers include Solomon Burke, Ben E.
King, and Aretha Franklin.
Early R&B started in a minimal style like Big Joe Turner and Fats Domino.
The genre took on more influences in the 1960s with the Mar-Keys and James Brown.
Later R&B took on a hip hop influence with artists like Mary J.
Blige and Boyz II Men.
Another influential genre that took shape under these genres is funk.
Funk is all about being exceptionally groovy.
Listen to artists like Funkadelic, 1970s era James Brown, and Sly Stone and the Family Stone., Rap and hip hop has an easy indicator to tell you what genre you’re listening to.
The name comes from the vocalist rapping over the beat.
Rap is a form of poetry that accompanies music.
Rap and hip hop got its start in the late 1970s with acts like Grandmaster Flash and Blowfly.
The genre evolved, and continues to evolve.Today rap is a major influence on pop music.
Some examples of rap's subgenres are gangsta, trap, chicano, and ghetto house. , Electronic music is another umbrella that can crossover into multiple genres.
The key indicator of electronic pop music is the heavy reliance on synthesizers or computers.
Synthesizers became accessible to artist in the 1970s, which can be heard on Herbie Hancock's 1973 hit, “Chameleon.” Electronic music has developed into several genres of popular music.
In the 1990s, techno became a popular dance music that is still happening.
Techno evolved into EDM and dubstep, which are both popular.
There is electronic aspects in a vast amount of music being produced today. -
Step 3: Classify country music.
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Step 4: Understand soul and R&B.
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Step 5: Identify rap and hip hop.
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Step 6: Classify electronic music.
Detailed Guide
Rock n’ roll is a broad form of pop music that contains nearly a hundred spin offs and subgenres.
The characteristic sound of rock n’ roll is a strong beat, simple (sometimes advanced) chord structure, and played loudly.
Rock n’ roll was born in the 1950s out of rhythm and blues.
It typically features an electric guitar (sometimes distorted), drums, bass, and vocals.
There are several variations of rock n’ roll that makes defining the genre difficult.
Some of the early rock pioneers are The Kinks, Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Buddy Holly, and Bo Diddley.Rock n’ roll evolved through the 1960s, 1970s, and each following decade.
In the 1970s, punk rock was born.
In the 1980s, metal and hair metal was born.
In the 1990s, grunge hit the scene as well as countless other styles.
If you hear a song with a strong beat and personality, you might be correct to classify it as rock.
Top 40 is a way of tracking the success of a pop song, based on listeners and popularity.
Today top 40 has turned into a genre of pop of its own.
Its music is written by songwriters and produced by a music corporation.
The easiest way to find this music is by skimming through your radio stations until you find the “pop” station.
The songs of top 40, more than any other genre, are designed to be catchy and get stuck in your head.
With this idea embedded into the songwriting process, top 40 songs typically have a grandiose chorus that repeats several times.Some popular figures of top 40 hits are Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Keke Palmer. , Country music, like all other genres, continues to grow and develop into subgenres.
Country music’s strongest emphasis is the narrative of the song.
The song remains in a pop song format with a verse and chorus.
It is also characteristic for the singer to have a bit (or a lot) of twang.
Since country music is fixated more on the song’s narrative, instruments play less of a role.
Instruments popular in country music are acoustic guitars, pedal steel guitars, and other folk instruments.The roots of country start with the honky tonk days of the 1950s.
The most celebrated star from this decade is Hank Williams.
Folk music is another popular subgenre of country.
Folk music takes the narrative focus of country and intensifies the storytelling.
Popular folk musicians are Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. , Soul and rhythm & blues are genres of music inspired by gospel and blues music.
These genres represent a larger umbrella of genres of music created by African Americans.
Soul music is characterized by powerful vocals and a catchy groove accompanying it.
R&B is another large genre that has roots in the 1950s and transformed around the late 1980s into a catchier form of pop.
Early soul pioneers include Solomon Burke, Ben E.
King, and Aretha Franklin.
Early R&B started in a minimal style like Big Joe Turner and Fats Domino.
The genre took on more influences in the 1960s with the Mar-Keys and James Brown.
Later R&B took on a hip hop influence with artists like Mary J.
Blige and Boyz II Men.
Another influential genre that took shape under these genres is funk.
Funk is all about being exceptionally groovy.
Listen to artists like Funkadelic, 1970s era James Brown, and Sly Stone and the Family Stone., Rap and hip hop has an easy indicator to tell you what genre you’re listening to.
The name comes from the vocalist rapping over the beat.
Rap is a form of poetry that accompanies music.
Rap and hip hop got its start in the late 1970s with acts like Grandmaster Flash and Blowfly.
The genre evolved, and continues to evolve.Today rap is a major influence on pop music.
Some examples of rap's subgenres are gangsta, trap, chicano, and ghetto house. , Electronic music is another umbrella that can crossover into multiple genres.
The key indicator of electronic pop music is the heavy reliance on synthesizers or computers.
Synthesizers became accessible to artist in the 1970s, which can be heard on Herbie Hancock's 1973 hit, “Chameleon.” Electronic music has developed into several genres of popular music.
In the 1990s, techno became a popular dance music that is still happening.
Techno evolved into EDM and dubstep, which are both popular.
There is electronic aspects in a vast amount of music being produced today.
About the Author
Robert Williams
With a background in education and learning, Robert Williams brings 4 years of hands-on experience to every article. Robert believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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