While certain genres such as EDM weren’t around way back, simply due to the technology they require. Others that once seemed to be dying out, have since made a comeback. Time doesn’t mean anything in relation to music. It’s all about what’s popular at present. Where does your favourite genre score?
Music is all based on personal opinion. You might love certain genres and hate others. Or, you might like a bit of everything. Just because you dislike a genre, doesn’t make it a bad genre. It could even be you like the odd few songs from one area of the industry, but don’t like that genre overall. Factors like where you’re from, your upbringing, career etc all change the way we listen to music. Therefore, they change the types of music we hear too.
What’s interesting is, some of the most popular genres are also the least popular. That’s because people love to go against the norm. Some people won’t like something simply because it’s popular. However, equally, some genres have so much money behind them, that they don’t have to be great songs to make a place for themselves on the charts. Before we dive into the good and the bad, know these aren’t our opinions. We’ve simply done some digging…
The best music genres
Pop
The clue really is in the name. Pop music, stands for popular music. Therefore, it’s going to be high up on the list. It’s no surprise it’s the top of the list. Most people enjoy songs within this genre. Even if it’s not typically cool to like the mainstream songs. Music from this genre is catchy and often upbeat. The lyrics usually get stuck in your head and with them being played everywhere you go, it’s hard to avoid them. Many artists you enjoy will fall into this category from time to time.
Hip-Hop/Rap
Originally these genres came about in the 80s. However, they’ve adapted over time and aren’t quite as we remember them. Now, the genres are often considered mainstream, and therefore it puts some music fans off liking them, because they refuse to like anything mainstream. Rap holds a lot of feeling and meaning. It’s spoken words to a beat. People often pour their heart and soul into their rap music. Often, they aren’t upbeat and happy. They’re typically quite dark and speak about controversial topics. But, recently there has been a push in rap music appearing within the charts. It’s no surprise they’ve scored highly.
Rock
Rock has been popular for many years. This is a favourite that is often passed down through the generations. People will hear their Dads listening to it, and they’ll grow up then listening to it themselves. It originally became popular in the 50s. It took over from the US, to the UK and then Europe. It’s edgy and fun. You can almost imagine yourself in a rock star lifestyle while listening to it. It has been said rock has changed over the years, and it’s no longer what it was. However, that’s not really a surprise when people overall have changed. We don’t live the same lives they did back in the 50s, and therefore we’re not looking for the same things from music.
Dance and Electronic
This isn’t a genre that could really been around as long as others. Due to the need for technology to create the sounds involved, it hasn’t been popular for as long as the other genres. With computers becoming so popular, people found new ways to make music. There are sounds that can’t be produced in any other way. Often this genre doesn’t even involve lyrics, or if it does, very few. Artists will take snippets from other songs to use within their own. It’s a great way of expressing yourself through music you already love.
The worst music genres
Country
This is a genre that gets a lot of hate. It was popular back in 1920, so it has been around for a very long time. As mentioned earlier, our tastes change. We adapt and find new things. It was popular when technology wasn’t what it is now. So, it’s not a surprise that it’s dropped in popularity. However, it’s still many people’s favourite genre and that’s quite something. To be around for this long and still have a lot of fans is impressive. It’s suggested that a big reason people stopped liking country music is because it tried too hard to be something it’s not. It took inspiration from pop music and therefore moulded to be more like that.
Pop
Yes, this is the top scorer on the best list. However, it’s also one of the least favoured genres too. Some will say it’s because people hate mainstream music and that’s exactly what pop music is. However, others will say, it lacks the passion that other genres have. Pop music can either be really good, or really bad to put it simply. Big names will release pop music that finds itself within the charts. It isn’t always good music. However, because they already have a backing, it gains popularity. Also, pop music is sometimes seen as lazy. Often the tracks will be autotuned in a way that listeners feel is fake and wrong.
Rap
Another one that’s on the good and bad list. This is because rap is so controversial. Yes, they talk about matters that often need addressing, but rappers also speak their mind in ways that can be offensive. It’s known for disrespect towards women and having explicit language. Which both of these topics are things most people don’t want within music. The explicit language is considered by many as a way to express themselves. However, it’s not something that can be played anywhere, because it can be offensive.
Nightcore
Nightcore came about in 2001. It seemed to be a mixture of pop, dance genres and hip-hop music that’s edited in a certain way. However, it seemed to grow in popularity from those who didn’t want to listen to the original genres and wanted something a bit different. Often nightcore songs are remixes of popular songs, but with faster tempos and high-pitched voices. The reason it’s considered a bad genre is that people feel it lacks creativity. They think it takes normal songs and just speeds them up. Therefore, it’s not adding anything to the original. They usually include anime scenes within the music. So, unless you like anime, you probably won’t watch nightcore videos.
