Genres

The state of music is always changing. As a piece of our larger, evolving culture, music is always birthing new styles. While new genres emerge and others fade, those no longer in fashion are just waiting to be referenced and recontextualized. 

In effect, we have an ever growing pile of styles, shared traditions, and conventions that help provide structure to the culture. Artists, listeners, journalists, DJ’s, and the music industry all need to agree for a genre to emerge and become a pillar in that pile. But genres never have one set definition. 

The word “house” has signified many different genres even though it originally referenced the music played by largely LGBTQ Black DJs in Chicago warehouses. 

Artists and listeners can all benefit from the guidance genres provide, but hopefully nobody limits themselves. 

Genres are just words and music starts where words end. 

Summaries of some American genres in chronological order:

Blues:

Developed in the 1800’s by Black musicians in the South with roots in African work songs and spirituals. Characterized by “blue” notes and an emphasis on groove, it served as the foundation for Jazz, Rock, and most modern forms of music. 

Jazz:

An outgrowth of blues music developed by Black musicians in New Orleans in the early 20th century, Jazz is defined by its complex chords, rhythms, and its emphasis on improvisation. Growing over its 100 years, the sound palette of Jazz has expanded greatly to include all kinds of sound sources.

Country:

Folk music created in the American South and Southwest, often played on traditional instruments including fiddle, guitar, steel guitar, and voice. 

R&B:

A popular form of music defined by a strong beat and sophisticated, catchy harmonies created by Black musicians in post-World War 2 America. Contemporary R&B rose to prominence in the 1990’s with more modern sounds.

Rock:

Artists in the 1940’s and 50’s borrowed from largely Black genres that came before them, shifted the focus towards the electric guitar, and stripped down the music to its more raw, visceral elements, creating a template that has been pushed and developed over 70 years.

Funk:

Music that pushed R&B’s focus on a danceable beat much further, often forgoing the traditional emphasis on melody and harmony in favor of rhythms that hit on a dancefloor.  

Hip Hop/Rap:

Music defined by vocalists rapping and singing as well as producers using machines to both sample and synthesize new sounds, Hip hop and rap have grown into the two of the world's most popular music genres. It was originally created by Black and Latinx artists in the Bronx in the late 70’s. 

Techno:

Created by Black artists in Detroit in the 80’s, this future-focused music let go of much of the traditional elements that defined music up to that point, leaning entirely on synthesizers and samplers to create new musical paradigms. Techno is often defined by a “4 to the floor” kick drum pattern, but offers no limitations to the artists that make it. 

House:

Dance music created by mostly LGBT Black artists in Chicago in the 80’s that drew from disco and funk. Like techno, it is also defined by a 4 to the floor kick drum pattern, but House is usually more upbeat and celebratory. House has informed all modern forms of dance music and much of contemporary pop music.