| Bands come and go, but the | | | | than producing singles. Kraftwerk was |
| classification and re-classification of | | | | one of the pioneers of the Electronic |
| their music is an exercise that never | | | | movement. |
| grows old. There are no hard and fast | | | | Grunge: A sound that grew out of, and |
| rules, no universally accepted | | | | became synonymous with, the Seattle |
| methodology or definitions to fall back | | | | music scene in the late 1980's and early |
| on. Music geeks are faced with bands | | | | 1990's; a heavy punk meets metal kind of |
| that change their sound and/or | | | | affair. The typical grunge uniform |
| appearance from release to release and a | | | | consisted of jeans and a short-sleeve |
| classification system that is completely | | | | T-shirt worn over top of a long-sleeved |
| open to interpretation. | | | | T-Shirt, sometimes with an ubiquitous |
| As a starting point, how about nailing | | | | goatee beard on the chin of male |
| down some basic definitions and examples | | | | practitioners. Bonus points were awarded |
| of musical genres? It sounds | | | | for wearing a red and black check lumber |
| straightforward, but even that can be a | | | | jacket. Examples: Pearl Jam, Nirvana, |
| challenge. There is no set number of | | | | Alice in Chains. |
| agreed upon genres, names for the genres | | | | Psychedelic Rock: For those who liked |
| (or what is even considered to be a | | | | Rock and Heavy Metal, but found them too |
| standalone genre) and the definitions | | | | restrictive, Psychedelic Rock added all |
| themselves are frequently the subject of | | | | sorts of guitar fuzz, distortion and |
| argument. But with the help of Canadian | | | | occasionally disjointed lyrics to create |
| uber-music geek Allan Cross, along with | | | | a distinct sound. Classic examples |
| far too many hours of trolling through | | | | include The Jesus and Mary Chain and The |
| music industry publications like Rolling | | | | Brian Jonestown Massacre, with its roots |
| Stone and Spin, here's an attempt at | | | | going back to the 1960's with the |
| some basic definitions. By the way, | | | | Strawberry Alarm Clock and even The |
| we're sticking to the general rock world | | | | Beatles. |
| for this exercise, so for the purposes | | | | Rockabilly: When rock got just too |
| of this article only, country and/or | | | | damned complicated, some bands |
| western, jazz, adult contemporary and | | | | apparently had a hankering for the |
| all sorts of other music do not exist; | | | | old-school, 50's style roots rock |
| they're off limits. | | | | pioneered by Elvis Presley and others. |
| Emo: A style of music that's part punk | | | | They donned rolled up jeans, white |
| in its sound, but leaning heavily toward | | | | T-shirts and black leather motorcycle |
| the emotional, melodramatic and | | | | jackets, slicked back their hair, and |
| angst-ridden end of that spectrum. In | | | | pumped out the rockabilly. You won't |
| other words, melodic and moody punks. | | | | find a better example than The Stray |
| Jimmy Eat World is often lumped under | | | | Cats. |
| the Emo banner and many people would | | | | Ska: A combination of Jamaican music and |
| consider Panic! At The Disco and AFI to | | | | rock that reached the height of its |
| be current occupants as well. The Smiths | | | | popularity in the late 70's and early |
| are another possible Emo contender. | | | | 80's with British bands like Madness, |
| Goth: An offshoot of the punk movement, | | | | The English Beat and The Specials. Ska |
| Goth appealed to the gloomier music fan. | | | | was danceable, and the bands tended to |
| Proper attire was built almost entirely | | | | be larger than typical rock outfits, |
| around black and frequently extended to | | | | employing the standard guitar/drum/bass |
| black-dyed hair, black lipstick, heavy | | | | combo but usually augmenting this with |
| use of mascara and black nail polish. In | | | | horns, an organ and keyboards, and |
| general, the look was spooky; the music | | | | sometimes a designated stage dancer. |
| could range from moody to sinister. | | | | Next up in the classification of music |
| Classic examples: Siouxsie and the | | | | is a series of more general terms used |
| Banshees, Bauhaus and Sisters of Mercy. | | | | to encompass a wider swath of music, |
| New Romantics: Appearing as part of the | | | | frequently for the purpose of describing |
| post-punk music scene in the early | | | | a radio station's music format. |
| 1980's, New Romantics favoured frilly | | | | Alt-Rock: Starting off simply enough as |
| shirts, skinny ties and make-up. Classic | | | | an alternative to the rock music being |
| bands in this vein included Duran Duran, | | | | played on mainstream radio, this used to |
| Visage, Japan and Roxy Music. | | | | be a somewhat rare classification, |
| Synthpop: A sound that became popular in | | | | dominated by bands that could be heard |
| the late 1970's and early 80's, Synthpop | | | | on alternative or college radio |
| was, as the name suggests, pop-oriented | | | | stations: R.E.M., for example. But by |
| music that relied heavily on the use of | | | | the 1990's, "rock" as it had been known |
| keyboards, drum machines and | | | | was being left behind on radio and what |
| synthesisers, and tended to avoid | | | | was known as Alt-Rock actually began to |
| guitars or at least relegate them to | | | | dominate the play lists. |
| supporting instruments. Classic | | | | Rock: Once upon a time this used to be |
| examples: Depeche Mode, Human League and | | | | straightforward. The Beatles, The |
| OMD. | | | | Rolling Stones and other bands like |
| Heavy Metal: Gaining prominence in the | | | | them, were considered Rock bands. As |
| late 60's and 70's, Heavy Metal was a | | | | time passed though, these bands tended |
| "heavy" blend of rock and blues with an | | | | to be lumped under Classic Rock. Today |
| emphasis on guitar and drums. Bands | | | | there are Rock bands - Foo Fighters |
| tended to adopt a look that included | | | | being a good example - but they are |
| long hair, T-shirts, tight jeans and | | | | frequently referred to as Alt-Rock. In |
| leather - you'd never mistake them for | | | | other words, Alt-Rock has, for a large |
| New Romantics. Classic Heavy Metal bands | | | | part, usurped Rock as "rock" these days. |
| include Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and | | | | Confused? You and me both... |
| Metallica. Spinal Tap is the definitive | | | | Indie: Bands that are not directly |
| Heavy Metal spoof band. | | | | affiliated with any of the major record |
| Heavy Metal spawned all sorts of | | | | labels, typically giving the artists |
| offspring genres, of which some were, or | | | | greater artistic control over their |
| are, popular enough to deserve their own | | | | music, at the cost of personally |
| definitions. | | | | shouldering a greater percentage of the |
| Hair Metal: Heavy Metal with more of a | | | | production, promotion and distribution |
| Pop or Rock flair; nothing too deep but | | | | costs of their music. College radio |
| trying to appeal to a wider audience. | | | | stations are big proponents of Indie |
| Hair Metal is all about appearance; a | | | | bands, but some, like Arcade Fire, have |
| variation on the 70's glam look | | | | made the jump to mainstream. |
| featuring lipstick, tight leather, | | | | Pop: The least frightening (at least on |
| frills, bandanas, and long, spiked, | | | | the surface), most melodic and |
| teased, or tinted hair. The look tended | | | | radio-friendly of them all, Pop artists |
| to undermine their credibility among | | | | aim to sell vast quantities of records |
| their more serious metal peers. Poison, | | | | and do so by appealing to the widest |
| Ratt and Cinderella all went for this | | | | audience possible. Pop music itself |
| niche. Hair Metal bands tend to suffer | | | | changes over time, but pop stations are |
| on the reunion circuit because, although | | | | where you'll hear the likes of Michael |
| they can maybe still play, all too often | | | | Jackson, Britney Spears, Spice Girls and |
| their hair has failed over the years and | | | | Girls Aloud. |
| without that... | | | | Classic Rock: Now that Alt-Rock is known |
| Nu Metal: An attempt to update Heavy | | | | as Rock, and former Rock bands are |
| Metal for the 90's. Elements of other | | | | sounding a little quaint to many |
| genres were blended in, sometimes with | | | | listeners, where does that leave the |
| Rap, sometimes Grunge, perhaps a bit of | | | | 60's, 70's and 80's Rock bands? They are |
| Industrial or even Goth. It still relies | | | | now conveniently packed under the term |
| heavily on guitar and drums, but bands | | | | Classic Rock, a massive category that |
| veered from the classic Heavy Metal look | | | | can include anything from The Beatles to |
| and fancied themselves up a bit. Classic | | | | Van Halen. |
| examples: Korn, Orgy and Linkin Park. | | | | New Wave: A marketing-derived term |
| Speed Metal: Think Heavy Metal, but | | | | originally used by record companies to |
| faster. Because Heavy Metal became too | | | | describe many of the Synthpop and New |
| ponderous and lumbering for some, Speed | | | | Romantic post-punk British bands of the |
| Metal developed. The Heavy Metal guitar | | | | late 1970's and early 1980's. This is a |
| solo became more dominant within the | | | | very broad label and was eventually used |
| songs and the tempos were greatly | | | | to describe anything from Depeche Mode |
| increased. Early practitioners of the | | | | to A-Ha. |
| style included Judas Priest and more | | | | So it turns out that genres and |
| contemporary bands such as Primal Fear | | | | classifications are constantly evolving, |
| have kept the tradition alive. | | | | bands are moving between genres and even |
| Progressive Rock (also known as | | | | the definitions themselves are subject |
| Prog-Rock): This is what happens when a | | | | to interpretation. |
| Rock band decides to get intellectual | | | | An artist like Neil Young is a good |
| and explore concepts and musical | | | | example of the way in which musicians |
| virtuosity rather than aiming for the | | | | vex the music geeks. At the beginning of |
| classic three minute pop single. | | | | his career, Young played with Buffalo |
| Synthesizers and string instruments were | | | | Springfield and Crosby, Still, Nash and |
| often employed to fill out the sound and | | | | Young. He would have been typically |
| make things more elaborate. Drummers | | | | classified as a Rock musician, with a |
| abandoned their drum kits for complex | | | | leaning toward Folk. |
| percussion stands. Rush, Pink Floyd and | | | | Then Neil went through a phase where he |
| Genesis (at least early Genesis) are | | | | moved toward a Country sound, again with |
| among the better known Prog-Rock bands. | | | | a touch of Folk. Harvest is pretty |
| Industrial: Just as the name suggests, | | | | representative of this period, but then |
| Industrial music sounds big, noisy and | | | | came Rock again with songs such as Like |
| mechanical. Not known for being | | | | A Hurricane. From out of nowhere, he |
| particularly radio-friendly because of | | | | veered into Electronic with an album |
| the unusual sounds, aggressiveness and | | | | that was so unexpected, he ended up in a |
| frequent use of uncomfortable or | | | | fight with his record label over whether |
| socially-risqué subject material. | | | | the release satisfied his contractual |
| Classic examples include: Nine Inch | | | | obligation - they basically argued that |
| Nails, Skinny Puppy and Ministry. | | | | Re-Ac-Tor was so out there, it |
| Hip Hop: Employing elements of a strong | | | | "shouldn't count as a Neil Young |
| beat, sampling, rap and often the use of | | | | record." |
| a turntable, Hip Hop rose from the inner | | | | Young went through a bit of a Rockabilly |
| cities to commercial success through the | | | | phase, then eventually sashayed into |
| 80's. Run DMC, Beastie Boys and OutKast | | | | Grunge, with his Rockin' In The Free |
| are just a few examples of the vast | | | | World single being adopted by Grunge |
| catalogue of successful Hip Hop groups. | | | | converts as an anthem. From there, |
| Punk: A style of music that became | | | | Harvest Moon swayed dangerously close to |
| prominent in the mid to late 70's, punk | | | | Adult Contemporary, and now he appears |
| was built around the premise that anyone | | | | to be back to his Folk roots. |
| could and should make music, regardless | | | | So how on earth do you classify Neil |
| of their musical skill. Punk became a | | | | Young? Well, you could choose to break |
| sounding board for a generation of angry | | | | his career into phases and classify each |
| youth whose songs were about social | | | | of those individually, or do the safe |
| statements with musical accompaniment | | | | thing and file him under Classic Rock. |
| tending toward the loud, fast and | | | | There's a good weekend worth of arguing |
| simple. Classic examples: Sex Pistols, | | | | over this one, and don't think it won't |
| The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers and The | | | | happen. |
| Ramones. | | | | And of course, you can combine any of |
| Electronic: A distinctive sound that | | | | the categories and classifications in an |
| developed in the mid to late 70's as | | | | attempt to define a band. The Police, |
| synthesiser technology became more | | | | for example, defy a straightforward |
| widely available. Unlike Synthpop, | | | | definition and so become a compound |
| Electronic artists seemed more | | | | categorization: reggae-influenced, new |
| interested in exploring soundscapes and | | | | wave, post-punk, power-pop trio. |
| stringing together interesting noises | | | | Simple, isn't it? |