Style Guide-Genre-Rock
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Acoustic
Description for this style.
Alternative Rock
Description for this style.
Arena Rock
Pop-oriented rock music that's harder than Pop Rock. Key elements usually include prominent electric guitar and drums, guitar solos, and keyboards.
Example Artists: Journey, Def Leppard
Art Rock
Description for this style.
Avantgarde
Description for this style.
Black Metal
Similar to Death Metal. Lyrics are usually about Satan, the Occult or generally anti-Christian sentiment. Vocals are more screamed than growled. Makes use of the diminished chord, and has a fast progression, but not as fast as that of Death Metal. Keyboards are used more than in Death Metal.
Example Artists: Darkthrone, Burzum, Emperor
Blues Rock
Description for this style.
Brit Pop
Description for this style.
Classic Rock
While Rock & Roll evolved into the R & B influenced British Beat sound in the UK, in the US, with the influence of the British invasion of the mid 60s, it eventually evolved into Classic Rock. "Harder" than Rock & Roll, but still very pop-oriented. Classic Rock doesn't contain the swing/jazz elements that Rock & Roll had. In the US, it was the first "pure" form of rock music as it is known today.
Example Artists: Free, 10cc, Led Zeppelin
Country Rock
Description for this style.
Death Metal
Violent, fast rock with heavy progression. Characterized by graphic lyrics about death, which are often growled to the point of being unintelligible without the lyric sheet.
Example Artists: Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Death
Doo Wop
Description for this style.
Doom Metal
In this genre, slow-burning electric guitars crunch walls of thick and heavy riffs, played sustenuto, creating effects of darkness, evil, or misery. Sometimes combined with the sounds of psychedelic rock, noise or drone genres, Doom Metal sounds exactly as its title suggests: with or without 'Vokill' (i.e. vocals), there is always a sense of impending doom, an ominous malaise or menace, in its undertow. Doom Metal presents itself as a high art form of heavy metal.
Example Artists: Sunn O))), Nadja, Boris, Crowbar.
Emo
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Ethereal
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Experimental
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Folk Rock
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Funk Metal
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Garage Rock
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Glam
Original Glam
The original Glam was a poppy UK (and NYC) pre-punk style that was often rhythm heavy, albeit with short snappy, almost Rock & Roll, songs. The artists wore heavy makeup and often outrageous costumes. It heavily influenced the second style below, and the UK punk revolution of 1976.
Example Artists: David Bowie, T. Rex, Roxy Music, Gary Glitter, The Sweet
US Glam / Hair Metal
Poppy heavy metal music popular throughout the later 1980's and the first part of the 1990's. Vocals are usually harmonized and the songs are very accessible by mass audiences.
Example Artists: Poison, Twisted Sister, Winger, Cinderella, Warrant
Goth Rock
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Grindcore
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Grunge
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Hard Rock
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Hardcore
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Heavy Metal
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Indie Rock
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Industrial
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Lo-Fi
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Lounge
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Math Rock
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Mod
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Neofolk
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New Wave
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Noise
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Nu Metal
Popular in the later 1990's, after Grunge and Alternative Rock left the mainstream. Typically, this describes harder rock that's influenced by hip-hop.
Example Artists: Korn, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit
Oi
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Parody
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Pop Rock
Rock music began with bluesy roots as Rock & Roll, then in the 1970's it became what is now known as Classic Rock, and by the end of that decade it was "Pop Rock." This term can be used to describe rock music that follows the traditional "rock" format: Drums, guitar, bass & vocals, with catchy hooks / riffs, simple chord progressions and "poppy" vocals.
Example Artists: Smash Mouth, Hanson, Sugar Ray
Instead of using this style, you have the option of adding the Pop genre to the Rock genre. Either way is correct, but don't redundantly add the Pop Rock style if you choose to add the Pop genre.
Post Rock
Description for this style.
Power Pop
Vocally driven rock music that has very poppy melodies and vocal stylings. Guitar riffs are prominent, as is the drum track. May also describe music that fuses loud rock instruments (guitars & drums) with electronic instruments (synthesizers & drum machines).
Example Artists: Hellogoodbye, Fountains Of Wayne
Prog Rock
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Psychedelic Rock
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Psychobilly
Punk rock music with rockabilly influence. Often found on soundtracks to 1970's and 1980's horror films.
Example Artists: Horrorpops, Roky Erickson
Punk
Description for this style.
Rock & Roll
Rock & Roll was a style that developed in the US (originally in the south) in the late 40s and early 50s. The style was a coming together of a variety of then prevalent popular styles including Electric Blues, Rhythm & Blues and Country and Western. The first records that referred to Rock & Roll came out in the late 40s, although "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats (which was actually Ike Turner), recorded at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis, is often regarded as the first Rock & Roll Record as such. Billy Haley & The Comets and, later, Elvis Presley took the genre around the world and from it developed a multitude of style including Rock, The Beatles album "With The Beatles" often being regarded as the stylistic marker.
Example Artists: Bill Haley And His Comets, Elvis Presley, Chubby Checker
Rockabilly
Early Rock N' Roll that was heavily influenced by country. Has a swingbeat rather than a typical 4/4 rock beat. Very reminiscent of boogie-woogie blues music, but done with Rock & Roll instruments. Popular in the Western and Southern US.
Example Artists: Stray Cats, The Polecats
Rocksteady
Description for this style.
Shoegazer
A noisy, ethereal form of rock that usually focuses on self-deprecating lyrics and melody-driven distortion guitars. Usually the vocals are slurred and unintelligible.
Example Artists: Autolux, Lush
Ska
Happy, upbeat Punk rock with a strong Calypso influence. Typical 4/4 timing, but the offbeat is always accentuated.
Example Artists: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Pietasters, The Toasters
Skiffle
A style of Folk Rock that features homemade instruments like washboards, jugs and musical saws. Popular in the USA in the 1920's and 1940's, in Britain in the 1950's and 1960's, and experienced a resurgence in popularity in the USA in the early 1990's.
Example Artists: Lonnie Donegan's Skiffle Group, The Vipers Skiffle Group
Soft Rock
Simply put, it features the instruments and elements of Pop Rock, but it's much softer/lighter in nature. May also be referred to as "light rock" or "easy rock."
Example Artists: Chicago, Fleetwood Mac
Southern Rock
Pop rock with country or southern undertones.
Example Artists: John Cougar Mellencamp, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Space Rock
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Speed Metal
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Stoner Rock
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Surf
Uptempo rock music popular in the 1950's and 1960's. Features double-picking on guitars, where notes are often staccato. Guitars usually have heavy reverb. The name comes from its association with surfer culture and its use in surfer movies.
Example Artists: Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, The Surfaris
Symphonic Rock
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Thrash
Fast metal music. Evolved from Punk, and served as an anti-glam movement.
Example Artists: Metallica, Slayer
Viking Metal
Description for this style.
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| Blues · Brass & Military · Children's · Classical · Electronic · Folk, World & Country · Funk / Soul · Hip Hop · Jazz · Latin · Non-Music · Pop · Reggae · Rock · Stage & Screen |
