What is a Music Genre?
Below you’ll find some definitions from around the web on what a music genre is and how it came to be!
(Maybe Antonio said it best in the comments?)
“A music genre is a classification system that places different instructional materials into neat categories.”
Free Music Directory:
A music genre is a classification system that places different instructional materials into neat categories that help teachers choose what to use and when.
Noun 1. music genre – an expressive style of music
musical genre, musical style, genre
music – an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
crossover – the appropriation of a new style (especially in popular music) by combining elements of different genres in order to appeal to a wider audience; “a jazz-classical crossover album”
popular music, popular music genre – any genre of music having wide appeal (but usually only for a short time)
expressive style, style – a way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person or group of people or period; “all the reporters were expected to adopt the style of the newspaper”
Definition of word Genre
gen·re
ˈZHänrə
noun
noun: genre; plural noun: genres
a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.
Origin
early 19th century: French, literally ‘a kind’
WordNet
S: (n) music genre, musical genre, genre, musical style (an expressive style of music)
YouTube
There’s a great video that explains (visually and aurally) some differences between music genres
Wise Geek
A genre is a category of an art form, and the word is used of subsets of literature, films, television shows, and music that fit certain criteria. Often, a work will fit into one genre, but it is possible for a work to have multiple genres. The term music genre is used to refer to a variety of facets of music, including the period during which a musical composition was written, its style, its instrumentation and treatment of those instruments, its form and function, its means of transmission, its means of dissemination, and the location of its geographical origins sometimes crossed with the cultural or ethnic background of the composer. There is no agreement or a single comprehensive system to talk about music genres at the present time.
People may refer to some or all of a small group of categories when using period as the criteria for a music genre. These include Early Music, Medieval Music, Renaissance Music, BaroqueMusic, Classical Music, Romantic Music, and 20th Century Music. The definitions of these musicperiods are open to interpretation. For example, the Classical period could be defined as lasting from 1730 to 1820 or from 1750 to 1830. Others might say that it started in the late 18th century. All of these interpretations are current today.
Works like concertos, which have a featured solo instrument highlighted against an orchestral background, and duets, which have only two instruments, fall into the category of instrumentation and treatment of instruments as music genre, as do the designations “orchestral music” or “percussion ensemble music.” Opera is another genre of this type, featuring voices and orchestra, as is a cappella music, which depends on unaccompanied voices.
“Popular music” is a genre based on period and means of transmission, as are “traditionalmusic” and “folk music.” “Native American music” and “South African music” are both terms that speak to geography and culture. Marches, lullabies, minuets, and other music named for dances have to do with a combination of form and function.
Possibly the clearest cut set of definitions of music genres is found in award situations, such as in the Grammy Awards. In this context, the genres are based on a variety of criteria — for example, “Alternative” is based on what the music is not; “Children’s” is based on the audience; “Musical Show” is based on form; etc. — which are applied consistently and over time so that a tradition of definition is built up.
Some of the music genres that are popular today include jazz, hip-hop, rap, rock, rhythm and blues, and pop. Many people have eclectic tastes in music, and people still perform, view, purchase, and enjoy a wide range of music, including show tunes, folk music, classical music, opera, and ballet music.
Music Genre Popularity Chart on wiseGEEK:
- Perhaps the largest music genres is rock and roll, an umbrella genre under which several other types of music can be categorized. Other major music genres include classical, folk, jazz, R&B, blues, metal, and world music.
- The term music genre is used to refer to a variety of facets of music, including the period during which a musical composition was written, its style, its instrumentation and treatment of those instruments, its form and function, its means of transmission, its means of dissemination, and the location of its geographical origins sometimes crossed with the cultural or ethnic background of the composer. There is no agreement or a single comprehensive system to talk about music genres at the present time. People may refer to some or all of a small group of categories when using period as the criteria for a music genre.
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complete list of music genres
antonio
October 16, 2018A music genre is a classificationn system that places different intructional materials into neat categories.
Logan McFarland
September 11, 2020I like rap and country.
KyJuan Thomas
September 15, 2020A music genre is a classification system that places different instructional materials into different categories.
jeremiah
September 19, 2020different type of music like hip hop rape soul r and b ect..
Kaylii Huggard
September 23, 2020I now know the difference between music genres. Thank you!
simya
September 24, 2020genre is a type of music it has it on style and catogorey .
Lourdes Rosriguwz
October 1, 2020A music genre is that which is divided into different types of sounds and vocation.
Edwin Reyes
October 6, 2020a music genre is different type of music, different instrumental, different meanings, different moods
Gustavo Ribeiro Mendes
November 20, 2020É uma de várias outras opções que nos temos de músicas para escolher para ouvi
Pradeep patra
November 30, 2020My name is pradeep and I want to ask one question that how to identify a sounds in Fl studio when we make a song with their genre , is there any seperate instruments For a song in their Different genre.
James R Cress Sr.
December 17, 2020Sometimes Art ( Music ) Imitates Life, Sometimes Life Imitates Art ( Music ) !!!!!
Obed Shadrack Ackon
January 6, 2021A MUSIC GENRE is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as owned by a particular tradition or set of inventions
Takumi Ikeda
January 10, 2021I love the hip-hop. that lyric give me a chance to re-think about my life. for example I heard one hip-hop song and then I can find my life doesn’t have meaning. many people want to get the reason of living. but that is not exist. if we have it we can find it as we die. especially Japan which I live in many people want to know why they are alive. caused of it many Japanese worry and I was the one of it. but I found it is wasteful time by the hip-hop music. then my life was clear and I think what I live is easy.
Tayleshia
February 10, 2021Do they have hiphoo
Taejean Crawford-Delva
February 11, 2021I think its cool and interesting that music genres are separated by classification.
Kelvin Mbiza
July 12, 2021A music genre is a conventional category that identifies pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set conventions. It is to be distinguished from musical form and musical style.
kayden
August 27, 2021good
antonio herron
September 30, 2021Brianna Graham
September 30, 2021is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions.
Laila Taylor
January 10, 2022A music genre is all the different forms, types, and styles of music.