Music: Advanced Genres

Here you can see a selection of even more musical genres, information, and examples. A lot of the descriptions were taken directly from English Live.

1) Country and Western

It is a style of American folk music that is similar to blues. It originated in the 1920s in the south of the USA. It often consists of ballads mostly accompanied by string instruments.

John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads

THINK: Is this next song country music?

Lil Nas X - Old Town Road

2) Heavy Metal

It is a type of rock music that started in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the UK and the USA. It involves a loud sound with distorted guitars and sometimes the lyrics are shouted.

Metallica - Enter Sandman 

Apocalyptica - Hall Of The Mountain King

3) Disco

It is a style of dance music that originated in the 1970s. It was very popular in American night-clubs and later became the music played in discotheques. This genre uses string sections, horns, electric piano, synthesizers, and electric guitars.

Bee Gees - Night Fever

4) Punk

This is a loud, aggressive type of rock music usually played by bands consisting of a vocalist, one or two electric guitarists, an electric bassist and a drummer. It is different from rock music because it is very anti-establishment (against the government and the music industry).

The Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the U.K.

Siouxsie And The Banshees - Hong Kong Garden 

5) Reggae

This is a music genre that started in Jamaica in the late 1960s. It combines jazz and blues to make its unique sound. The bass guitar is the main instrument in this genre.

Toots and The Maytals - 54-46 Was My Number 

6) Drum and Bass

It is a very fast genre of electronic music (165-185 beats per minute) with syncopated (off-beat) bass and drum lines. Often this music has a slow part, followed by a very lively, faster part.

DJ Fresh - 'Gold Dust' 

7) 'World'

It is a very broad term that usually refers to music inspired by the sounds of non-Western countries. Some people don't like the term 'world music', because there are many different styles of music here.

Sudan Archives - Come Meh Way

8) Gospel

It is Christian music similar to blues and performed by a choir. The vocals are the most important part of this genre, and it often uses harmonies. 

Ray Charles And The Voices Of Jubilation - Oh, Happy Day

9) Soul

It is a style of music combining blues and gospel, with loud, passionate vocals and brass instruments.

Aretha Franklin - R.E.S.P.E.C.T

10) Techno

It is a style of electronic dance music with a regular, repetitive, fast beat (120-150 beats per minute) that you can dance to. It is very popular with DJs in modern night clubs.

Darude - Sandstorm

Faithless - Insomnia