Music is one of the most consumed and practiced arts around the world. This has led to the creation of a very extensive classification with types of music, which is almost infinite given the immense number of instrumental, sound and genre combinations that we can mix.
Thus, in order to know the most important musical genres and their subgenres from around the world, we have compiled this list of types of music for the most curious.
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Understanding types of music as a synonym of musical genres, we are going to make our classification by making the distinction depending on the genres and subgenres. Not all of these will be mentioned, since it would be infinitely extensive, however we will comment on some very important ones. 1. Classical Music
With a great journey that began in the 11th century until now, the most relevant period is the one that covers almost 400 years (from the middle of the 16th century to the beginning of the 20th century). It is a musical genre based on the liturgical and secular musical traditions of the West , especially in Europe. 1.1. renaissance music
Includes the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The concept of rebirth is given to Vasari (Italian painter). We find composers in this period such as: Josquin Desprez, Orlando di Lasso or Tomas Luis de Victoria. 1.2. Baroque music
Later appeared the type of baroque music. Its maximum splendor was from 1600 to 1750. It is characterized by the use of the organ and the harpsichord. 1.3. Classical
music Classical music as a subgenre was that produced between the years 1730 and 1820. I stand out in particular for the use of the (at that time) new piano. 1.4. Romantic
music Beginning its journey at the end of the classical period and ending at the beginning of the 20th century,It was characterized by bringing together practitioners of this type of music in schools and areas of intellectuals within education. 1.5. Modern music
Located between 1905 and 1985, it was the staging of the crisis of classical music and an evolution towards a period of expansion. 1.6. Music of the 20th century
Now yes, with the immense variety of types of classical music that appeared after the romantic period, the music of the 20th century is what we find until the 2000s. In it we find musical genres such as postmodern or postromantic . 1.7. Contemporary classical music
This concept is used to refer to all types of classical-style music that have been created since the year 2000.2. Pop Music
Its origin is around the 50’s and it refers to all that popular music that can contain different subgenres. In fact, it covers a wide range of types of music . Some very famous are Power pop, Dance-pop or Latin Pop.
This musical genre has characteristics of dance, electronic music (although the “electric” and rock charge is less accentuated). Perhaps one of the most paradigmatic examples are Michael Jackson or Madonna , respectively considered the King and Queen of pop. 3. Rock
Originally known by the name of one of its subgenres, Rock and Roll, but it became so widespread that it became what it is today and the word Rock is now used as the general label.It started in the 50’s in the 60’s in the UK.
The most common instruments are: bass, drums, electric guitar and keyboard. The creation of him arose thanks to the type of music known as Rhyhm and Blues and Country.
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3.1. Rock and Roll
Possibly the most relevant singer that almost everyone will know was Elvis Presley . It is for many the origin of Rock as it is known today. 3.2. Garage Rock
It is considered one of the first variants of Rock and Roll of the 50s and 60s and has more crude and simple overtones than its predecessor. 3.3. Punk Rock
This type of music is simply called as Punk. It was born in the 70’s and has more industrial characteristics than “classic” Rock. Surigo as a counterculture movement. It is even more aggressive than the Garage and has musical subgenres such as hardcore punk, grindcore or Christian punk. 3.4. heavy-metal
One of the most controversial types of music since many distinguish Traditional Heavy Metal from a more general Heavy Metal. Some paradigmatic bands are Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple or Black Sabbath .
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4. Electronic Music
This great musical genre is characterized by the use of computer and electronic technology for the creation of sounds and mixes. 4.1. Dance Something similar to what happened with the musical genre of Heavy Metal happens with Dance . Some distinguish Dance as a much broader genre that includes some of the following subgenres, others, like us, consider Dance as a more “pop” version of electronic music, different from Dubstep, D&B or other genres. 4.2. Electro
Something more “dirty” than House, it arose thanks to TR-808 rhythm machines, Moog synthesizers and samplings, the latter being already used by funk musicians. 4.3. House
It became popular in the 80s in Chicago (United States) and is one of the types of electronic music that has evolved the most and given the most subgenres since its birth. 4.4. Minimal
For many it is a subgenre of House. In Minimal music there are few sounds and these are represented in a very simple and clear way. 4.5. Techno
Dance music that emerged in Detroit in the 80s was one of the great milestones of electronic music for it to climb positions towards greater visibility. 4.6. Dubstep
A genre with low bpms of dark sounds that is often accompanied by a vocal part. It was born at the end of the 90s in England and has more elaborate but later subgenres such as Brostep, Drumstep or Reggaestep.4.7. Drum And Base (D&B)
Born in Jamaica in the early 90’s, it is characterized by fast rhythms and by its use in the raves of those years, and also today. 4.8. Trance
The name of this musical genre, which bears similarities to House, has to do with the sensation that the listener experiences when immersed in its rhythms. 5. African-American Music
They are all those types of music that are influenced by the African-American community that lives in the United States. 5.1. Blues
It is a musical genre that usually has a structure of twelve bars. Its origin comes from the African-American communities of the United States of the early twentieth century. 5.2. R&B
Born in the 40s from blues and jazz, it gained so much strength that today it clearly differs from these two musical genres. It has a more urban character and an insistent and lively rhythm. 5.3. Soul
Soul is a combination of doo-wop (R&B subgenre) and Gospel rhythms. One of the most outstanding characteristics of this genre of music is the clapping and body movements of the singers, in addition to frequently having soloists and a choir. 5.4. Rap / Hip Hop
Its creation is usually attributed to the Hispanic and Afro-American youth of the 70’s in New York (USA).
Rap technically would refer to the oral part. This part is one of the 4 “legs” of Hip Hop. The other 3 are turntablism (the musical part), breaking (the dance) and graffiti (the visual part). 5.5. Reggae
Reggae is a musical subgenre that was born in Jamaica in the 1960s and it is estimated that it was an evolution of other rhymes such as Ska and Rocksteady. One of the most outstanding elements of this genre is the off-beat and the accentuation of the second and fourth bars , along with the use of the guitar, which emphasizes the third. 6. Latin American Music
This great type of music is also known as Latin music or “Latin rhythms”. It brings together very broad genres and subgenres that range from some that are world famous to others that are more folkloric and autochthonous. 6.1. Salsa
Salsa emerges from the main synthesis of Cuban and Caribbean sounds, as well as jazz and other American rhythms. It covers various musical subgenres and has somewhat differentiated styles in countries such as Puerto Rico, Venezuela, or Colombia. 6.2. Mambo
Type of music of Cuban nationality. It bears a certain similarity with the Conga or the Samba . He usually uses instruments such as the trumpet, saxophone, trombone and timpani. 6.3. Tango
Although it is usually associated with Argentina, the truth is that the area of influence of this musical genre is the Rio de la Plata, which is why it also involves some areas of Uruguay. 6.4. Bolero
Again a type of music of Cuban origin but of great relevance in many Latin American countries and with influence throughout the world. 6.5. Reggaeton
Although its origin comes from Jamaican Reggae and has had influences from Hip Hop, Reggaeton is one of the most popular genres in the world that has differentiated itself the most from the rest.
It started in Panama in the 70’s and to this day it continues to sound very strong. 7. Folk music Refers to all types of music and folk musical subgenres. There are as many types and varieties as there are regions in the world. In each of them some instruments are used and the music has unique characteristics. 7.1. Country Music Country
music can be labeled as a subgenre of Folk music but specific to the United States. It is very likely one of the most famous subgenres that has varieties such as Bluegrass, Western or Tex-mex. 8. Asian Music
It is difficult to catalog all the subtypes of Asian music that exist. Some of the most prominent subgenres are J-Rock (Japanese Rock), Enka or Raga Rock. 9. Music of Africa
As with Asian music, African music also has a wide range of subgenres, many of which could be included within the Folk music of their respective region. The most notable are: Afrobeat, Rai or Qawwali. 10. Jazz
Jazz was born at the end of the 19th century in the United States, although a century later it had already spread to almost every corner of the world.
It is almost certainly one of the most difficult musical genres to define since all the subgenres that are included within Jazz do not make up an identity as solid as it can be in Classical Music. Where there is consensus is to ensure that Jazz comes from African-American culture and emerged in the 1920s.Some subgenres are: New Orleans Hot, Swing, Cool or Ragtime .
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