New Genres

[awjoe]

I've started thinking about this recently. I don't understand it very well (if I did, my music would be rather different from what it is now) but I'm thinking that by contrast to people who make music according to how the words and music make them feel (me, for instance), there are people who make music by combining two things:

* how the words and music make them feel

* 'And what if I did this as well?'

'This' is always something that hasn't been done before and hasn't got anything to do with a musical comfort range. But the experiment satisfies the maker. And if you take that approach for more than one song, maybe you have a new genre.

[Drew Stephenson]

Is it a genre if you're the only one doing it? Or does it take multiple people doing a similar thing (or coming up with a similar style/vibe) for it to actually be a genre?
Serious question, not being facetious for a change.

[awjoe]

It takes numbers to make it a genre, and recognition by people who notice new stuff and like to come up with names and categories, but initially it's one person who decides to try something out ("I know. I'll play my guitar like I feel - really intense and simple and I won't give a crap about quality or mistakes.")

[amanise]

The whole genre thing is a nightmare for me! It just makes it impossible to submit anything to anyone with any surety that your even sending it to the right place. Life's too short for that. Personally - I need a better way of targeting my output.

[awjoe]

Yes, once the 'genre machinery' says that there is such a genre, we all have to deal with it, whether that means struggling with its downsides like you do, or simply perceiving the world in terms of that particular category and enjoying the shorthand involved ("Do you like reggae?" "Yeah, I do.") That's the end result. But I'm more interested in the creativity that comes up with something new at the front end of the process. How does that happen? I'm speculating it comes down to a single individual wondering 'What if I..?'

[amanise]

The cynic in me says its marketing hurdling - creating a landscape that only the super enlightened can hope to navigate, and the rest of us can all go dangle on a rope. Or - maybe people just can't cope in a world without a letter box to post everything into.

If we did away with them we'd all be artistically liberated.

[awjoe]

I've never paid attention to genres when I write. It would probably take my writing in new directions if I *did* take a 'genrification' approach.

[Arpangel]

As soon as your music falls into a genre, it’s time to move on.
This is a post made at a time if day I’m not usually familiar with, so bear with me.

[Drew Stephenson]

As soon as your music falls into a genre, it’s time to move on.
This is a post made at a time if day I’m not usually familiar with, so bear with me.

Other opinions are also available!

It all depends what you're trying to do.

[amanise]

...
Other opinions are also available!
..

But only mine is valid

[BigRedX]

IME being able to fit your music into a genre (even if you have to squint to get it there) is very useful if you want to be able to persuade other people to listen to it and maybe even buy it.

We'd all like to think that our particular chosen style(s) is unique, but most listeners want a point of reference they can latch on to.

Case in point when The Terrortones first started, I always saw us as being indie garage rock, but the people who latched on to us were psychobillies and the more mainstream end of the rock press, two groups of people I would have never though about promoting our music too.

[OneWorld]

The cynic in me says its marketing hurdling - creating a landscape that only the super enlightened can hope to navigate, and the rest of us can all go dangle on a rope. Or - maybe people just can't cope in a world without a letter box to post everything into.

If we did away with them we'd all be artistically liberated.

Spot on, you've created a new genre called - Cut the Flannel and get to the Point. But it is the human condition, the marketing industry has to label everything. Yes there has to be some identifying characteristics - Jazz, Pop, Classical, but now we have such nonsense as Ambient-Grinding-Drill-Pop

For me there's only 2 genres, Good and Krap, and I decide which is which.

[Drew Stephenson]

I'm largely with BigRedX on this, arguably genre is a marketing tool, but the point is that it's a really useful tool for marketing.
And if you want people to be able to find and listen to your music then you need to market it one way or the other. Whether that's choosing the right playlist to submit to or the right blogger to follow, having an idea of the genres they're interested in will save you (and your potential audience) a bunch of time.

[ManFromGlass]

Psychobillies?
Love it.
My mental image is probably more interesting than the “genre”

[BigRedX]

Psychobillies?
Love it.
My mental image is probably more interesting than the “genre”

The term was apparently coined by The Cramps even though they don't really fit the modern stereotype.

These days it's punked-up rockabilly with a 50s scifi/horror vibe populated by men with multi-coloured gravity defying quiffs and often horror film stage make-up.

[Arpangel]

...
Other opinions are also available!
..

But only mine is valid

But of course!
I’m "beginning" to wonder, if I’m a latent dictator, the symptoms are there, or I could just be going mad, simple as that.

[amanise]

...
Other opinions are also available!
..

But only mine is valid

But of course!
I’m "beginning" to wonder, if I’m a latent dictator, the symptoms are there, or I could just be going mad, simple as that.

Just go with the flow buddy! That's what I do - and it's made the the man I am today!

[Arpangel]

Just go with the flow buddy! That's what I do - and it's made the the man I am today!

I didn’t get where I am today by not being the man I was yesterday.

[MarkOne]

When people ask me what kind of music I do, I say Prog Rock

If it's one of my songs that really isn't Prog, and they say 'it doesn't sound like prog rock' I say: 'That's because it's progressed!'

[amanise]

When people ask me what kind of music I do, I say Prog Rock

If it's one of my songs that really isn't Prog, and they say 'it doesn't sound like prog rock' I say: 'That's because it's progressed!'

I really am at a loss with the whole SubmitHub business. It doesn't matter what genre I think it is - its always the wrong one. I can't be that genre defying - I've never had an original thought in my head! I've almost run out of things to submit for them to throw back at me. They should rename it 'KickbackHub'.

[FrankF]

I'm still waiting for "Life Metal" to see the light of day.

Or how about "Deaf Metal"?
I believe it emerged shortly after "Metal".

[MOF]

IME being able to fit your music into a genre (even if you have to squint to get it there) is very useful if you want to be able to persuade other people to listen to it and maybe even buy it.

Especially if you’re advertising your music online, you rely on ‘keywords’ for each ‘pay per click’. The more refined your search terms the more likely you’ll find your audience and not waste your advertising budget.

[awjoe]

When people ask me what kind of music I do, I say Prog Rock

If it's one of my songs that really isn't Prog, and they say 'it doesn't sound like prog rock' I say: 'That's because it's progressed!'

For me, I think I'm going to say 'prog folk'. Sounds vaguely rude, vaguely creepy.