Essentials

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When you want to learn about a new music genre, you can't do without its essentials. So, name a genre, and some of the songs that you should immediately think off. Try to keep the genres small. "Metal", "dance" or "pop" is probably far too large. Narrow them down to Death Metal, for instance, or 60s pop and 90s Euro-dance.


Here's a genre I learned to love: Bossa Nova, mix of samba and smooth jazz.

Most important name in Bossa Nova is Antonio (Tom) Carlos Jobim, and Joao Gilberto, who often sang Jobim's creations. Best known is probably Astrud Gilberto's English version of Tom Jobim's classic.

Tom Jobim - The Girl from Ipanema (Garota de Ipanema)


Tom Jobim - Wave (Vou te contar), sung by Joao Gilberto, agian.

 

I was never convinced of the whole genre concept, personally. I mean, yeah, classical is different from rock and roll, but all the subgenres kind of strike me as artificial distinctions, and I think some 'insiders' (not you, MoN ) like to use them to keep outsiders out. e.g., if I have no real idea of what 'electroclash electronic synth pop' really is, I probably will be a bit of an outcast in the club.

I don't think it's a conspiracy or anything, it's just that social groups are always trying to identify and repel outsiders whether they realize it or not. I also know this is not helpful to your thread MoN - just thought I'd share anyway.

 

I always have difficulty putting different music into genres. Usually I just look it up on Wikipedia if for some reason I need or want to know. And even when I just look to Wikipedia and ignore different people having different ideas about the same thing, it's still confusing sometimes.

Like how Rammstein is considered industrial metal, which is ok with me. But then they say that KMFDM and Powerman 5000 are also considered industrial metal, even though their sound is totally different than Rammstein to me.

On the other hand, black metal is easier to me, because I just think of Dimmu Borgir when I think of black metal. Or perhaps it's easier because I don't know that many black metal bands.

And when I think of death metal, I tend to think of Hypocrisy, but a look at Wikipedia shows me that Hatebreed and Sepultura are for instance also considered death metal, when I always thought of them more as heavy metal. And when I look up heavy metal, I find AC/DC for instance, which I always consider more like hardrock.

And then something like Chimaira is considered metalcore, which I hadn't even heard of until I just looked it up. I my mind-database it just got filed under heavy-metal-type-music.

These divisions just confuse the hell out of me.

Also, Mo'N, power to you for being able to listen to this type of music. For me, this falls into the category of music that I just cannot listen to for any period of time, like André Hazes and Frans Bauer It's slightly more tolerable than their music, but - to me - not much more.

 

This is kind of but I just realized by watching those videos that Portuguese is close enough to Spanish that I can understand a lot of it. It's weird though, listening to something that you almost understand. Maybe a little frustrating .

 

Don't bother. I share that thought, to some extend. And it's partly why I came up with the thread, to find out where other people make differences where I would not.

See, I'm more interested in "easily listening music", so I might make differences in that genre and divide them into Triphop and Lounge, to name two. And death/black/white/trash/power/whatever metal is all the same to me, I guess. Also, I like some old "club" (like The Buckethead's The Bomb), but calling some of that "Ayia Napa" is really stretching it.

My best friend is a dj. He doesn't like labeling too much, but it makes searching for a certain sound easier.

Wow! You really don't like what I posted. At least we have something in common: We don't like andre, frans and dries.

 

Similarly, triphop, drum 'n bass and such sound fairly similar to me. It's only natural, really. And if you'd say you didn't hear the difference between Napalm Death and Sepultura, I'd totally understand.

By the way, watching a fairly recent videoclip of Napalm Death is pure gold. Four middle aged men totally rocking out to something that barely sounds like music (even to me):



In the interest of the thread, this is apparently considered grindcore. Their lyrics tend to cover political issues (which they do have in common with Sepultura, actually).

Some of their music is apparently also considered to be closer to death metal:


For the record, the clip below is what I think of when I think of death metal (Hypocrisy with Carved Up). It's not just the music that makes me think of it as death metal - their lyrics support that idea as well. Which is to say, if anyone ever says that he agrees with their lyrics, it's time to call the asylum. Me, I'm glad I don't understand what they're saying for the most part. Despite this, this song never fails to make me smile - so awesome and energetic


And the clip below is what I think of when I think of heavy metal (although wikipedia lists it as being death metal too) (Hatebreed - Destroy Everything). Despite the name of the band and the title of the song, their lyrics are actually quite positive. One of the very few bands that I know that make this kind of music and have lyrics about having a more positive attitude towards things. And in total opposition of the above mentioned Hypocrisy.

I like to think that a lot of people have that in common. Although not enough, I guess

 

In the sub-genre of botanical progressive rock, it has to be The Trees by Rush.

 

I'm with Gaear. Even after I read the descriptions of the genres, I can't tell what they mean. This even goes for the major genres. I've never figured out an adequate explanation for who gets to be on the Country charts or the RnB charts.

Has anyone ever looked at the genres they use on Freegal? There are hundreds of them. So many that browsing for artists by genre becomes nonsensical.

So, back on topic: 60s rock: The Beatles.

 

Here is a few of many I could think of. I tried to include a few lesser known band, probably failing badly though. More later, maybe.

Anything by Bauhaus really, gothic rock pioneers.


Somewhat strange medieval/neo-medieval metal music weirdness. This song is pretty normal though.


Electro classic.


Probably their best known song. Pub Rock greatness.


Celtic/Folk stuff, basically anything by Loreena McKennitt is awesome and you should listen to it.


Some power metal for the last one. De Boni has a great voice (and she is back with the band again nowadays!).