What is your Favourite Style of Music ? – " Genres and their types "

Musical Styles

Music enriches our soul with a sense of completeness and we all love music. Most of us have our own favorite songs playlists, favorite artists etc. We do have inclination towards a particular type of music. It is the similar to us having our favorite food item, which we like to eat over and over again.

We all listen to different kinds of music, some of the music is regarded as sophisticated while other music is more primitive and seem to emerge from the depth of the soul. To some certain type of music is noise while to others it can be amazingly refreshing. Sounds never evoke the same emotions in different people

Musical styles are defined as genres. What is a genre?

A genre is a group of styles of music having a common tradition or common fundamental values. It can be likened to a genus in taxonomy, which is constituted by humans sharing common evolutionary characteristics and having some distinct anatomical commonalities, despite vastly different superficial appearances.

Wouldn’t it be fascinating to know the favorite band you listen to is of which genre? Also, it is said that having the same taste in music is like having a soul connection. So, Lets find out, how well connected you are with others, are you on the same page as your friend.

Genres of Music:


Rock music was originated in United States as Rock & Roll in early 1950s. It revolves mainly around Electric Guitar , Drums and Electric Bass. Rock Music lead to the evolution of hybrid music style such as Jazz rock , blues rock , punk rock , rap rock etc.

Notable bands:

The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Queen, U2, AC/DC, The Who, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers

Famous Personalities:

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, David Bowie, Syd Barrett, Alice Cooper, John Entwistle, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, Kurt Cobain


Jazz: Jazz music is evolved from Blues and it is a major form of Musical Expression. This kind of music is more over focused on musicians , therefore it is widely considered as “Musician’s Music”. Swing rhythm technique is used in Jazz music more important in this style.


Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, John McLaughlin, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Dave Brubeck, Django Reinhardt.


Blues music includes Cyclic form of Music in which a repeating progressions of chords mirrors the call and response scheme. Most of the times scheme used are 8 bar blues and 12 bar blues. Blues is distinguished by the use of flattened third, fifth and seventh of major scale. These notes are called as ‘blues notes’.


Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Robert Nighthawk, Bessie Smith, "Blind" Lemon Jefferson, T-Bone Walker, Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, Bill Broonzy, Jimmy Reed, Bo Diddley, B. B. King

Country: Country music takes its route from genres such as folk and blues. Country music incldes folk lyrics and harmonies are accompanied by instruments like banjo , acoustic guitars, steel guitars as well as Harmonica.


Jimmie Rodgers, Elvis Presley, Vernon Dalhart, Fiddlin' John Carson, Roy Acuff, Ray Charles, Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson


Reggae:  Reggae is originated in Jamaica. It incorporate some of the musical elements of rhythm and blues, jazz and folk music. This genre is lead by the drum and bass.


Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Jimmy Cliff

Hip Hop: This genre is evolved in United states also known as Rap music though rapping is not always required in this style which consists of stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping. The elements used in hip-hop music are sampled beats and bass lines , rhythmic beat boxing .


Public Enemy, The Roots, The Black Eyed Peas, Beastie Boys.


Eminem, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Kanye West, Akon, Ludacris, Hard Kaur, Fergie, will.i.am, Adam Yauch, Ad-Rock

Metal: This genre of music was evolved in late 1960s and early 1970s largely in United Kingdom .The elements used in this genre of music are heavy guitars(characterised by amplified distortions and solos, bass and emphatic drums mostly to create loudness.


Metallica,Iron Maiden,Arch Enemy,Children of Bodom,Black Sabbath etc.


Electronic: One of the more modern genres in world music, electronic music is based, as is obvious from the name, on electronic instruments. These instruments include instruments such as synthesizers or midi keyboards , digital audio workstation (DAW) software and electronic drum machine. Over the ages, electronic music was inculcated in various other genres such as metal, hard rock, R&B etc.

Artists: Skrillex , Martin Garrix , Tiesto , David Guetta , Afrojac , Calvin Harris and many more…


Latino: Latino music evolved in Latin America, i.e., South and Central America, and the Caribbean. Some Latino styles, such as samba, rumba, salsa and tango, are popular all over the world. Latino music is reputed for its emphasis on rhythm.


Roberto Carlos, Heitor Villa Lobos, Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Dropati, Sundar Popo, Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony, Shakira.

This article is contributed by Siddhanth Chakraborty, Akshay Sahu, Akarsh Singh and Sharad Nirmalkar.

Reference – Wikipedia.