Genre Stereotypes

[Spark Of Spirit]

Have you ever written off a whole genre because of crappy mainstream representation? Don't deny it! We all have. The purpose of this thread is to smash those perceptions and possibly interest you the reader in new genres you might have otherwise never given a second look to. Impossible, you say? No, it really isn't! Take heed for this thread will have your mind blowing out the back of your head before you say "Hipster douchebags have ruined my *insert genre of choice*!"


#1 - Alternative rock music is all weird artsy noise dedicated to being as 'outsidery' as possible.

But that's wrong! Alternative music can consist of many different sounds played by just as many artists who want to reach even you, the genre hater! You would like some proof of this craziness?

Example!

Pay no attention to the last part of the video as that is a totally different song. In fact most indie and alternative artists were just trying to recapture the fun of earlier music without being pretentious or weird for the sake of it. Most got lost in the shuffle, but there is more alternative like this than there is like Radiohead. And count yourself lucky for that one.


#2 - British music died after the 70s! Everything after that is just full of bands milking the Beatles and their success!

But that's wrong! After the Beatles came and went, a new wave of people tried desperately to escape the shadow of the Beatles and their ilk. British musicians spanned the wide range of the musical chasm long after the world stopped paying attention.

Example!

By attention to the lyrics and bouncing sound of the mod movement from the 80s in the UK. While the rest of the world was obsessed with watching guys dress up as girls and playing soft music angrily, the UK was busy trying to explore the roots of its music both lyrically and sonically.


#3 - Metal is all about screaming and playing as fast as possible! No rhythm required for noise!

But that's wrong! What you're describing is what the musically deaf love and proclaim as "bad ass". Metal in actuality is just as diverse and flexible as any other genre out there, and is able to be just as interesting as any other genre out there.

Example!

Pay attention to how the song shifts gears multiple times before even reaching the second verse. Also pay attention to the lack of emphasize on playing hyperfast all the time and the lack of screaming the lyrics. This is a fantastically written song for ANY genre.


#4 Punk music is either about obnoxious rage or whiny screaming girl songs!

This is hard to disprove. The punk fanbase is so adamant about being small-minded and exclusive that most anyone who tried anything different was deemed "not real punk" but close-minded fools. But there are bands that tried expanding the sound and met with some real success.

Example!

Yes, it's about a girl, but it is not whiny (the lyrics are actually brilliant) and it sonically does a lot more with three chords than about any other punk band.


#5 Hip Hop is all about banging bitches and grabbing greens!

Believe it or not, there is a whole movement against this nowadays, but once upon a time, hip hop was actually a lot more meaningful in lyrics, music, and general execution.

Example!

Now if hip hop actually took more influence from this, the genre would be a shit ton better.


#6 Dance music is for mindless club hopping or e-heads!

Again, there are those that know there is more to the genre than what the pill poppers on the dance floor think. Some of which tries to be for more than just disposable pap.

Example!

Pay attention to the pastiche of sounds in how it is both an actual song and not full of obnoxious constant kick drum and snare, but a bright pop song meant purely to make you move. Not dance, but move. That's what the best of the genre tries to do. And that bridge... Brilliant.


So do you guys have any examples of blind genre hate that annoy you? Or would you rather discuss what you like about genres you otherwise dislike?

[Angus]

There's supposedly a difference between goth and emo music, but I haven't the foggiest idea what that is, nor do I care.

[Spark Of Spirit]

There's supposedly a difference between goth and emo music, but I haven't the foggiest idea what that is, nor do I care.

Goth is typically not a sound but a look. While emo is both.

Goth can be anything from metal, punk, rockabilly, or alternative, while emo is typically hardcore punk music with screechy vocals. Well, it used to be hardcore punk music with screechy vocals, now it's just pop punk with screechy vocals, tight jeans, and bad haircuts.

[Angus]

Ah okay, so they might be confused in style, but music there's a distinct genre for emo?

There's also the stereotype that Gen X'ers only like music from the 1980s or earlier.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Ah okay, so they might be confused in style, but music there's a distinct genre for emo?

There's also the stereotype that Gen X'ers only like music from the 1980s or earlier.

Emo sort of changed a lot in definition to the mainstream. First there was the screechy hardcore music, then it was basically pop punk with screechy vocals. But essentially, the point of the music is that the singer is "emotional" when they sing, which usually translates to whining.

But some definitions are weird. I, for instance, don't see how the band Saves The Day, or the Get Up Kids were emo, but that's what some defined them as. It's weird.

As for the Gen-X thing, I thought that peaked in the early 90s with Nirvana, but I doubt they liked anything more recent than that.

[Lord Dalek]

Electronica is nothing more than bleeps and boops that sound like they're coming from an old video game, or a slot machine.

[Angus]

Only Weird Al can make parody music.

Jpop singers can't sing.

Vocaloids make better entertainers than live singers.

Punk rock songs are boring because they only last 2 minutes and have the same 4 chords.

Songs and videos are cooler if they have to be censored with a Radio Edit.

Beyonce is the greatest singer ever because she has a catchy video....err 'cause Kanye West said so!

[Spark Of Spirit]

Only Weird Al can make parody music.

And the opposite of this, that Weird Al can ONLY make parody songs. His originals are pretty good too, like Trigger Happy, Hardware Store, and That's Your Horoscope For Today are all great songs even if they aren't a parody of a specific song or artist.

[Lord Dalek]

Autotune makes any performance better.

[Commode]

The whole emo thing is a mess.  Personally, I like actual emo(Sunny Day Real Estate, Jimmy Eat World, Senses Fail), yet don't particularly like what many people consider emo, which in reality is just emo-influenced pop-punk(Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, My Chemical Romance; I've mentioned it before several times, but while Paramore could arguably fit in this same category, I do like them).  While I like blink's self titled record from 2003, this was really the start of the trend, with people calling the band emo all of the sudden, after years of them being goofy pop-punk(the song "I Miss You" was a very emo-influenced track though).

[Katie Holt]

The whole emo thing is a mess.  Personally, I like actual emo(Sunny Day Real Estate, Jimmy Eat World, Senses Fail), yet don't particularly like what many people consider emo, which in reality is just emo-influenced pop-punk(Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, My Chemical Romance; I've mentioned it before several times, but while Paramore could arguably fit in this same category, I do like them).  While I like blink's self titled record from 2003, this was really the start of the trend, with people calling the band emo all of the sudden, after years of them being goofy pop-punk(the song "I Miss You" was a very emo-influenced track though).

The funny thing about Fall Out Boy being lumped into the who emo scene is that their song "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" was a fuck-you to those who did that, because FOB themselves know they're not part of the emo genre, and they're tired of people calling them that. They still suck, but I did gain a bit of respect for them doing that.