RESEARCH: GENRES

RESEARCH: GENRES

What are genres? Why are they important?

Genre is a category which can help to classify different types of art, literature or film. Music genres play significant part in the industry as they allow the audience to navigate easily through the broad range of music styles. The music genres vary and many have developed into hybrid genres which combine two or more types of music to create original sound and appeal to niche and/or mainstream audiences. There are approximately over 1, 264 genres in total. Most genres undergo larger categories which can be easier to navigate through, these include:

• ·         Pop
• ·         Rock
• ·         Hip hop
• ·         Jazz
• ·         R&B

From these main genres evolved hundreds of hybrids like ‘Indie Rock’ or ‘Punk Rock’ etc.

Genres are important because they help the audience to identify their favourite one and navigate through the longlist of different styles. Without them it would be difficult for artists to appeal to their audiences too as the viewer wouldn’t be able to identify the kind of music a specific artist creates or associates with.

Common Genres and Key Conventions:

The following list has some of the common music genres today. Each one of these utilizes different conventions to appeal to their intended target audience and express their style in an appropriate manner. However, it is evident that some artists are mainstream and can allow themselves to challenge conventions and still appeal to their loyal fan base, yet it is important that the artist follows most conventions as without them the audience will be confused and find the music unattractive or unappealing to their taste which can disturb the artist’s fan base.

ROCK:

Male dominated genre. Instruments are likely to feature throughout the video and will be on display through close ups of drums or guitars in order to glamourize the music rather than the artist. The videos are often performance based to solely focus on the sound rather than anything else. The colours and lighting are likely to be dark and low key in order to emphasise the heavier sounds and darker nature of the genre.

Rock music commonly targets audiences from 18+ audiences due to heavy sounds and the glamorisation of instruments which could appeal to older fanatics. It is also more common for males to listen to rock because stereotypically they associate it with true ‘masculinity’.

HIP HOP:

Big part of Hip Hop is the effort to promote a certain way of living. Most artists will try to glamourize themselves through the rich use of mise en scene. An artist is likely to wear expensive clothing and jewellery to show wealth and his success. There are likely to be close ups of the performer as well as the mise en scene. Most hip hop videos are performance and narrative based and will centre around the artist who is likely to feature in most of the video. In addition, a male artist is also likely to be surrounded by females to emphasise on his superiority and intimidate others.

Hip Hop usually targets young males in order to aspire them or show the ‘true goals’ in life. Many young boys will try to imitate a hip hop artist which is why many teens listen to that genre.

POP:

Pop has become a very mainstream genre today. It has simple beats and often simple meanings accompanied by colourful music videos. Most pop artists are young and attractive commodities who try to use their image to sell their music to the target audience. Therefore, there is likely that the music video will have many close ups of their face and long shots of their attractive bodies in order to ‘lure’ the audience through their looks. Additionally, many pop artists are girl/boy bands, consisting of young attractive boys and/or girls who similarity to solo artists try to sell their image through image and style. 

Pop music often targets the majority of teens. Therefore, many artists are young and play as role models to today’s youth who admire these singers and want to be like them or simply are attracted to their image.

JAZZ:

Jazz has become a sophisticated genre, respected within many adults. It has relaxing melody to it and often is associated with the golden era of film, therefore appeals to mature audiences. Most jazz artists are talented and experienced musicians, therefore many of them are older adults. A jazz music video is likely to focus on the instruments rather than sell the artist’s image. Therefore, there will be close ups of instruments. Common features include a saxophone, which is a sophisticated instrument, and a classy attire to express the mature genre.

Jazz music appeals to mature adults. This is because the music can be smoothing and sophisticated which is what adults often look for in order to relax. The artists are usually older too which helps the audience to identify with the performer and build a relationship.

ALTERNATIVE/ INDIE:

The alternative genre is a unique and original style of music which originates from different mix of genres to appeal to a smaller or niche audience. Most indie/ alternative artists are bands consisting of men, but not always, some also have a mix of both sexes which helps to attract a broader audience. It is common for an indie band to create a music video in suburban areas, focusing on instruments and simple use of mise en scene. This is because many artists try to focus on music rather than selling a lifestyle but at the same time they don’t have enough budget to create sophisticated music videos due to their niche appeal.

The genre will appeal to young adults of mixed gender. This is because many people find it easier to identify with them due to the casualty of the artists. In addition, the relaxed and everyday approach of indie artists can help to befriend fans and create a loyal fan base.

HOUSE:

The house genre is a fairly new and unique type of music with simple repetitive beats, commonly targeted at youth. It is often that dance music is experimental which makes it hard to pinpoint exact conventions, which is what makes it so unique. However, many videos are shot at house and focus on simple concepts to compliment the simple beat and promote fun/ youth. In general, the genre tries to convey fun and excitement.

The genre appeals to young people of both sexes. This is because youth generally wants to have fun and likes to party, especially to an easy tune, which makes house music perfect for teens.

Mainstream and Niche Genres.

Genres can be divided into mainstream and niche. Mainstream refers to a popular category which appeals to the majority of the audiences and are generally current. In contrast, niche refers to the less prominent genres which appeal to the minority and can be unique and original, and only attract certain tastes of music. It is common that the niche genres have less fans but a very loyal fan base who supports them whereas mainstream audiences are much more passive. Mainstream genres include:

• ·         Pop
• ·         Rap
• ·         Hip-hop
• ·         R&B
• ·         Dance

However, niche genres are usually hybrids or less known types of music, including:

• ·         Indie
• ·         Rock
• ·         Metal
• ·         Alternative
• ·         Classical

Niche genres are less likely to be featured on mainstream media platforms like music channels or radio as there is less appeal for them. However, many have their own networks which allow niche audiences to collide and listen to their favorite genre. On the other hand, mainstream genres will be much more prominent within our everyday media like social media etc. This allows to attract the younger audiences who are likely to be attracted to mainstream genres because they’re exposed to them in their everyday life, whereas adults are likely to listen to niche genres because they are more active and selective in their music and like to explore different tastes.

Importance of Genres for an Audience.

Genre is significant to audiences for various reasons. First off different genres appeal to different people therefore they are essential to help and label which one appeals to who. Genre also helps the audience to navigate through the diverse music industry. After a viewer is satisfied with a particular genre they can research into it further and find similar videos and music which will keep them entertained. They can also find people who listen to similar music and watch similar videos and join certain fan base and widen their music interest. In addition, different genres have different conventions which they are able to utilize for their music and videos. Without these conventions, they are likely to lose their audience and loyal fan base, which can cause them money and fame loss. By using these conventions, they are able to attract particular audiences and continue to create music as there will be a demand for it.

Conclusion

To conclude, it is evident that genre is a significant part of the music industry. Without genre, it would be hard to categorise and navigate through the industry for both audiences and musicians. In addition, genre also shows the diversity of music and the flexibility of tastes. The different hybrids and amount of music genres show just how music has developed to fit the most refined tastes and how experimental it really is. It is also evident that genres are also categorised into mainstream or niche to make it even easier for the viewer. Similarly to genres, there are also many different conventions that feature across different kind of music which are also very important when creating own video. The most appealing genre to me is the Indie music. I would like to create my campaign to the indie genre because it is unique and original and many music videos and lyrics are thought provoking, which can challenge the audience and therefore attract them. I also think that indie music allows to create unique music videos because of their use of original conventions and structure which would allow my group to experiment with different technical elements.