Do you know that today, there are over 6000 music genres on Spotify? Back in 2016, there were only 1482 genres on Spotify. Today, we will introduce you to some of the most common music genres on the app.

Pop Music

Pop music is a form of popular music that originated in the United States and Great Britain during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It’s contemporary music that appeals to a vast audience. It often includes a danceable tempo, easy-to-remember lyrics, and simple notation.

Pop music has evolved over the years, and one of the most popular pop songs today is “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys. It’s a combination of many different styles: R&B, classical music, and country music.

Today, typical examples of pop music include “Umbrella” by Rihanna, “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele, “Firework” by Katy Perry, “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen. K-pop, which originated in Korea, is also a branch of pop music that is now widely accepted by global listeners.

Popular music is relatively easy for people to listen to and learn to sing. Meanwhile, its vibrant rhythm can be imprinted into our minds for a long time. For example, if you listen to a pop song in the morning, you may end up streaming the same song for hours in mind during the day.

Rock

Rock music originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm and blues, boogie-woogie, electric blues, gospel, jump blues, and country music. The genre of Rock music didn’t acquire its name until 1954. Some founding fathers of Rock music are
Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino & Bo Diddley.

Today, many people listen to rock music because of its straightforwardness in lyrics and the strong emotions it conveys towards topics such as love, society, and politics. Listening to rock music while crying is something that many teenagers do as it becomes a way for them to vent and gain relief from.

Here’s some great vintage rock songs:
“I Love Rock ‘N Roll” (1981) — Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
“Once in a Lifetime” (1980) — Talking Heads
“Rebel Girl” (1993) — Bikini Kill
“Fell in Love With a Girl” (2001) — The White Stripes
“There She Goes, My Beautiful World” (2004) — Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Country

If Classical music is like a stream from the ice mountain, then country music is like a ray of sunshine that pierces through your car window. The origins of country music can be traced to the 17th century when European and African immigrants to North America brought their folktales, folk songs, favorite instruments, and musical traditions. Country music has seen various developments since the first commercial recordings, but whatever form it takes, country music speaks to mostly working-class Americans and blue-collar American life.

Some country musicians we love are Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Reba McEntire. Some songs we play in our cars are “Country Girl (Shake It for Me)” by Luke Bryan, “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash, “Sparks Fly” by Taylor Swift, etc. Did you know that in 2009, in the United States, country music was the most listened to rush hour radio genre during the evening commute? Perhaps it’s the relaxing beats from banjos and guitars that provide us with a desirable break after a busy day.

Rhythm and blues

The term “rhythm and blues,” often called “R&B,” originated in the 1940s when it replaced “race music” as a general marketing term for all African American music, though it usually referred only to secular, not religious music. Famed record producer Jerry Wexler is credited with coining the name “rhythm and blues” as a marketing device in the late 1940s.

Historically, R&B developed after World War II and combined elements of pop, gospel, blues, and jazz with a strong backbeat. If you plan to drive along the highway at dawn or party all night, you will find your best accompaniment in these songs below:

‘FLO’ – Fly Girl
‘Dilemma’ – Nelly and Kelly
‘Fantasy’ – Mariah Carey
‘Pony’ – Ginuwine
‘Poison’ – Bell Biv Devoe

Lofi

Low-fidelity (Lo-fi) music is a type of popular music recognized in the 1990s, recorded with intentional imperfections, such as misplayed notes, environmental noise, low hum, or phonographic audio imperfections. Based on its relaxing effect and perfect tempo to keep listeners engaged without making them sleepy, lofi music gains its popularity. And without lyrics, there are no distractions, which leads to better reading comprehension and writing.

Here are some most popular Lofi songs 2024:
Death bed (coffee for your head) — Powfu
YEAH RIGHT — Joji
Can We Kiss Forever — Kina
“Smooth skating” — meadowzz
Eternal Youth — RUDE

​​Classical Music

Classical music is best defined as European music composed from about 1750 to 1830 that features balance, elegance, and homophonic textures. Instruments that are often seen in Classical Music include violin, piano, harp, clarinet, cello, etc. Those instruments are also the major components of orchestral music.

Needless to say, Classical Music is one of the most commonly heard music genres. You must have heard of those big wigs in Classical Music– van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Joseph Haydn, etc. Most people grow up listening to music, such as “Carmen” by Bizet, “Ode to Joy” and “Symphony No. 5” by Beethoven.

Streaming Classical Music while studying is a great way to improve your daily mood and efficiency at studying and at work. When feeling restless or anxious, try listening to some classical music and relax, immersing yourself in the euphonious rhythm of the piano or violin. On the other hand, when you feel like studying or getting something done within a period, try streaming a classical music playlist on YouTube with backgrounds of natural landscapes or antique libraries to help you get into the right working mood.

Summary

People fall in love with different songs for various reasons, and diversity is something to be celebrated in the music industry. We all have our #1-best song of all time in our hearts! Hence, there’s no need to compare and rank music by genre and by the fame of artists as Masterpiece comes from the ears of the audience:)

The appeal of music comes from the feelings of exhilaration, poise, nostalgia, and healing it brings us. Regardless of the factors that have drawn you into a particular genre or song, remember that music is supposed to bring you happiness and satisfaction in the end, so there’s always the motivation for exploring more genres and gaining your inspiration from harmonics.

Work References

https://klara-alexeeva.medium.com/spotify-features-6-000-music-genres-some-of-them-are-made-up-1e3707f6f022#:~:text=Back%20in%202016%2C%20there%

https://www.calypsoroom.com/Brief-History-of-Pop-Music.html#:~:text=Pop%20music%20originated%20in%20the%20United%20States%20and%20Great%20Britain,lyrics%2C%20and%20simple%20musical%20arrangements.

https://ew.com/music/best-rock-songs/

https://www.loc.gov/collections/songs-of-america/articles-and-essays/musical-styles/popular-songs-of-the-day/country/#:~:text=Country%20music%20encompasses%20everything%20from,favorite%20instruments%2C%20and%20musical%20traditions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_music#:~:text=Country%20music%20is%20known%20for,steel%2C%20and%20resonator%20guitars

https://www.timeout.com/music/the-20-best-rnb-songs-ever
https://www.loc.gov/collections/songs-of-america/articles-and-essays/musical-styles/popular-songs-of-the-day/rhythm-and-blues/#:~:text=Historically%20speaking%2C%20though%2C%20%22rhythm,with%20a%20strong%20back%20beat.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jerry-wexler-the-man-who-invented-rhythm-blues-245859/

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyORnIW1xT6xL7lVBSCsEoI0NPlpcwzj2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lo-fi_musichttps://www.vaughn.edu/blog/studying-to-lo-fidelity-lo-fi-music-gets-high-marks-with-students/

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/famous-classical-music-tunes/