Music directions. Music theory: the history of the development of musical genres, musical style

You have landed in the genres of music section, where we will get acquainted with each musical direction in more detail. Let's describe what it is, why it is needed and what features it has. Also at the very end there will be articles of this section, which will describe each direction in more detail.

What are genres of music

Before discussing what genres of music are, the following should be mentioned. We need a certain coordinate system in order to be able to put all the phenomena into it. The most serious and global level in this coordinate system is the concept of style or art-historical system.

There is a style of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque or Romanticism. Moreover, in each particular era, this concept covers all the arts (literature, music, painting, and so on).

However, music has its own categories within each style. There is a system of genres, musical forms and means of expression.

What is a genre?

Each epoch sets musicians and listeners a certain set of stages. Moreover, each site has its own rules of the game. These sites may disappear over time or remain for a while.

New groups of listeners with new interests appear - new stage platforms appear, new genres arise.

Let's say, in the era of the European Middle Ages, approximately, until the end of the 11th century, the church was the only such stage platform for professional musicians. Time and place of worship.

Here are the genres of church music. And the most important of them (Mass and Matet) will go far into the future.

If we take the late Middle Ages, the era of the Crusades, then a new scenic platform appears - a feudal castle, a feudal court of an aristocrat, a court holiday or just a place of leisure.

And here the genre of secular song arises.

For example, the 17th century literally explodes with fireworks of new musical genres. Here things arise that go far ahead of our time and will still remain after us.

For example, opera, oratorio or cantata. In instrumental music, this is an instrumental concerto. There is even such a term as a symphony. Although it may have been built a little differently than it is now.

Appear genres of chamber music. And underneath it all lies the emergence of new stage venues. For example, an opera house, a concert hall or a richly decorated salon of an urban aristocratic house.

Before you, be sure to start exploring various areas. This is then very well reflected in practice. It will be especially useful when creating something new!

musical form

The next level is musical form. How many parts are there in a work? How is each part organized, how many sections does it have, and how are they interconnected? That's what we put in the concept of musical form.

Let's say opera is a genre. But one opera can be in two acts, another in three, and there are operas in five acts.

Or a symphony.

Most familiar European symphonies are built in four movements. But let's say there are 5 movements in Berlioz's Fantastic symphony.

Expressive means

The next level is the system of musical expressive means. Melody in its unity with rhythm.

Rhythm is the deep organizing force of all musical sound. It underlies the existence of music. Because through the rhythm a person's life is connected with reality, with the cosmos.

Very many labor movements are rhythmic. Especially in agriculture. Rhythmically much in the processing of stone and metals.

The rhythm itself appears, perhaps, before the melody. We can say that the rhythm generalizes, and the melody individualizes.

The feeling of rhythm, as some kind of magic, arises in the very early stages of civilization. And later, in the era of antiquity, such a feeling is realized as an idea of the universal connection of phenomena, which is rhythmic.

Rhythm is associated with number. And for the Greeks, the number was an extremely important representation of the world order. And this whole notion of rhythm persisted for a very long time.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the German composer Michael Pritorius spoke of the early experiences of the Italians in opera (there was no ordered rhythm): “This music is without connections and measure. It is an insult to God's established order!"

The nature of the movement is fast, lively, moderate and calm. They also set the tone for any superstructure that takes place on them. There is also a sense of connection here. 4 sides of the character of movement, 4 cardinal directions, 4 temperaments.

If you delve even more deeply, then this is a timbre or sound coloring. Or let's say how the melody is pronounced. Distinctly divided or connected.

Melody, rhythm and everything else appears as a direct emotional response to reality. And they are formed in those infinitely distant times in the primitive communal system, when a person has not yet realized his own self in comparison with other selves or with nature.

But as soon as a class society appears, then there is a distance between one's own and other selves, between the self and nature. And then the genres of music, and musical forms, and styles already begin to form.

Genres of chamber music

Before talking about the genres of chamber music, let's deal with the direction. Chamber music is music performed by a small number of performers for a small number of listeners.

Previously, such music was often performed at home. For example, in the family circle. Hence, they came up with such a name as a chamber. Camera means room in Latin. That is, small, home or room music.

There is also such a thing as a chamber orchestra. This is such a smaller version (usually no more than 10 people) of a regular orchestra. Well, there aren't many listeners either. Usually, these are relatives, acquaintances and friends.

folk song is the simplest and most widespread genre of chamber music. Previously, very often, many grandparents sang various folk songs to their children and grandchildren. One and the same song could be sung with different words. Like adding something of my own.

However, the melody itself, as a rule, remained unchanged. Only the text of the folk song changed and improved.

Many favorite romances is also a genre of chamber music. Usually they performed a small vocal piece. It was usually accompanied by a guitar. Therefore, we are very fond of such lyrical songs with a guitar. Many of you probably know about them and have never heard of them.

Ballad- this is a kind of narration about various exploits or dramas. Ballads were often performed in taverns. As a rule, they praised the exploits of various heroes. Sometimes ballads were used before the upcoming battle to raise the morale of the people.

Of course, in such songs, some specific moments were often embellished. But in fact, without additional fantasy, the very significance of the ballad would have decreased.

Requiem is a funeral mass. Such funeral choral singing is performed in Catholic churches. We usually used the requiem as a tribute to the memory of folk heroes.

- song without Words. Usually intended for one singer as a practice exercise. For example, to develop the vocalist's voice.

Serenade- a genre of chamber music, which was performed for a beloved. Usually men performed them under the windows of their beloved women and girls. As a rule, such songs praised the beauty of the fair sex.

Genres of instrumental and vocal music

Below you will find the main genres of instrumental and vocal music. For each direction I will give you small descriptions. A little more touch on the basic definition of each type of music.

Genres of vocal music

There are several genres of vocal music. It is worth saying that the direction itself is the most ancient in the history of the development of music. After all, it is the main key for the transition of literature into music. That is, literary words began to be used in musical form.

Of course, these words played the main role. Due to what such music began to be called vocal. A little later, instrumental music appeared.

In vocal, in addition to vocals, various instruments can also be used. However, in this direction, their role is relegated to the background.

Here is a list of the main genres of vocal music:

Oratorio- a very large work for soloists, orchestra or choir. Typically, such works dealt with religious issues. A little later, secular oratorios appeared.
Opera- a huge dramatic work that combines the genres of instrumental and vocal music, choreography and painting. A special role here is assigned to various solo numbers (aria, monologue, and so on).
Chamber music- was mentioned above.

Genres of instrumental music

Instrumental music- These are compositions that are performed without the participation of a vocalist. Hence the name instrumental. That is, it is performed only at the expense of instruments.

Very often, many artists in their albums use instrumentals as bonus tracks in the album. That is, several of the most popular compositions can be selected and then their versions without vocals can be recorded.

And they can be selected in full, all the songs of the album. In this case, the album is released in two versions. This is usually done to increase the value of the product and raise the price of it.

There is a list for certain genres of instrumental music:

Dance music- usually simple dance music
Sonata– used as a solo or duet for chamber music
Symphony- harmonious sound for a symphony orchestra

Genres of Russian folk songs

Let's talk about the genres of Russian folk songs. They reflect all the beauty of the soul of the Russian people. Usually in such musical works the nature of the native land, heroes and ordinary workers are praised. It also mentions the joys and troubles of the Russian people.

Here is a list of the main genres of Russian folk songs:

labor songs- sang at work to facilitate the labor activity of a person. That is, it was much easier for workers to work with such songs. They set the rhythm in the work. In such musical works, the main life of the working class people was reflected. Labor exclamations were often used for work.
Chastushki is a very common genre of folk music. As a rule, this is a small quatrain with a repeating melody. Chastushki carried a great meaning of the Russian word. They expressed the main mood of the people.
Calendar songs- used on various calendar holidays. For example, on Christmas or New Year's Eve. Also, this musical genre was well used in divination or when changing the seasons.
Lullaby- gentle, simple and affectionate songs that mothers sang to their children. As a rule, in such songs, mothers introduced their children to the outside world.
family songs- used at various family celebrations. This genre was reflected very well in weddings. It was also used at the birth of a child, sending a son to the army, and so on. It is worth saying that such songs were accompanied by a certain rite. All this together helped protect against dark forces and various troubles.
Lyrical compositions- such works mention the difficult lot of the Russian people. For example, the hard lot of women and the hard life of ordinary peasants are often mentioned.

Genres of contemporary music

Now let's talk about the genres of modern music. There are quite a few of them. However, they all deviate from the three main trends in modern music. Here we will talk about them a little.

Rock

Rock is popular these days. Maybe not in the same way as before, but in our time it has been reliably strengthened. Therefore, it is impossible not to mention it. And the direction itself gave impetus to the birth of many genres. Here are some of them:

folk rock- elements of folk songs are well used
pop rock- music for a very wide audience
Hard rock- heavier music with a sharp sound

Pop

Popular music also covers a lot of genres that are often used in modern music:

House- electronic music played on a synthesizer
Trance- electronic music with a predominance of sad and cosmic melodies
Disco- dance music with copious rhythmic drum and bass sections

Rap

In recent years, rap has been gaining momentum quite well. In fact, this direction has practically no vocals. Basically, they don’t sing here, but read as it were. This is where the phrase rap came from. Here is a list of some genres:

rapcore- a mixture of rap and heavy music
alternative rap- a mixture of traditional rap with other genres
Jazz rap- mix of rap and jazz

Genres of electronic music

Let's take a look at the main genres of electronic music. Of course, we won't cover everything here. However, we will analyze some of them. Here is the list:

House(house) - appeared in the 80s of the last century. Originates from the disco of the 70s. Appeared thanks to the experiments of DJs. Main features: repetitive beat rhythm, 4×4 time signature and sampling.
Deep house(deep house) - lighter, atmospheric music with a deep dense sound. Includes jazz and ambient elements. When creating, keyboard solo, electric organ, piano and female vocals (mostly) are used. Developed since the late 1980s. Vocals in this genre always take a secondary place. On the first are melodies and sounds to draw the mood.
Garage house(garage house) - the same as deep house, only vocals are taken out for the main role.
new disco(nu disco) is a more modern musical genre based on the resurgent interest in disco music. Now it is very popular to go back to the roots. Therefore, the basis of this genre is the music of the 70s - 80s. The genre itself appeared in the early 2000s. Synthesized sounds similar to the sounds of real instruments are used to create disco from the 70s and 80s.
Soul full house(soulful house) - the basis is taken from house with a 4x4 rhythmic pattern, as well as vocals (full or in the form of samples). The vocals here are mostly soulful and very beautiful. Plus the use of a variety of musical instruments. Such a rich presence of instruments very well enlivens the music of this genre.

Rap genres

Let's move on to consider the main genres of rap. This area is also actively developing. Therefore, it would be nice to touch on him. Here is a short list of genres:

comedy rap- intelligent and funny music for entertainment. Has a mix of real hip-hop and casual humor. Comedy rap appeared in the 80s.
Dirty rap- dirty rap, characterized by a pronounced heavy bass. Basically, this music is intended to plant the public at various parties.
gangsta rap— music with a very hard sound. A genre of music appeared in the late 80s. Elements from hardcore rap were taken as the parent basis for this trend.
hardcore rap- aggressive music with noisy samples and heavy beats. Appeared in the late 80s.

Genres of classical music

There are works divided into many genres of classical music. They became especially widespread in the 18th century. Here is a partial list of destinations:

Overture- a short instrumental introduction to a performance, plays or works.
Sonata- a work for chamber performers, which is used as a solo or duet. Consists of three parts connected with each other.
Etude- a small instrumental piece designed to hone the technique of performing music.
Scherzo- the beginning of music with a lively and rapid pace. Basically conveys to the listener comic and unexpected moments in the work.
Opera, symphony, oratorio- they were mentioned above.

Genres of rock music

Now let's look at some genres of rock music other than those already mentioned above. Here is a short list with a description:

gothic rock- rock music with a gothic and gloomy direction. Appeared in the early 1980s.
Grunge- music with a solid guitar sound and gloomy depressive lyrics. Appeared sometime in the mid-1980s.
folk rock- was formed as a result of mixing rock with folk music. Appeared in the mid 1960s.
Viking rock- punk rock with elements of folk music. Such works reveal the history of Scandinavia and the Vikings themselves.
trashcore- faster hardcore. Items are usually small.

Genres of sacred and secular music

Let's look at some genres of sacred and secular music. First, let's define these two areas. You will find out what it is and what is the difference. After that, let's go through several genres.

Spiritual music

Spiritual music is designed to heal the soul. Such works are used mainly in the service in churches. Therefore, some also call it church music. Here is a short list of her genres:

Liturgy- Easter or Christmas liturgy. It is performed by the choir, and can also additionally connect individual soloists. As a rule, various scenes of events from the Holy Scriptures were inserted into the liturgical drama. Theatrical elements were often used.
Antiphon- repetitive music performed by alternating several choral groups. For example, the same verses can be performed alternately by two faces. There are several types of antiphons. For example, festive (on holidays), sedate (Sunday), everyday, and so on.
Rondel- was created on the original melody in the form of a special form with the next introduction of vocals to the same motive.
proprium- part of the mass, changing depending on the church calendar.
ordinary- unaltered part of the mass.

secular music

Secular music is recognized to show the national character of different cultures. Described mainly the main image and life of a common man. This direction of music was very common among itinerant musicians in the Middle Ages.

The emergence of music in ancient times is evidenced by the found antique objects depicting various instruments and performers. This means that even then music was recognized as the most important means of creation, as well as the expression of feelings and emotions.

Concept and functions

In a general sense, music is a specific kind of human sound activity. It makes it possible to express thoughts and volitional manifestations of a person in an audible form. Music, like culture in general, plays a defining social and psychological role. Aimed at society and the individual, it is a tool for the formation of various qualities. Depending on many factors, including what trends and types of music prevail in society, it can serve as a means of cultural development, and vice versa, a means of suppressing aesthetic components. Thus, among the functions we can distinguish such functions as:

Educational;

Aesthetic;

organizing;

Compensatory;

Entertaining.

With the help of music, you can influence the qualities and moods of a person. So some melodies form stamina and courage, so to speak, mobilize internal forces. Other types of music, on the contrary, pamper or set in a romantic mood.

Main types of music

Musical culture is incredibly diverse and, accordingly, there is a certain classification based on temporal as well as spatial factors. There are such types of music as ethnic, classical, jazz, blues, pop music, hip-hop, rock, country, punk, reggae, modern, electronic and instrumental music. In turn, these directions are divided into separate subspecies. For example, ethnic highlights the styles of music of various peoples of the world: Russian melodies, Spanish, gypsy, Celtic, etc.

Rock music is represented by such styles as rock and roll, alternative rock, punk and techno rock, Russian rock. There are also so-called mixed genres, including disco, funk, rhythm and blues. Such diversity is a consequence of the ability of the human personality to individually express its inner world and the possibility of mastering various aspects of a single sound space.

Music as an art form

Not without reason, music is considered one of the art forms. It has a strong impact on the perception and subconscious level of the soul and mind of a person. This type of creative activity is distinguished by the ability to transform the spiritual awareness of society according to the laws of beauty and moral values.

As in any other art, the musical content is inextricably linked and depends on the historical, national, aesthetic ideals of the era and the creator himself. It is possible in it to reunite and interact with the mental, sensual, intellectual, empirical, cultural principles of society and the individual. Music as an art form is inextricably linked with such concepts as value, inspiration and beauty. Also, many identify it with the nature of the absolute spirit.

Classical and sacred music

Most often, classical music includes works created in a certain historical period in art. The works of this direction meet the highest artistic requirements and combine depth, content and the concept of perfection of form. They are written according to certain rules and canons, while maintaining the necessary proportions.

The main instruments with which classical music is performed are spiritual, stringed, keyboard instruments. Also, this music is diverse in genres - it includes symphonies, suites, operas, sonatas, as well as sacred music. These types of music have stood the test of time and have a large audience in today's society.

Modern directions

Modern music is so varied and multifaceted that it is difficult even to reduce all genres to a single logical classification. Some of them are culturally interesting, while others are commercially interesting. If we talk about the last factor, then first of all we mean pop music. On the one hand, it can include any popular music: hip-hop, rock, jazz. However, the narrower meaning of this concept implies a number of specific characteristics. They are mainly determined by the simplicity and melodiousness of the arrangements, where the emphasis is on vocals and rhythm, rather than the instrumental component. Also types of modern music include R'n'B genre, disco, ragtime, chanson.

Electonic music

Of course, one of the most common and popular areas of modern music is electronic music. It is created using electronic equipment such as a synthesizer, computer, sampler, or drum machine. This type of music includes about two hundred styles. The most famous of these are club music and are played in discos, clubs, etc. Electronic music also includes techno, house, trance, dubstep.

Another popular style is Lounge. This term is translated as "light background sound". Lounge music traces jazz influences, bossa nova, electronic direction, as well as improvisation. Basically, such music creates a light unobtrusive mood in bars, cafes, hotels, shops.

Different types of music differ in characteristic structural and cultural features, are aimed at different audiences and perform individual tasks and functions.

The purpose of this article is to acquaint readers with various modern musical genres and the musical means that composers use when creating works within a certain style. The ability to navigate musical genres and subgenres is one of the first signs of professionalism, so this article will be of interest to all those who have already embarked on the path of improvement in the musical field.

Most critics divide modern music genres into three main areas: pop, rock and rap, which in turn are rooted in earlier styles and have spawned a large number of offshoots of their own.

Pop is contemporary popular music. It is a very broad term covering many genres such as disco, trance, house, techno, funk, new wave and others. Let's stop and look at the features of each of them.

Disco. Not so long ago, it was the most popular genre of dance-pop music. It has an abundance of effects, the leading role of the rhythm section of drums and bass, as well as the secondary, background sound of strings and wind instruments.
Trance. It belongs to one of the genres of electronic music and is notable for its high emotional impact on the listener. This effect is achieved through the use of sad, "cosmic" melodies.
House. This is the name of dance, completely electronic music. The main and only instrument is a synthesizer. A distinctive feature of this genre is the presence of looped musical phrases and solo melodies. Effects are widely used.
techno. In one phrase, you can say this: futuristic music of the big city. Techno features include fantastic melodies, a gloomy metal sound, "cold", devoid of emotional vocals.
Funk. One of the dance genres, which is characterized by clearly defined percussionists dominating all other instruments, low melody, "sloppy" rhythm.
New wave. A genre of popular music that has evolved from punk rock and uses the same musical medium.

Rock as an independent genre is rooted in the "black" American blues, which appeared in the 20-30s. Traditional blues consists of 12 measures, that is, sections of a composition consisting of several notes, the first of which has an accent or accent. To the main toolkit blues includes a double bass or bass that sets the rhythm, a solo guitar, drums, often keyboards and brass. To be quite precise, rock emerged from a branch of this genre - the guitar blues, which already has much less keyboards and brass instruments.

Appearance rock And rock and roll, concepts that are often equated with musicians such as Elvis Presley and the Beatles. The former can be called the popularizer of this genre, while the Beatles were the ones who turned rock into art.

Musically, rock has remained almost the same blues, but their semantic content is different: rock is the music of protest against society, power, or something else.

Rock has collected many subgenres, the main ones being soft rock, hard rock, pop rock, folk rock, punk rock, psychedelic rock, heavy metal and thrash.

Hard rock. Literally, it translates as "heavy, hard." This style has such a name for a reason, because its sound corresponds to what it is called. Heaviness in hard rock is achieved through the dominant sound of a loud and powerful rhythm section over the rest of the instruments. In most cases, the drummers, bass or rhythm guitar are "weighted". Hard rock often uses Overdrive and Distortion effects.
pop rock. Popular rock. This style is well balanced, using all sorts of effects and popular arrangements. Pop rock can be attributed to any rock music that is designed for a wide audience of listeners.
folk rock. This is rock music with elements of folk music.
Punk rock. This genre includes rough, often unprofessional, but expressive music, which is characterized by simple, unpretentious, but shocking melodies.
Psychedelic rock. Complex, unconventional music, overflowing with various effects. This music has a high level of emotional impact on the listener.
heavy metal called sharp metal music, which is often not harmonic. It is far from the usual standards.
Thrash. This is a very hard genre, which is characterized by the complexity and continuity of melodies, as well as improvisation.

Rap how the genre evolved from dance music. Characteristic features: uneven rhythm, complex experiments with drummers, the presence of looped musical fragments. One of the main features of rap is the absence of vocals, which are replaced by recitative. Rap is read like poetry, not sung. The main instruments are drums and a complex bass, which often leads. Often rap musicians use the scratch effect - the squeak of vinyl records.

Most likely rap originated from reggae- a dance style that originated in Jamaica. These two styles have a lot in common: the same uneven, ragged rhythm, the presence of looped musical fragments, a complex drummer.

Each of us loves music in our own way. A large number of works of various genres are released monthly. Everyone downloads and listens to their favorite songs in different ways. Player, radio, TV, phone - all this and much more helps to play music.

Musical notes are with us both in reality and during sleep. Even the wind and the waves of the sea create their own sound that you want to listen to. There is a type of people who live only for music, they don't go anywhere without it. The other type, on the contrary, creates musical masterpieces.

Types and genres of music

Song types cannot be limited to a couple of categories. At a minimum, they are divided into:

Russians.
Foreign.
Slow.
Dance.
Merry.
Sad.

These groups can merge with each other. The types of Russian songs are different: it can be a cheerful dance composition or a slow and sad motive. Music is used to cheer up and dance, although not everyone uses it just for fun. Often a melody can cause a storm of emotions, up to tears.

Classification

Fans of listening to the new watch the release of albums of their favorite artists. Indeed, in our time, almost everyone can record their song, and the types of songs are different, one half of the audience likes it, the other does not approve and generally does not see talent in the performer. To better understand what types of songs and music are, you should pay attention to this list:

Classical music.
Pop music.
Hip-hop.
Electonic music.
Jazz.
Blues.

Fans of a particular genre sometimes get so sick of music that they form groups and go out to showdown. Hip-hop fans prefer to compete with each other using battles. In them they show their devotion to this style of music. Rockers are often seen sitting on bikes and drinking alcohol. Pop musicians are ordinary people who most often perform romantic types of songs that speak of love.

Classical, electra and jazz

Classical music was very popular a couple of decades ago, but even now it is not forgotten. There are not many real connoisseurs of this style who, at the opportunity, come to any corner of their country to attend a concert with live sound and hear the works of Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Bach and other great composers.

Electra music is played using a synthesizer, electric guitar. There are simply no sad motives in these melodies. Electronic playback and fun lyrics keep the younger generation moving rhythmically in the disco. In the modern world, this style occupies the first place, which uses old-style songs performed in a youthful way.

Jazz and blues are very similar to each other, sometimes it is impossible to distinguish between them. Jazz is performed by a group of musicians playing different instruments, with the main ones being wind elements. In the blues, only one instrument plays, while others create a certain color, playing along with the main performer. The songs are sung with a strong voice that can draw out and muffle the heaviest notes.

Pop, rock and hip hop

Pop songs are listened to by both children and adults. This music is considered the most popular, it is performed by famous singers and singers. This style can be sad, romantic, it will "melt" any heart. Pop music most often demonstrates feelings, love, indifference. The voices of the performers are mostly gentle and pleasant to the ear, gossip and high-profile scandals constantly curl around the stars.

The yellow press persecutes performers and sometimes publishes articles in which information does not coincide with reality. Pop lyrics are usually meaningful. Cheerful and danceable notes cheer up.

Types of songs in hip hop music are combined together with the style of RnB and rap. The first texts were written by African Americans, they told a story about a difficult life and abandoned places in America, where chaos and complete devastation are happening.

Rap, as the performers themselves say, is not sung, it is read. Wide jeans, long T-shirts, baseball caps - this is how rappers look, both black and white. Rap performers hang wide chains with various pendants around their necks.

As for rock, there are divisions within the style itself - the usual and the blues-based style. The first songs came out in the 60s. At the present time, rockers have their own traditions, which manifest themselves in the form of fights on stage, broken guitars, bottles, dousing musicians from head to toe with water. This was not the case in the last century. Rockers of the past sang about love.

Choose what you like the most. If you want, listen to everything at once. The choice is for everyone. In any case, without music, nowhere. She plays everywhere and everywhere.

There are a great variety of musical genres and directions. If you start listing the genres of music, the list will be simply endless, since dozens of new musical trends appear on the borders of different styles from year to year. This is due to the development of musical technologies, new developments in the field of sound production, sound production, but first of all, with the need of people for a unique sound, with a thirst for new emotions and sensations. Be that as it may, there are four broad musical directions that, in one way or another, gave rise to all other styles. There are also no clear boundaries between them, and yet the production of a musical product, the content of the songs and the structure of the arrangements differ markedly. So what are the genres of vocal music, at least the main ones?

Pop

Pop music is not only a direction, but also a whole mass culture. The song is the only form that is acceptable for the pop genre.

The key points in creating a pop-composition are the presence of the simplest and most memorable melody, the construction on the principle of a verse-chorus, and the rhythm and human voice are brought to the fore in the sound. The purpose for which pop music is created is purely entertainment. A pop-style performer cannot do without a show ballet, production numbers and, of course, expensive video clips.

Pop music is a commercial product, so it constantly changes in sound depending on the style that is at the peak of popularity. For example, when jazz was in favor in the US, artists like Frank Sinatra became popular. And in France, chanson has always been in honor, so Mireille Mathieu, Patricia Kaas are a kind of French pop icons. When there was a wave of popularity of rock music, pop artists widely used guitar riffs in their compositions (Michael Jackson), then there was an era of mixing pop and disco (Madonna, Abba), pop and hip-hop (Beastie Boys), etc.

Modern world stars (Madonna, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Lady Gaga) picked up the wave of rhythm and blues and develop it in their work.

Rock

The palm in rock music is given to the electric guitar, and the highlight of the song, as a rule, is the expressive solo of the guitarist. The rhythm section is weighted, and the musical pattern is often complicated. Not only powerful vocals are welcome, but also mastery of the technique of splitting, screaming, growling and all kinds of growls.

Rock is a sphere of experiments, expression of one's own thoughts, sometimes - revolutionary judgments. The problems of the texts are quite broad: the social, political and religious structure of society, personal problems and experiences. It is difficult to imagine a rock artist without his own group, since performances are carried out only live.

The most common rock music genres - list and examples:

rock and roll (Elvis Presley, The Beatles);
instrumental rock (Joe Satriani, Frank Zappa);
hard rock (Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple);
glam rock (Aerosmith, Queen);
punk rock (Sex Pistols, Green Day);
metal (Iron Maiden, Korn, Deftones);
(Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, 3 Doors Down) etc.

Jazz

Describing modern genres of music, it would be worth starting the list with jazz, since it had a huge impact on the development of other areas, including pop and rock. Jazz is music based on African motifs brought to the United States from West Africa by black slaves. Over the century of its existence, the direction has changed significantly, but what is unchanged is the passion for improvisation, free rhythm and widespread use. Jazz legends are: Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and others.

Electronic

The 21st century is the era of electronics, and the electronic direction in music today occupies one of the leading positions. Here, bets are made not on live instruments, but on electronic synthesizers and computer sound emulators.

Here are the most popular and in-demand electronic music genres, a list of which will give you a general idea:

house (David Guetta, Benny Benassi);
techno (Adam Beyer, Juan Atkins);
dubstep (Skrillex, Skream);
trance (Paul van Dyk, Armin van Buuren), etc.

Musicians are not interested in sticking to the framework of style, so the ratio of performers and styles is always rather arbitrary. Genres of music, the list of which is not exhausted by the above areas, have recently tended to lose their characteristic features: performers mix musical genres, there is always a place in music for amazing discoveries and unique finds, and the listener is interested every time to get acquainted with the next musical novelties.