Types of music: the 30 most important musical genres

Since man inhabited the earth, he created music. It is a form of expression, communion and coexistence that combines creativity, culture and rhythm. Around the music an environment and a language is created that generates a unique form of identification among those who are listening to it.

Science has shown the positive effects of music on humans. On an emotional, social and even physical level, music has the power to impact us in a positive way. And the best thing is that it does not matter the type of music or the genre, if we identify with it, it does us good.

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Get to know the most popular musical genres around the world

The music is so vast that it requires classification. For that reason there are musical genres, or types of music, to identify the type of music that is being listened to and try to define it. While this is very complex, it has worked to date and allows us to distinguish between musical genres and variants based on different characteristics.

This classification is also very extensive, because it ranges from the first recorded musical creations to the most current. Here you have a list of the 30 most popular musical genres or important ones that are currently known, although there could be many more.

1. Classical music

Classical music is a musical genre that includes the period from 1750 to 1820, mainly. There are many categories within it, it is performed by large orchestras and some of the most recognized authors are Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Wagner, Chopin or Vivaldi, among others.

2. Opera

Opera is one of the most important cultural manifestations of the seventeenth century. Although it involves vocal, dramatic and theatrical performance, opera music alone is a musical genre.

3. Traditional music

Each region and culture of the world has its own traditional music. This is a genre that includes many regional subgenres, it refers to the rhythms that have been generated throughout history and that have become part of the cultural identity of each country.

4. Jazz

Jazz is a combination of blues, classical music and European harmony. At the end of the 19th century, this rhythm emerged that gave the world stars such as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles and Tito Puentes. Cities like New Orleans, in the United States, are recognized worldwide for their jazz jams.

5. Blues

Blues is a fundamental musical genre to understand the history of current music. The combination of African and Western rhythms and melancholic and nostalgic lyrics resulted in the blues that would undoubtedly be the influence for subsequent rhythms. Some blues artists are B. B. King, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy or Chuck Berry.

6. Rhythm and Blues

From blues, Rhythm and Blues arises, undoubtedly a rhythm that revolutionized music. Before the new generations who believed that the blues sounded old-fashioned, the bands decided to add more rhythm and sound, thus emerging Rhythm and Blues.

7. Rock And Roll

Rock and roll is a musical genre that achieved enormous popularity. A combination of blues, country and rhythm and blues resulted in a rhythm that made the whole world dance and that to date is a reference and influence of great artists. Examples of rock and roll bands or artists are Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Quincy Jones ...

7. Pop

Pop is another rhythm derived from blues and rock and roll. With great influences from British folk and rhythm and blues, pop emerged as a light and more commercial alternative. It is currently one of the best-selling genres in the world, and the border that separates the name "pop" for simply refer to commercial and popular music, whatever its genre, or if we are dealing with a type of music with an identity own.

8. Rock

Rock became another of the musical genres that are here to stay. When the great representatives of rock and roll were disappearing, the new generations took up the rhythm and the instruments and transformed it into rock. More noise and instruments, but less dancing. Rock representatives are Queen, Guns n Roses, Metallica, Jimi Hendrix ...

9. Gospel

In the mid-twentieth century it emerged as a musical genre known as gospel. It is a type of music that was heard in the churches of African American members. A combination of the songs of black slaves with typical hymns of the white churches. Without a doubt an incomparable rhythm

10. Soul

Soul is a musical rhythm that has influenced many other current genres. At the end of the 50's, along with the emergence of gospel, this rhythm emerged that moved away from happy songs to give a deeper and sometimes melancholic touch. They were great soul artists James Brown, Amy Winehouse, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and many more.

11. Metal

Metal emerges as a subgenre of heavy rock. Rock was a great influence that generated many other genres, this is the case of metal, which was characterized for giving a lot of weight to drums and electric guitar, creating a strident musical genre full of Energy. Bands like Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, AC / DC or Judas Priest are good representatives of this genre.

12. Country

Country is a musical genre that emerged in the southern United States. It is said that its beginnings were in the 20s and it is the result of the mixture of blues and folk. The mandolin, violin, bass and acoustic guitar are the characteristic instruments. Johnny Cash, Taylor Swift or Sheryl Crow are good representatives of the most traditional country of the United States of America.

13. Rap

Rap is a musical genre where the lyrics of its songs have great relevance. It arose in the marginalized black neighborhoods of the eighties in the United States, mainly New York. Great rap artists are Eminem, Dr Dre, Notorious Big, 2Pac, Snoop Dogg ...

14. Electronic music

Electronic music is a type of music that initially caused controversy. This is due to the fact that it did not use musical instruments, and therefore it was considered by many purists as laboratory music and they detracted from its artistic value. However, in the nineties and to date, a boom emerged that maintains it as one of the most popular. Artists like Moby, David Guetta or Daft Punk perfectly represent electronic music.

15. Hip hop

Hip-hop is considered the direct antecedent of rap. Along with graffiti and breakdancing, this type of music emerged in the neighborhoods, with a language typical of the youth of the time. The objective is to express the typical situations of life in urban neighborhoods.

16. Reggae

Reggae is a musical genre whose origin goes back to Jamaica. Although it has a simple and repetitive rhythm, the lyrics and the spirit of the music with obvious African influences conquered the heart of the world with very peculiar lyrics in the voice of Bob Marley.

17. Reggaeton

Reggaeton is a very recently created musical style. It is said that it began in the 80's, but it is in the last decade that it has reached its greatest popularity. It arises in Puerto Rico and takes up reggae, rap and Latin rhythms. Pitbull, Daddy Yankee or Don Omar are the best-selling musicians in this genre.

18. Bachata

Bachata is a musical genre resulting from the bolero and the son. It arises in the Dominican Republic and in recent years it has combined bachata rhythms with reggaeton, which has earned it greater popularity worldwide. Perhaps the most striking thing about this rhythm is the dance and its steps.

19. Ballad

The ballad is one of the musical genres that does not go out of style. It originated in Italy and it turns out to be a way of expressing romanticism. It uses literary verses and poems, combined with soft rhythms. They have been interpreters of ballads David Bisbal, Julio Iglesias, Alejandro Sanz, Luis Miguel and Carlos Vives, for example.

20. sauce

Salsa is a musical rhythm and a dance style. They go together, because although salsa takes steps from other rhythms, the dance steps are specific to this musical genre. It was created by Latin American immigrants residing in the USA, mixing rhythms from their countries of origin.

21. Punk

Punk is, in addition to a musical genre, a political manifestation. It emerged in Great Britain in the early 80's as a way to promote anarchism. Although in its beginnings it was more aggressive, today it is still heard with softer and more commercial variations. Green Day, The Ramones, Iggy Pop or John Lydon are good representatives of punk.

22. Cumbia

Cumbia is originally from Colombia. It is made up of very lively Latin rhythms with drums, bagpipes and a lot of rhythm. As many instruments can be combined to create new variations on these rhythms.

23. Disk

Disco music had its greatest boom in the seventies. Without a doubt, this musical genre perfectly frames an entire era in the history of mankind. It is a type of music with a lot of rhythm and very danceable. Earth Wind and Fire, KC and the Sunshine Band or the Bee Gees made disco their hallmark.

24. Mambo

The mambo has its roots in jazz, but it is a totally danceable rhythm.. He was born in the 50's in New York but quickly spread around the world to make everyone dance.

25. Bolero

The bolero is much more recognized in Latin America. It emerged in Cuba with a notable influence from the Spanish bolero, but giving it a twist by adding Caribbean rhythms. Very similar to the Cuban son that is full of lilting rhythms.

26. Trip-hop

Trip-hop emerges as a subgenre of hip-hop. However, over time, it acquired its own personality. Although it is a type of slow rap, other influences and more technological sounds have been added to the genre and also some melodious ones. It is similar to trap, another subgenre derived from rap and urban music.

27. Folk

Folk is a type of music that is attractive both for its combination of popular melodies and for its combative lyrics. It is a response to the search for forms of expression in everyday social situations and disagreements, with a simple rhythm but with a lot of form and melody.

28. Swing

Swing was the most danced genre of the 1930s. With great jazz influences but with very danceable rhythms, it was usually performed by very large bands and vocalists who regularly brought a lot of energy to the songs.

29. New age

The new age is a type of music of recent creation. With influences in rock and jazz, but using a lot of ethnic music and relying on electronic music. They are usually ambient and melodious songs, without a voice.

30. Bossa nova

At the end of the fifties, bossa nova emerged. It appears for the first time in the Caribbean countries and, although its influence is jazz, it acquired a spirit of its own with complex melodies and a very similar rhythm in all its songs.

Bibliographic references

• Everett, William A.; Laird, Paul R., eds. (2002). The Cambridge companion to the musical. Cambridge companions to music. Cambridge University Press.
• Wollman, E. L. (2006). The Theater Will Rock: a History of the Rock Musical: From Hair to Hedwig, University of Michigan Press, 2006.