Types of music genres
The famous saying goes, “There are only two kinds of music: good and bad.” That said, it’s often easier to start listening when music is categorized by genre.
Use this as a reference to help you discover new ‘good music.’
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Types of Music Genres (21–30)
punk rock
A large part of the history of punk rock in Japan began under the influence of the punk movement that arose in the late 1970s, sparked by the success of UK bands like The Stranglers and the Sex Pistols.
Owing to its considerable popularity, it has long been recognized as one of the mainstream music genres, and there are many representative bands.
Lounge Music
A music genre that refers to tracks you might hear in a hotel lounge—calming mood music that doesn’t interfere with the conversations or socializing of the people gathered there.
It can encompass a variety of styles, including electronica, downtempo, jazz, and bossa nova.
Japanese artists in this vein include Yoshinori Sunahara.
Krautrock
It’s an experimental music genre that emerged in West Germany in the 1960s! Although it’s often categorized as a subgenre of progressive rock, its musical character is distinctly unique.
The genre featured a variety of experimental approaches, such as extensive use of electronic noise and repetitive, minimal music techniques.
Ambient
A music genre proposed by the British musician Brian Eno, meaning ambient music.
It isn’t meant to be actively listened to, but to exist like air—often simple and composed only of quiet sounds.
It’s frequently used as background music in places like art galleries.
Industrial
It’s a genre that creates music with an experimental sound, making extensive use of noisy electronic tones, metal percussion, and various non-instrumental sounds.
Born as an antithesis to mainstream rock music, it features strong artistic qualities, with many bands cultivating a unique, distinctive worldview.
country pop
It’s a genre born from the effort to get more people to listen to country music! Without losing traditional country fans, it has also produced global hits, and as a result, it helped spread country music around the world!
Chiptune
It originated from music created using the built-in sound chips found in personal computers and home game consoles released in the 1980s, and its cheap, distinctive sound is highly characteristic.
Because these sound chips had many limitations, techniques such as rapid arpeggios and detuning were commonly employed, resulting in music that is quite engaging to listen to.