What are the most popular music genres? How did they alter over time, and where are they most popular?
There are hundreds of Genres in the massive world of music, many sub-genres and types of music—the most popular changes continuously through time and geographical regions.
This article is the briefest introduction to what seems to be the most popular in the U.S. at the time.
Pop
According to the label, pop music is the most popular genre of music. However, because pop music has changed so much throughout the years, it isn’t easy to pinpoint precisely what it is.
Pop music can be defined as any genre that becomes extremely popular. For instance, The Beatles were considered pop even though they mostly made soft rock music from a genre standpoint (of course, their production is enormous, and they experimented with many genres, but you see my point).
It wasn’t until the 1980s that pop music began to move away from its bluesy roots and into more experimental electronic sounds, with performers and songs bridging the gap between the two styles.
Hip-hop and its subgenres, trap, and rap, have significantly influenced today’s pop music, which borrows heavily from the genre’s sounds and melodic language. Other influences, such as Latin music, often join in to produce a comprehensive and eclectic approach to electronic and dance music.
Rap and Hip-hop
These two musical subgenres, which emerged in the 1980s but have origins dating back to the Blues and Gospel, have undergone enormous growth and development, making them the de facto standard for the general public.
Singing and playing an instrument no longer required a set of specialized skills, thanks to the combination of spoken speech and electronic sound. In the past, rappers used sharp rhymes and raw sounds to describe the hardships of life in the ghetto; today, their descendants are enjoying some significant success in hip hop.
Subgenres of hip hop, such as rap and trap, have taken over the charts and have influenced many other popular genres, such as hip-hop core and electronic music. Social media and the internet have hastened the speed of change in the fashion industry.
Rock
We could likely fill an entire encyclopedia with information about rock music and its various subcategories.
Blues, which spawned Rock, was popular in the United States and Great Britain beginning in the Fifties. It started in London and expanded across Europe, becoming the perfect soundtrack to the Sixties’ ideological conflict.
From the beginning, the gritty and bluesy rock ‘n’ roll evolved into more complex styles, such as progressive Rock. On the other hand, the Punk movement returned it to its more straightforward and raspy sound around the end of the 1970s.
The popularity of rock music has decreased in recent years. Rock’n’roll has been losing ground in the charts as other genres have innovated and taken over the technological and digital tools available.
Rock music has undoubtedly become a global phenomenon, as have the other two genres covered thus far.
Dance and Electronic music
Producers were able to experiment with new approaches to music production thanks to the growth of computers and digital technologies. To write or produce a song, we no longer require a musical instrument of any kind. A laptop is all we need.
Electronic music surged to prominence during the 1980s and ’90s, with some precedent in the 1970s, when orchestras were still quite popular in dance halls.
Latin music
The popularity of Latin music has grown steadily in the last forty years, thanks in part to the proliferation of Latin summer songs that have dominated the charts around the world. Latin music was once considered a fringe genre until the 1970s.
Latin music encompasses various genres, from the up-and-coming Reggaeton to the more established Samba.
Many mainstream products that we can classify as Pop today feature elements prominently from this genre, particularly rhythmic structure.
Indie and Alternative Rock
Over the past three decades, the term “indie” has taken on many different meanings. In the past, punk meant bands who were self-produced and self-reliant, but now it refers to glamorized vocalists, songwriters, and bands that have strayed far from the DIY roots of their predecessors.
On the other hand, alternative Rock is alive and well, especially in the underground.
It’s no secret that Alternative Rock and Indie bands gained notoriety in the 1990s. They became an excellent alternative for those who didn’t enjoy the glitz and glamour of popular music.
Grunge is only one of many famous rock sub-genres that fall under this umbrella.
Classical music
Classical music is undeniably an essential element of our societal fabric. Symphony, opera, and concerto performances continue to draw audiences of all ages and backgrounds worldwide.
While the more venerable pieces appear to be the most popular, a new generation of composers is hard at work creating the classical music that we all love.
K-Pop
K-Pop has exploded in popularity in the United States and certain European countries since it was first released only in Korea.
Described as “fun, glamorous, vibrant, teen-oriented, and extremely colorful,” K-Pop is a subgenre of pop music sung entirely in Korean.
On social media, K-pop stars are among the most admired and admired.
Country
A favorite of both Europeans and Americans alike, this design has evolved, incorporating aspects from various other, more mainstream styles while maintaining its core characteristics.
In addition to the use of acoustic instruments like guitar and banjo and stunning vocals, country music has also included elements from rock and pop genres in recent years.
Metal
Lastly, Metal is a Rock subgenre that has grown so successful that it has become independent of the music as a whole.
Thanks to its quick and furious drum fill and loud, distorted guitars, Metal became the perfect genre for anyone looking to rebel against the status quo and try something new.
A recent shift toward electronic sounds has resulted in unique sub-genres that combine rock and hardcore electronic approaches.