Music can be defined as a form of expression through sound about a particular culture's experiences as an art form. Music is a way of life, with a history as long as civilization. The conceptualization of an idea and the execution through vocals and instruments is the process of music. Music entertains, commemorates, soothes, and expresses an intended message to a specific audience. There being several cultures across the globe with a rich history and varied traditions, music takes very many forms. Conventionally, the music genre is a connotation to the categorical nature of music globally based on criteria such as belonging to a particular culture with shared traditions. Tentatively, many music genres exist to celebrate various cultures and regions on the globe. Some genres overall due to vivid similarities between cultures. Music genres mark a specific people, period, or movement in history with meaning and prominence that needs to be identified and celebrated. Genres can also be delineated using the instruments used to make the music or how the vocals are done (Hayes, 2019). Music genres include but are not limited to rock, hip-hop, country, jazz, pop, reggae, electro, classical, and dance music. It is important to understand the definition, origin, history, and significance of these music genres to fully appreciate their place in modern society. Rock, hip-hop and country music may be of more focus in this paper.
As a genre, rock can be dated back to the 1950s in the United States. It was then known as "Rock and Roll" and came into existence from experimentation with string instruments. Rock music is loud with strong beats making assertive and catchy music popular with youths. Attributed pioneer artists of this genre include Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard. However, rock music is associated with bands where each artist in the group is responsible for an Instrument. Popular bands that have shaken the world of rock include Pink Floyd, Metallica, The Doors, Nirvana, and Megadeth (GiGlue, 2017). Rock music has evolved a lot from string instruments to modern electronic equipment for live performances, emphasizing musicianship and authenticity. Many sub-genres of rock came into existence from the 1960s with the difference of a different range of instrument use and manipulation, such as distorted amplification and the electric guitar (Hayes, 2019). Rock is very popular in the United States and the UK, with other nations slowly adopting the genre in what is termed as soft rock. Contemporary rock is characterized by the use of heavy snare, guitar, and kick drum rhythm.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Hip-Hop music can be defined as a stylized form of rap music developed in the United States in the 1970s. Rhythmic beats and rhythmic vocal termed as "rapping" characterize this genre. Currently, hip-hop is a very broad category of music, having infiltrated almost all cultures worldwide. The genre is of African American origin used as a form of expression of the daily turmoil and ordeal endured by people of color in the United States. It was associated with vinyl records mixed on turntables, which have now been replaced with digital storage media. Listening to a hip-hop music sample, the identifying catches include heavy bass-lines and vocal that flow with employed rhyme. Hip-hop can be attributed to a significant cultural movement that gave identity to a specific culture and allowed modern artists to freely express themselves through music (Hayes, 2019). Hip-hop itself, being a genre, can be described as a subculture that brought many African Americans and Latino Americans together. This genre is often interchangeably used with rap music. Both these genres share strong similarities, but hip-hop music does not necessarily incorporate rapping. Commonalities include "DJing," "turntabling," scratching, instrumentals and beatboxing.
Country music is an American-based genre originating in the 1920s from the South part of the United States. It is also known as western music and consists of ballads and dances tunes that invoke simple vocals and harmonies. Instruments incorporated in this genre include banjos, electric and acoustic guitars, dobros, harmonicas, and fiddles (GiGlue, 2017). Country music combines existing genres, such as blues, old-time music, and American folk music. The folk lyrics makes this genre attractive to native and old school Americans who appreciate their history and origins. The genre also influences immigrant cultures such as Irish, Celtic, and English folk, including cowboy songs and ballads. Sub-genres exist in this category in modern times to fully appreciate every aspect of the genre and make sure it is viable amidst very competitive upcoming genres devoid of American history. Sub-genres include country pop, country rock, and neo-country (Hayes, 2019). Musicians famously associated with this genre include Johnny Cash, Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, and Kenny Rogers.
In conclusion, music is a vital part of human identity and culture. The evolution of music through time is a testament to human nature's progressiveness, and music as a cultural tool is used to mark every step in history. Music is symbolic of a people's way of life; hence, many genres need to be acknowledged and appreciated. The task at hand is to retain existing music genres with value and symbolism of a particular culture at a particular time, with the ever-changing factors of society. There have been instances of music genres falling out of existence due to the new appealing and upcoming music movements for every generation. Therefore, each and everyone's task is to ensure a culture's identity is maintained by safeguarding traditional music genres and ensuring these genres are progressive enough to survive the ever-changing movements in music.
References
Hayes, J. (2019). Genres of music – defining different types of genres. Open UK.
GiGlue. (2017). Top 10 genres of Music Industry . Medium.
