Top Ten Most Misunderstood Music Genres

1. Metal

   

   Besides Metal being seen as "satanic," I think the biggest misunderstanding of the genre is extreme metal. Once you get into Death Metal or any of the "cores," most inexperienced listeners will lump it under the "Screamo" label, when in reality, Metal has as many subgenres as electronic music.

   People say that metal is satanic music, but this is really nothing new. You guys do realize that jazz was considered satanic back then, right?

   Metal isn't about screaming while jamming on instruments. It takes talent and real skill to learn to play and sing without autotune.

2. Dubstep

   

   What happens when you combine the mainstream's vague perception of Metal, half the peak years of Grunge, and the mentality that electronic music isn't music? You get Dubstep.

   Dubstep is a music genre that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1990s. Before the genre peaked, it was calm and often percussive. However, when the genre peaked, it became completely different from its original concept. Brostep, a genre often labeled as Dubstep, is a combination of the original Dubstep, Electro House, and Metal-esque drops. It was popularized by artists like Skrillex, Rusko, and Excision. Because of how harsh Brostep sounded, the term and definition of Dubstep were ruined. It received mixed reactions from the public, and the mainstream media's perception of the genre remains vague.

   Brostep, which was labeled as Dubstep, eventually faded quickly. Unfortunately, Dubstep is still considered by most people as aggressive, noisy, unmusical, and a fad. On the other hand, fans of the genre believe that Dubstep is about Transformers growling at each other and that it's all about crazy sound design. Both sides are wrong. Dubstep is all about sub-bass and rhythm. Yes, it can be aggressive, but it can also be soulful or jazzy. It can sound like a hip-hop subgenre, it can be melodic, and so on. Dubstep is just a term for music that features sub-bass and a mid-range percussive instrument.

3. House

   

4. Indie

   

   Indie is short for independent. It isn't about being hipster. It is just a DIY music genre or being on a minor label.

   For example:

   Jamie is a 16-year-old girl. There are two labels: a major one called Bubblegum Plastic and a minor one called Lovely Ducklings. She decides to join Lovely Ducklings. She then writes and produces songs without the label's help. She releases songs, and they all go platinum, making Jamie an A-lister. She continues to write and produce her own songs about whatever is in front of her, even if they are all brainless. Guess what? Jamie is an indie pop artist!

   Indie is really a catch-all term. It basically includes certain genres, and doesn't. It stands for something, but it doesn't.

   Most of the musicians who go for independent labels are simply looking to avoid being lumped in with the mainstream. Sadly, bands like Coldplay and Imagine Dragons have completely ruined the genre, and other genres are rejected just from being associated with indie. It's sad that such a bad reputation has struck such a lovely genre.

5. Classic

   Why is classical music seen as boring or not good when it is really so complex and intense? In my band class, we once had to create our own instrumental music, and it was very challenging. You had to work a lot to get it right.

6. Electro

   

7. Trance

   

8. Rock

   

   Rock music is a genre that originated in the late 1940s and early 1950s, evolving from styles like blues and rhythm and blues. It gained widespread popularity from the 1960s through the early 2000s and became one of the most influential music genres of the 20th century.... read more

   Since when is rock satanic? I love this genre, but my parents know pretty much every band, and none of them sing about worshiping Satan. Not all rock fans are weird drug addicts who like to smoke and practice satanic rituals.

   Rock was not the first genre to be accused of being satanic. Many critics called jazz satanic in the 1920s.

9. Jazz

   

   Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It developed from roots in blues and ragtime. Jazz is seen by many as "America's classical music" and has influenced a wide range of other musical styles... read more

   Jazz music is so rad! Speaking as a musician, I enjoy playing Jazz much more than any other genre. It's more complicated and stimulates the mind more. Instead of just using simple chord progressions, Jazz thinks outside the box.

   The only reason people don't like jazz is that they don't want to give it a chance. They figure since no one listens to it, it must suck (lies), and that pop is great because everyone listens to it (more lies).

10. Screamo

    

    Despite popular belief, screamed lyrics do not make a band Screamo. Can I grab a guitar, start playing, scream "HI," and boom, I'm a Screamo artist? Of course not. Screamo artists do scream, but it also aligns closely with Emo.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Techno

    

    Just because a lot of it is directed at drug addicts doesn't mean that techno is bad, evil-intending music overall.

12. ?

    Djent

    
The Contenders

13. Punk Rock

    

    Punk rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the mid-1970s. It is typically characterized by rebellious lyrics and down-stroked power chords played on electric guitars. Bands such as Bad Religion, the Sex Pistols, and Green Day (which leans toward pop-punk) are examples of this genre.... read more

    Punk is a faster version of rock, made mainly by poor white guys. It embodies true passion, talent, and pure angst and is meant to highlight politics and society's flaws, striving to cause change. It is the Sex Pistols (my favorite punk band). It is not Blink-182.

14. Grunge

    

    Grunge, sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound, is a subgenre of alternative rock. It originated in the Pacific Northwest during the mid-1980s and became widely popular in the early 1990s. Bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden helped bring the genre into the mainstream, influencing fashion... read more

    Grunge isn't just Nirvana! Nirvana is still legendary, though.

    Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, and Soundgarden are grunge bands.

15. Electronic

    

16. Nu Metal

    

    Nu-Metal is the most mislabeled genre next to emo. Nu-Metal includes Korn, Limp Bizkit, and early Linkin Park - not Deftones, System of a Down, or Rage Against the Machine.

17. Dream Pop

    

18. R&B

    

    R&B is not a hip-hop subgenre. The traditional form was derived from blues and jazz and was a precursor to rock and roll. It is called Rhythm and Blues.

    It spawned genres such as funk, soul, and disco. The R&B you hear today is Contemporary R&B.

19. Rap

    

    Listen to the underground guys like YC the Cynic, Black Milk, Soul Khan, or even Eminem and Tupac, or some of the creators of rap, and you might like it. Rap was supposed to be about social injustice or living on the rough side of town, not about materialism or superficial topics.

    Rapping takes quite a lot of practice and time, and it's quite enjoyable, may I add? Yes, modern rap makes me want to shove diarrhea up my ears, but old-school rap is awesome.

    At least in the context of this site, rap is misunderstood. Rarely have I seen metal being called satanic, but rap gets the most flack due to the "sex, money, drugs" stereotype. Just because you hear stuff on the radio doesn't mean the whole genre is bad. The same goes for disliking a certain song and labeling an entire genre as bad.

20. K-Pop

    

21. Shock Rock

22. Black Metal

    

    Black metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that began in the early 1980s. It is characterized by fast tempos, shrieking vocals, and raw recording quality. The second wave of black metal, which originated in Norway, gained international attention for both its music and controversies.

23. Power Metal

    

24. Bubblegum Pop

    

25. Death Metal

    

    Death metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that emerged in the mid- to late-1980s. It is known for its aggressive drumming, distorted guitars, and growling vocals. The genre often explores dark and macabre themes in its lyrics.

    A lot of early Death Metal was very thrash-like, and while it is not the most common, there are several bands where you can actually hear what they are saying. Plus, most bands do NOT sing about violence.

    Try some Death, Opeth, Arch Enemy, or Lothlorien, to name a few.

26. Emo

    

    Emo is a style of rock music characterized by melodic musicianship and expressive, often confessional lyrics. It began in the mid-1980s as part of the hardcore punk movement in Washington, D.C., where it was initially called "emotional hardcore" or "emocore." Bands such as Rites of Spring and Embrace... read more

    Emo is not short for emotional. It's short for emotional hardcore. It includes bands like Rites of Spring, Jimmy Eat World, Embrace, Dag Nasty, and Moss Icon. It is not My Chemical Romance.

    Emo features metaphorical lyrics, often about failed relationships, meant to spark an emotional reaction from the audience. It is not about crappy lyrics regarding self-harm. I love emo, and I wish people would get their facts right and listen to the legends before they start judging.

27. Gothic Rock

    

    Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk that developed in the late 1970s. It is characterized by dark, introspective lyrics and atmospheric soundscapes. Key bands associated with the genre include Bauhaus, The Cure, and Siouxsie and the Banshees.