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The origin of genres I think is for easy categorizing in music stores, then radio stations picked it up, everything became themed either this or that way.
Many artists hate being asked what kind of genre their music belongs to, while others proudly announce "I'm making this and that only".
Genres wasn't invented by the artists, it was invented by the people who want to make money on them. If you can make people fans of rock, those people will have a much larger chance of buying anything rock, and not just a certain artists, the stores and recording companies end up selling more.
If you're a fan of rock, you know that you will most likely like other artists called rock.
While there's stereotypes to each kind of music, songs you can definitely place under their various genres, there's also songs that are mixes and blends, or simply completely different.
Genres doesn't have borders, they are what we make them. If anyone say that a song is rock to them, then it is. Saying that any given classical music song is rock might cause a lot of people beating down on you as being wrong, though. Including me.
So... what makes rock?
Rock sound does.
What is rock sound?
I'd say it's heavy guitars, or a catchy guitar riff and then the drums. The drums is what makes it and what I often connect so much to my favorite genre. I love drums, they are the greatest part of many rock/metal songs to me.
Because of all the fighting that has appeared for what belongs to which genre, a million sub-genres has appeared. Trash Metal, Death Metal, Punk, Rock, Hard Rock, Metal, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, Heavy Metal, Soft Rock, Soft Metal... how long do you want me to go on?
And who decides what music belongs to which of those genres? You.
Rock spired down from other genres. A lot of music contains instruments like guitars, drums and so on, if you play them heavier you will achieve a new sound. Most music was quite soft from the start, the heavier it got the more it sprang off in a new direction, people thought it sounded different and gave it a fresh name. All of a sudden you could rock away instead of jazz away, and whatever is new is cool, no?
To me, my view of genres is 110% correct, I know what music I think belongs to where, and I discover what kind of music makes up new genres almost every day. Every day that I listen to music I refine my view of what I think certain genres is. Every day I discuss with others about music I refine what my view of genres is. That I think my view is 110% correct doesn't mean it doesn't constantly change.
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