[PWilson]

Within metal, there's absolutely such a range of styles that there's some distinction required. To the layman inquiring, you simply say you listen to metal. But to someone who knows metal, you talk about the genres, because you're talking to an educated party, and your conversation is deeper. It's possible to like all the metal subgenres, or just a select few, just like it's possible to like the romantic classical period, but not the baroque. Or to like instrumental jazz and not vocal jazz (here it's my subgenre knowledge that falls apart).

You've also got the situation where people listen to the harder rock bands and consider themselves metal fans. This is because to the population at large considers anything loud to be metal. Metal fans tend to want to distance ourselves from this scene, because it's not representative of what we listen to in any way.
That's not even about subgenres; it's about people classifying the root genre of music incorrectly, mostly due to lack of exposure.

 

[sniks7]

This is the whole reason for having a record shop with a real person it it: you wander in and say "Hey-ho old chap, I rather liked that, have you got any more of the same?" and if it's no good you take it back and get something else.

And you don't have to worry about genre at all: there's a pro who knows all about it for you. And if you happen to pull Uma Thurman after a night out on the tiles and want to impress her with your huge

knowledge of music you can just say 'the genre man knows all about it, I'll give you his number'. It's always worked for me.



Hey, Uma, come back. Call him tomorrow..

 

[The Actual]

sort of a related questions, does anyone know what xFC metal is? Haven't really heard the term much. it can't be Xtreme Fighting Championships metal right?

 

[m0ofassa]

genres are fine imho. What annoys me is "hard rock" awards going to pop groups.

 

[Okenezak]

I was always kind of irritated by the genre "Alternative". Alternative to what? Rock and Pop? It seems like the kind of label you put on something when you don't really know what kind of music it is.

 

[m0ofassa]

there are similar problems with "fusion".
Jazz pop fusion? Jazz funk fusion? Diablo swing orchestra which would be Jazz metal fusion? Metal flamenco fusion (flametal) etc.

 

[Kees]

It is not the music that needs categorizing, the music has actually very little to do with it.
It is the people who feel the need to form special groups with an "inner circle" feeling. Special language, clothing and music help with that. The music genre thing is just part of that.
That is how I see it any way.

 

[Edoardo]

Well, the fact that for some people turning a knob on the guitar is enough to create a new music genre well descrives their "creativity"

 

[Tridacnid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edoardo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, the fact that for some people turning a knob on the guitar is enough to create a new music genre well descrives their "creativity"

And which genre would that be?

 

[Edoardo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tridacnid /img/forum/go_quote.gif And which genre would that be?

I don't know, I was just thinking about some metal-guys I know, according to them they don't have 2 CDs of the same "genre"... Maybe they have more music "genres" than groups LOL

 

[m0ofassa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tridacnid /img/forum/go_quote.gif And which genre would that be?

this one goes to 11.

 

[Tridacnid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by m0ofassa /img/forum/go_quote.gif this one goes to 11.

 

[bakercj93]

I don't think there can be too many genres as long as there are enough people that know what they mean. Metal is a good example. I spend a lot of time reading reviews on the internet to decide my next music purchase, and "Metal" is far too broad to give me much indication on what the music might sound like. However, a reference to a familiar subgenre that I like/don't like saves me a lot of time sifting through stuff I probably wouldn't be interested in (if I see progressive, melodeath, post-metal, etc., I'll keep reading - black metal, doom metal, etc. I can skip it).

A lot of bands transcend any single specific subgenre classification (most of my favorite bands), so attempting to pigeonhole every band into a neat little subgenre isn't doing anyone a service, but sometimes a subgenre can give you a pretty good indication about whether or not you will like a band in only one word.

 

[demoNMaCHiN3]

there are too many electronic music subgenres