Genre of Music -

(Also relevant to Question 1 Section B of the Media Exam)

Genre is a broad form of definition to a variety of media/literacy texts etc.. In relation to the categorising of music into genres we can most commonly divide music into these genres -

• Pop
• Classical
• Dance/Techno
• R&B
• Hip-Hop/Rap
• Rock
• Metal
• Country
• Blues
• Jazz
• Reggae

Of course this is not an extensive list, simply a list of most commonly recognised music genres. Music is an entirely stretching and arguably limitless group of genres, whilst this can help to 'categorise' music and aid in a media music consumers finding of their preferred music the accuracy of this can most often be flawed. For example music can often feature aspects of a variety of music genres and so in most cases 'hybrid' and 'Sub' genres are most commonly found in music. This is most common in 'Pop' music as it could be  argued that a variety of music styles collaborated into one piece encourage a mass media audience to consume the music and therefore resulting in a 'chart topping' 'pop' piece.

Each music genre has recognisable 'institutional' support, for example performance venues such as 'Nightclubs' for Dance/Techno music and more recently House and 'Dubstep' genres of music, radio stations from the likes of 'Kiss' for 'Pop and Urban genre's of music' and 'Radio 1' for the more soft rock/acoustic/and popular in the charts within the week music etc. Equally music channels such as 'MTV' for chart topping music and 'Kerrang' for Rock/Metal genre music. Further support can also be found in music magazines and festivals which focus on either a variety of combined genres of music (such as festivals to appeal to a mass media audience) or a specified genre of music such as 'Kerrang' for rock/metal genre music.

Crucial for an artist/band is their 'constructed image' (relevant for the ancillary tasks), this being that is will instantly categorises them into a particular genre of music, images of such constructed on the fronts of album/single covers/artwork, other forms of photography and of-course music videos.

Despite artist commonly rejecting being 'categorised' into a particular genre of music, retailers of music find genre a fundamental aspect to selling music due to individuals commonly 'dedicating' themselves to one genre of music. 'iTunes' and 'HMV' for example divide music into genres in order to make the purchasing of music from customers easier and more encouraging to purchase more from that genre that perhaps the costumer was not aware of. Equally online music providers such as 'Pandora' and 'Spotify' will take into account your recent choice of music to suggest or play (when in shuffle/discover mode etc.) music from your recently played genre(s) of music.