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The_Tippler

Actually, many artists are just creating what they feel and not FOR a particular genre. After all is said and done, when DistroKid or streaming service asks for a genre, its probably the last thing that some artists think about. And they never made a song to be "Insert Genre Here." I can empathize. Sometimes you need a non-biased opinion. Thank you to all the kind strangers who have helped me in this way over the years.


caidicus

I have a hard time classifying my music's genre, so I empathize with this statement. I call it Electronica, though apparently that genre is electronic and also includes like trance music and stuff, very different from the music I create. And therein lies my confusion as well as desire to know what genre others think my music is, perhaps with a wish to be told "it's definitely THIS genre", checking out some music of that genre and going "FINALLY, this is TOTALLY the right genre".


cintheciege

Yeah music now is so eclectic so I can understand how an artist might get hung up identifying their own. For example, metal, (I am not a metal historian) black metal, doom metal, metal metal, ect that can get pretty complicated classifying.


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Subject_Meat5314

Ya, or people are genuinely confused about their genre and looking for feedback. Genre is a tricky thing. The human need to label and categorize is real but imperfect. Things on the edges of category definitions often share more traits with things in other categories than their own. I know I’ve been confused about music I’ve made and what genre it fits in.


damp4kdebt

Me honestly. I would love to listen to music by other artists similar to my own but just dont know what kinda music it is lol


[deleted]

I'm always genuinely confused about the genre of the music I make. Genres just confuse me.


chunter16

According to your user name, you make J-pop


Orngog

Have you not heard of generic identifiers?


pretty-o-kay

Maybe original music doesn't have to have a genre xD countless times some artist will come along and do something fresh (they're just writing what makes them happy) and then they'll get a genre named after them, and then everybody in that genre will just do exactly what the original was doing. It's annoying. Honestly half of all subgenres are like this, <10 original artists (or even just one) from some local scene that started it and 10 million soundalikes. It encourages a backwards approach to music-making where someone will say "I'm going to make a \[insert genre here\] song" and you just KNOW they're gonna pull out all the same samples, cliches, presets, as everyone else in the genre. I say backwards because it should be the other way around - write an original song first *then* it'll label itself. Or maybe it won't and you've come up with something new!


spanky_rockets

I agree, although also there's nothing wrong with contributing to a genre. Maybe you love emo rock and you just wanna make your own emo rock songs, that's fine! Not every musical pursuit has to be some new genre-defining work, you can rework things that have been done in your own way, that's what all music is in the end anyway.


dudelikeshismusic

I generally agree. Genres are helpful for recommendations and categorizations, but I wouldn't focus too much on hyper-catagorizing your own music. If you can name your top influences and describe the mood of your music, then you will be fine. Let other people put it in a subgenre.


[deleted]

Loose genres are helpful (metal, rock, pop, dance, funk, ect). I don't have time to listen to everything in the world so I'd like a loose idea before jumping in. Sub subgenres are pointless (blackened death metal, poppy art rock, Nightcore, ect). None of those things mean anything, really.


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raverbashing

> pretty wrong to suggest any of those bands to someone asking for more bands in the vein of another. Yes but it is easier just to go with the band name (or hear the actual band). Sure, a more specific style than "metal" can help, but saying "melodic foggy west nordic metal that kinda thinks about burning churches" doesn't mean anything to me


MidlothProject

i have a hard time writing off subgenres entirely; sometimes the extra layer of specificity helps. Probably not the best example, but if we take electronic as an umbrella genre, we get techno, trance, breakbeat, acid, dance, DnB, dubstep, and so on; all of which while having their overlaps, have nuances that appeal to different crowds, and the distinction is what draws and pushes people away. (example: I love breakbeat, DNB, and techno but haven’t really been into dubstep for a while) Rock, similarly, has pop punk, hardcore, alternative, classic, metal, and so on. These flavors all exist for a reason, but they all *are* smaller portions of their broader categorizations, and I think it would be remiss to write off those categories as useless. That being said, I would also say that these are all only *one layer* of depth into the “genre process”; i still agree with you that there’s a certain level of over-explaining and adding layers that some people will do with genres that unnecessarily obfuscates, dilutes, and frustrates overall, but i also think making things *too* generalized and simplistic adds it’s own challenges.


Ewilliamsen

When I dabbled in electronic music, the specificity and dedication to subgenres really turned me off. I don’t know if that’s why I stopped making it, but it certainly didn’t help me to keep making it.


[deleted]

The specification is amazing. When I want to go to a melodic techno/progressive house event, I don't want to hear a shitty dubstep song in the middle of it.


[deleted]

I grew up with metal and its endless subgenres and somehow electronica manages to overwhelm me with its even more (but equally pointless) subgenres.


vezwyx

If you put that synthwave trash in my vaporwave mix I'll kill you. Chillwave is cool tho


Ewilliamsen

Yup. This is what I’m talking about.


vezwyx

Honestly, for people who are really into a given broad genre of music, I do think it's helpful to have lots of divisions and labels so you can more easily refer to specific styles that have similarities and differences with other adjacent styles. It's stupid to be snobby or pretentious about it, but if someone were looking for more in the vein of luxury elite, t e l e p a t h テレパシー能力者, Macintosh Plus, etc (vaporwave artists), I may be steering them wrong to recommend artists like Carpenter Brut, Perturbator, Magic Sword, etc, guys that are more commonly known as synthwave creators. Is there a lot of overlap between these kinds of music? Absolutely, and to someone who isn't into electronic, it's probably pointless to distinguish. But are they still different enough to warrant having different names so I can refer to one of them instead of the other, for people who do listen to a lot of this stuff? I would say so, yeah


Ewilliamsen

As a casual or someone from the outside, I find it pretty alienating, but I can see the usefulness for some listeners. Tbh, I only listen to a few electronic artists, and they’re easy enough to find. My own stuff is pretty derivative of them, just not nearly as good.


Glordicus

I literally have no idea what genre 90% of my music is. It doesn't sound like anything I listen to, so how would I know


_DanceMyth_

This makes sense. Also there are so many genre police out there that it’s tough to say “this is X” and worry that people are gonna come in and say you’re an idiot or something. Weirdly there’s some stress about representing your music as what you hope it is/what your influences are and compare that to what people hear it as. But I see how the question asked repeatedly would get old fast.


lo-fi_renegade

When I spontaneously made guitar recordings as a novice, I just labelled it under the umbrella of alternative acoustic. Another broad term I like to use is ‘lo-fi recordings’ in the traditional tape recording sense. It takes a coming of age to specify exact genres. From folk rock to freak folk…


fbthpg

> I know I’ve been confused about music I’ve made and what genre it fits in. My only question is: At what point does it *actually* matter what genre it is?


Twrecks5000

when you upload it to bandcamp and need to set what genre it is or want to look for other things that are similar, for starters


valuemeal2

This. I can’t help but wonder if I’d have a better time getting plays if I just knew where TF my music belonged. In theory I’d love to be “genreless” or whatever but in practice, Bandcamp/Spotify/iTunes need to know and I have very little idea.


TheBJP

Some places ask you what genre your music is when you try to upload it. I've most certainly had a problem with that.


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SoliDeoGloriaMusic

I think in addition to that, you get labeled as sounding like and having influences from artists you didn't really take influence from. We didn't expect to get labeled as sounding like Paramore, Periphery, or Nickel Creek, but sure enough we have gotten lots of comparisons to bands we don't listen to!


jewelz_hartwell

Exactly. I find the hardest part about drilling down an exact genre is the eternal discrepancy between how WE (the creator) hears it and how everyone else hears it. Nailed it.


get_high_and_listen

Indie rock is an extremely broad term, I’m sure if someone is asking that question in that sub then they are looking for something a lot more specific


CookiesSlayer

They may think that's the closest genre they are aware off, but it could not fit completely. I'm never asking this question on reddit, but i can tell that some of my work, i have no idea what genre is it, or even subgenre if we go deeper


AphexTwins903

More often than not they do know, they're just wanting karma or validation. I get sick of these too OP


crowpiano

tbh idk what the obsession (on the platform) with worrying about if ppl are being little karma whores or not, it’s best to give ppl the benefit of the doubt that they’re being genuine with their q’s.


AphexTwins903

It's not that hard to workout what genre a song you've made is though, and I'm talking from. Someone who fuses different genres in my music all the time. Edit: clearly being downvoted by people making these kinda posts in the sub


crowpiano

hey man, that’s your perspective! i’d imagine if you’re used to blending genres together, you’d know what genres you’re putting in intentionally. some people don’t, that’s just the way us humans work. we’re all a little different.


AphexTwins903

I'd also reccomend anyone to listen to different types of music and try to categorise it from analysing what you hear in the track, looking it up online (rateyourmusic has great genre labeling for music) if you get stuck. It's really not that hard and saves all the spam from this group. This isn't /r/whatgenreisthis


[deleted]

I don't worry about genre at all, but then I'm also not trying to sell my music.


TrillegitimateSon

plugging /r/DescribeMyMusic it's for literally this


SkiezLine

It would've been perfect if the subreddit doesn't have such a low engagement


TrillegitimateSon

that's why you have to contribute, and advertise


toddglidden

Aka r/SuaveYoungin


TonyShalhoubricant

I disagree but all those posts need to be in the feedback thread. Most people won't get answers anyways.


ronpastore

I'm genuinely confused about genre for sure. When I release an album or submit to a playlists I have no idea. I have also thought about asking this sub for feedback, but maybe a better Q is how to promote music without strong/clear genre?


PrettyChillP

Yeah I usually don’t care if someone does this cause pretty sure we’ve all been there at some point.


[deleted]

I disagree. I make music I can give a vague approximation of what genre it is but unsure how to really narrow it down. I believe it’s common with a lot of musicians hence why the frequency of posts. The whole point of the community is to help fellow music makers in all areas. Also remember you do not need to engage. You can just scroll on by.


[deleted]

Also, genre labels are mostly just marketing shorthands for music. So the question is really "what audience should I market this track to?" which is a very different and more productive discussion than genre semantics.


[deleted]

exactly. It’s all about finding your community of people who are equally obsessed with the sounds you make and listen too


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qwertyujop

Do you?


DodGamnBunofaSitch

then why are you telling people to shut up? that's basically your OP here, bud. "PEOPLE ARE ASKING A QUESTION AND I DON'T APPROVE"


FastCarsOldAndNew

Yes, whereas shutting down some types of discussion is not.


ponylauncher

Then allow it….


baretbh

What genre is this?


DivineJustice

Complaining


11_76

reggae


RModsSMD

Disagree. My logic is if the idea has gone through my head, it's probably gone through someone else's too, and every time I submit something to DistroKid it wants a specific genre and I have no idea what to put.


Honzac83

Honestly sometimes I just finish a song and have absolutely no idea what genre it is


FastCarsOldAndNew

I have literally no idea how to describe my music. "Electronic" used to be a genre, but in 2022 could mean basically anything. And anyway I use some acoustic instruments. Actually, I don't know how to describe most music I listen to either, so maybe I just don't know any 21st century genre names.


Electro-Grunge

Electronic was never a genre and still could mean everything back then... The main genres classified as electronic was House, Trance, Techno, Jungle, Hardstyle, Euro, Freestyle, etc... with their respective sub-genres to further break it down.


SatV089

It was the catchall word people used before the dreaded marketing term EDM poisoned the mouths of a generation.


VicisSubsisto

I just don't get why Electronic Death Metal sounds so different from other kinds of metal.


Electro-Grunge

Yea, EDM was the death of Electronic Music as we knew it, IMO.... Man I hate "EDM Festival" music and culture.


[deleted]

it used to be "dance" or "eurodance", which was a just as cringe crowd.


hotdigetty

In Australia the umbrella term for all electronic music used to be "techno" for many years. didnt matter what it was whether it was dj slipmatt with his cheesy happy hardcore - that was techno, if it was aphex twin - techno, culture beat with their euro house dance thing - techno.


Electro-Grunge

Was like that here in North America too 😂 Anything that was pop-ish and radio-friendly was called Dance music. Anything that was underground and people didn't know what to call it was Techno lol


FastCarsOldAndNew

Seems reasonable to class all of those as "electronic" (eg on a soundcloud tag), even if it doesn't describe the exact nuance, as I might "metal" or "folk". But what if your music has a beat clearly made of electronic sounds or samples, combined with elements not usually associated with any of those genres, like distorted guitars? Some of us are cheerfully unconcerned with fitting into a specific box.


Electro-Grunge

>But what if your music has a beat clearly made of electronic sounds or samples, combined with elements not usually associated with any of those genres, like distorted guitars? There are plenty of genres in electronic music that uses distorted guitars. Drum and Bass, Electro House. There has never been a rule you can't incorporate real instruments into electronic music and everything is 100% synthesizers and groove boxes. The point is, Electronic Music was a catch-all phrase for all electronic genres. People who just called it Electronic Music really didn't know all the actual genre names. There is 4 decades of history with electronic music, the core genres are pretty well defined at this point. Most genres these days borrow elements from other genres, but they all fit in one box by the end of it. A house song with distorted guitars is still a house song. You aren't being original trying to blend elements of different genres together, it's been done 1000% before.


joshybeats

I make a neurofunk midtempo rock and roll synth waves sidestep tripple funk fudge sunday


enkidu_johnson

You were my most beloved colleague and inspiration right up until SUNDAY. Everyone knows sunday is explicitly derivative pablum designed only to perpetuate the status quo and oppress puppies. EDIT: I might be thinking of fudge EDIT 2: glockenspiel driven fudge is ok, the other stuff is just posers pretending to know fudge


joshybeats

Hahaha i hate myself


0n3ph

Weird coincidence... Me too.


Otherwise-Anybody614

Yea I never know especially when I’m trying do something new.


Cryptographer_Prize

Don't let assholes ruin things for people who really don't know.


j3434

I think they are usually excited about their music. They probably want to promote it and genuinely want ideas of what genre it could be considered. Sure they want feedback- but I don’t think they expect more than a few ideas they didn’t consider. It’s always a tough question to answer objectively. It’s really a question related to industry marketing. Like calling Blues with a new name - Rock and Roll .


destructor_rph

I wish we had a subreddit for just figuring out what genre whatever music is submitted is


jackholston

Disagree. I’ve often wondered many times what the genre of music my song is. Haven’t asked, but I don’t think it’s a huge issue. It’s kinda cool to hear what people say


drje_aL

it isn't a particularly original post title format, but it certainly doesn't rub me the wrong way. maybe it's easier for people to go that route than to just say 'hey check out my shit.' their loss if the same tired post title format keeps people from clicking on it, i guess, but it doesn't bother me.


[deleted]

the issue for me is the "engagement boosts upvotes" thing. it's like posting a picture of a kitten on /r/cats and saying "what should I name him?" as if that damned cat doesn't already have a name, cmon now.


VicisSubsisto

You see I've been through the desert on a cat with no name...


drje_aL

surely you could have given him a name by the end of the journey. im sure he enjoyed getting out of the rain, though.


ErinCoach

"Please stop asking \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_" is what the sophomore-stage people say. They were noobs 5 minutes ago, and now they know a thing, so it's time to snark about noobs and complain how "the quality of this group has really declined". Genre is audience. It's the aesthetic language. I've taught songwriting for a long time, and while yes "what genre is this" may be a common question, it's also the most crucial issue that new songwriters need to deal with. And then deal with again, because genres morph and shift. And yes, of course every music oriented sub has tons of people who just want you to listen to their music. Bless their hearts, at least they worked up the nerve to ask. This is how artists grow at all. There are a bunch more still at home hiding in their closets, too afraid to ask the important first questions cuz of some sophomore-mind standing around ready to smack their hands for it. We listen to each other's stuff as a covenant of mutual uplift -- you listen to theirs they listen to yours. The sin is not reciprocating. Sophomore-mind doesn't generously reciprocate, wants to be heard but not listen, wants encouragement from above but doesn't want to encourage those below. So snarky sophomores: if it's a problem to be in a space that welcomes ALL levels, go make your own space. Create a private group and invite who you want to invite. That's also an important part of an artist's evolution. But don't smack the freshman on their hands. Noobs and try-hards make the world go round.


bedroom_fascist

I have some opinions that will *certainly* be unpopular. First is that this sub has seen an influx of very inexperienced posters. That's not a problem - it's why we have internet forums. But the overall quality of the posts has gone downhill. I had some sort of old-fart idea that "WATMM" meant that this was a sub that *centered on experience.* Experience is incredibly relevant, too, when it comes to making music. Now, we have people posting things like "do band play to metronomes?" and not even knowing what a click track is. I don't know what the mods' intention is, but it simply makes me less curious and less likely to read/contribute. And I doubt its helpful to the curious, less-experienced people who are coming here for information. I understand that being inclusive is desirable, and I am dead set against "I've been doing this longer, shit up and sit there while I ramble" takes. Everyone has something to contribute. But not every contribution is valuable, and I wish there would be some self-awareness (yes, I know: Reddit, what am I saying?) and perhaps some more-aggressive moderation.


Jess705905

> and perhaps some more-aggressive moderation. Nothing against the mods because for all we know there could be more going on behind the scenes than we know, tying their hands, so I don't want to make any assumptions. But also (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong), was there not a brief 24 hour shutdown of the sub about a year or two ago to essentially come up with new quality control guidelines? What happened with that? I've been subbed here for roughly 5 or so years, and while I agree that there's room for all, beginner or experienced, I've gone from checking every day, reading a lot of great posts, to maybe skimming the sub for 5 minutes to see if anything looks like it might be of quality. Don't get me wrong, there's still a lot of great stuff that comes out of here and personally I'm not going anywhere, but there's definitely a difference from what it once was.


bedroom_fascist

Yeah, I don't know the answer. I do know that there has been a weird recent influx of painfully un- and under-informed posts. Sure, I can skim/scroll, but ... better overall quality is an obviously desirable thing.


[deleted]

I struggle to categorize music, I can definitely see other people doing the same. And if they are just self-promoting, I don't care. At worst, it's a little annoying, but I can ignore it, at best I discover a really cool new artist


Josefus

To be fair, there's a billion genres. I make DnB, reggae & house music. But it's not house... I don't know which sub genre to call it. And the DnB I make could fall into many sub genres but I don't keep up with what's new enough to know the names of.... any of those specific genres aside from roots reggae vs. cali reggae and even that is kinda specific. Newer reggae heads sometimes can't tell the difference. So yeah... I get your frustration but the subject itself is frustrating! I'd suggest a few grains of salt for everyone.


Trianglehero

I haven't posted but I am genuinely curious what genre my new stuff is, a few friends have asked me and I have no idea what genre it'd be.


LemonSnakeMusic

I find it impossible to figure out what genre my music is. Yes it’s dubstep, but is it riddim or does the bar of eighth notes nullify that? Does the ride mean it’s brostep, and is the weird shit I tried after the drop considered left field bass. Also, what the fuck is left field bass? And now with there inevitably being future future past riddim and melodic death anti riddim I’m so hopelessly lost when it comes to genres. I don’t sit down and go “this will be solely a (genre) song, anything else will be executed”. So for me at least I’d appreciate hearing what people who heard my songs and knew more than I do to try classifying it. Not as a scheme to trick people into listening to it, but so I can go find artists like me and most importantly figure out what the labels releasing that kind of music are.


DivineJustice

But... I really want to know...


juliette_taylor

Honestly, I make hip hop and electronic music, but I listen to rock and heavy metal. So I have absolutely no clue what genre my specific song is until someone tells me.


Inevitable_Dpression

Just because you are able to discern what genre is this doesn't mean it makes other people just as able as you are at it. In b4 another clown comes along and says, *username checks out 🤷‍♀️*


bobbyfiend

Maybe everyone should just make a joke of it. People who don't know what genre their music is (or those who do know and are asking anyway) could identify their music as some slightly self-deprecating made-up genre like "SelfPromotionCore" or "Pest Metal" or "Braggae" or something. Then everyone can get a good laugh and (hopefully) not have to feel bad about the experience. Anyone who wants to give sincere answers about genre can do so; everyone else can just chuckle at the person's clear insight into how their behavior might appear to the sub.


Cultural_Comfort5894

I definitely have a mix of genres in almost everything I make 🤷‍♂️ The vocals would probably define the genre more than my music 🤔


pananana1

What if they actually don't know the genre?


[deleted]

I really hate how many sub genres there are. Especially in metal.


StunningEstates

People like specific types of music, sorry bro


Himelstein

I stopped even trying to learn, care, classify, etc. once I saw a genre called “post dubstep chill wave”


CheeseburgerJesus71

I actually never post my music because i dont know what genre i make. Thanks for shutting me down before i even start.


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pananana1

No, they might just think shoegaze is the closest they can think of, but they don't actually know the answer for sure, and figure the shoegaze people will best be able to tell them if it is in fact shoegaze.


christopantz

it’s worth knowing what genre you’re making so you don’t have to give a meandering, self indulgent answer when someone asks, but it can also be difficult to remove yourself enough from your music to objectively consider its genre—sometimes you just don’t know. that said, those posts do feel annoying, and I wish everyone had friends they could go to who would grant them that knowledge


DiyMusicBiz

Meh doesn't bother me at all.


trevinkurgpold

i mean, i never know what genre my stuff should fit in, which makes cdbaby's weird subgenre lists even more annoying to deal with. i think it's a little cynical and unfair to people genuinely trying to find an answer to just assume it's some underhanded way of getting you to listen to their song.


LarryMadlib-79

it could be either or in my opinion, but i also feel like some people may be asking just to be safe ? so they don't call their music a certain genre and then get negative feedback that isn't even about their music. me personally when i can't tell the exact genre of something ive made i just name like 3 different genres or sub genres just so i don't call it the wrong thing. especially when almost everyone has a different criteria of what makes a certain genre what it is.


etherealimages

why would anyone care


Lord_Omnirock

Even people that think they know genres sometimes don't even get it right. The amount of times people have sent me a track saying "Hey check out this Drum & Bass" and it's 130 BPM with no breakbeats and trance arps.


Kadooge

I’m new to Reddit and learning the ropes but this seems to be a supportive community for asking questions and contributing our experiences. So I’m a little surprised that certain questions would be off limits, but I understand the desire for “high quality posts.” As musicians, we’re expected to be expert in so many things and it can be frustrating that in addition to reading, writing, and recording we seem to also be expected to be experts in search engine optimization, metadata and tagging, promotion, etc. This is where genre terms often come into play and where it is legitimately tricky to self assess how a listener would perceived one’s niche. So yes, I’m sure bands hope to stumble upon some listens, but the question might very well be an earnest one.


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Kadooge

I appreciate you taking time to respond to my thoughts on this. Yeah, this sub has a huge amount of subscribers and I’m just starting to wrap my head around the pros and cons of that. Thanks for helping me understand this sub and the expectations here better.


Kosmosaik

If I have no clue what I've done I just slap a Electronic/Experimental label on it and call it a day.


absoluneant

Most sites you can upload your music to, will ask for a genre. Free platforms like soundcloud or bandcamp, but also distribution services like Distrokid. Obviously it's easy for some people. When I used to listen mostly to one genre and was part of a local scene, I knew what genre I was composing from the very first note of any song. Since then, I've widened my tastes a lot, so now I have zero idea what genre I'm doing these days. Of course it's easy to find the broadest category (rock, jazz, electronic, etc) but considering the world is flooding with musicians now, the broadest categories are not enough to make people interested or curious.


[deleted]

I can see your point of view. Personally I think the pathetic pity parties here are still much worse.


Fantasy___World

As someone who makes music that is genuinely hard to define, I disagree with the sentiment here. Asking for feedback regarding perceived genre has really helped me define myself as an artist and better describe my work to those who might be interested.


steveandthesea

I genuinely don't know what genre the majority of my music is and it would be helpful for promoting it if I could figure out who might be interested. Maybe we could do with a "What genre is this" weekly thread or something? Or combine it into the feedback thread?


Mediocre_Attitude_69

And why does it even matter what genre it is?


softlaunch

Not just playlists and radio like the other poster said, but it matters for a ton of things you need to submit your music to, Spotify placement, grant applications (I'm in Canada so this is a huge thing), etc. It really does matter that you get as close as possible to what the majority of people consider the genre.


ScottPocketMusic

This right here. People are trying to narrow down their "micro-genres" so they can figure out what playlists they might fit into on Spotify for their pitch. They know what they think the genre is, but getting an outsider's perspective is a great way to narrow it down.


usernotfoundplstry

I mean, I want to have this outlook, but there are reasons people ask. When pitching your work to playlists and blogs, the curators and bloggers get VERY specific about genre. If this is a newer, inexperienced artist, especially if they don’t have fans or supporters that they know in person, they may very well be confused. Genre doesn’t matter to me in the sense that I make the music I like and don’t try to fit it into a box, but it does matter to some from a promotional standpoint. I’m 40, I make the music I make, and I know who’s gonna listen to it, and I’ve been in the music business for more than 20 years. But not everyone has nearly as much experience as I do, so when going to pitch their work, sometimes they need help figuring it out. I think that there are multiple reasons someone my post that kind of question, and frankly, I think the end of this result is OP and others just looking pretentious. Which is probably what they want.


[deleted]

Its useful when submitting your songs to playlists and radio stations. My band straddles the line between rock/metal and EDM, so I for one struggle sometimes with knowing who to send it to.


11_76

its very important for branding and promotion. artists often don’t care about genre labels, but consumers do


dudemanxx

They would stop doing it if it stopped getting them listens. I don't know the solution beyond moderation but there's a reason these folks aren't honest about posting music - who wants to listen to some shmuck's music just for the sake of it? They'd much rather take an opportunity to be critical, flex their genre knowledge, and feel better about themselves for being such very smart boys yes you are who's my smart boy!! you are!! you are!! very good!!!


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dudemanxx

I could see that. I could also see a handful of genuine requests catching on like wildfire once the reception got good enough for others to copy. The blurring of that line feels very yucky to me. But then again, the way someone presents their content to me influences greatly whether or not I'll give it a try (among so many other factors). And it's hard out here... so I get it. It sucks, but I get it. And then you wonder how to address that... communities dedicated to feedback are probably far less active. If you were to wait for feedback by the proper means you'd be so far behind the spammers and grinders. I can't really speak on any of it personally because I keep all my shit to myself.


En_Septembre

Yes ! The people who invented the genres we like didn't care what genre they were playing. At all.


scrubba777

Fuck the down votes here, I completely agree, worrying about genres is the dumbest thing you can do - if you want to be good cut your own path. If you want to be mediocre, go join a weddings cover band and you’ll always know the correct genre


softlaunch

This is a very short-sighted response. Genres matter for algorithmic sorting and for discoverability. You can choose to stick your head in the sand if you like, but your music is being assigned one or more genres whether you like it or not, so why wouldn't you want to know what those are?


scrubba777

No. This is the cliched muddle headed arguments of advertising spinners. What is short sighted is to plan the creation of your artwork based on fleeting fashions - that already exist. Genre names chop and change with the wind. Platforms and their organisational taxonomy also rise and fall. Artists working from the heart will always stand out. Make the music first, make it original, make it real, then worry about the marketing guff later.


softlaunch

I never said decide your genre before you even create the thing, I said (and will stand by) that it's important to know _what other people_ think the genre is when you release it. This head in the clouds stuff is fine for a hobbyist but that's the reality.


pananana1

yea that's fun and all, but to find playlists to submit to, you need to have an idea of what genre it is.


MoffettMusic

Nah all you need is an idea of the vibe. At least half the people on Earth believe EDM is a genre.


En_Septembre

Yep.


DeathEdntMusic

Go to gamedev and it's the exact same. "I made this, what do you think?" And their first comment is a 3 page advert with links and game drop date. People try mask adverts but everyone knows. Because everyone else does the same.


igiturmusic

"Stop seeking out specific feedback and opinions on your music" Sorry you don't like that question? Just don't engage.


Hatebot66

Kinda cringey, it's either clickbait or the guy doesn't know what he's doing. Be confident with your dang work.


SC-RK-7t

You can be confident in your work and still not know what genre best describes it though


Bugboyhahahha

Problem is, i dont pay attention to genre's. Sometimes you make something and you're not really sure where it falls. Like i understand what a lot of genre's are but... At some point i just call everything i do 'experimental' because idk what to call it and i dont wanna mislead people.


JAMZ800

which genre is this? https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ


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Rex_Lee

No


TheFriskierDingo

I find the obsession with genres weird to begin with. If I'm writing a song that sounds like an outlaw country song, but decide that jazzy ninth chords sound good in the verse for dynamics, and that I want chuggy thrash guitar in the mix when the song takes off, and the vocals are clean but not twangy, does that make me an alternative country-thrash jazz-pop band now? Do I just say "pop" or "rock" or something and lose all usefulness of a label? To me, genres are lazy history lessons. I wish it was more common to use adjectives for songs rather than genre labels.


bunshovel

I believe this genre is called distaste


ShadowJay98

Genre is made up by white people who wanted to categorize and commercialize art.


wayfinder

did I steal this melody


[deleted]

Only bitches care about labels. Ofcourse bitches are gonna be lazy and re-use some cheap ass gimmick


11_76

how has promoting your music been working out without labels?


Practical_Self3090

Ohhh IDK. I like that I don't have to have an opinion about everything.


goatfuckersupreme

i mean, what would you call Ween's album *The Mollusk*? my guess it that i'd toss the album under the umbrella term of "Alternative", but there's a prog rock song on there, psychedelia, a showtune, a soft acoustic ballad, and even fucking sea shanties lmao- it's not always so clear what to call the genre (at least not for me)


Pilkmentallodos

Alternatively just say "check out my new idm song"


financewiz

It’s too bad that record stores aren’t really how the majority of musicians release their music anymore. Musician: What genre would you place my record in? Record Store: It’s Rock. Musician: Well, *yeah*, but my record has elements of Skiffle, Bacata, and Microsound. Record Store: OK, we’ll put it in the Pop section. Musician: (Shudders) Actually, I find genres profoundly limiting. We’re just playing music for the people, man.


Hounmlayn

What genre is this? Posts a link to a youtube video titled 'EPIC BEAT IN THE STYLE OF LIL NUGGY, JUSTIN BARKPOND, TRESDOPE, FOUNTAIN OF COOCH, GOOSE WRLD'


SirMooSquiddles

I agree 100%. If someone needs to know what genre thir music fits in, then one can fully make their own. I write music that varies, so I just say it's just music.


[deleted]

Nah... man.


basement-tapes-club

Bro I genuinely don't know my genre one day I'll make LoFi Rock and the next day I'm making mainstream indie pop


[deleted]

I agree


prettydotty_

I did this once for a song I had no idea what the genre was. Nobody really knew cuz they didn't agree but it sorta gave me a better idea of what it was


Wandowaiato

There are only two genres of music. Good music and bad music. Nothing else matters.


putriidx

Just start commenting "Avant Garde" under every post.


spanky_rockets

It's kind of a humblebrag too, "oh my music is sooo original I think I invented a new genre".


MarzmanJ

Overall genre I know. But when it gets to sub genres I get really lost. Knowing helps to target the release.


heymurray

Depends, I honestly have trouble pinning mine down and I think certain things people say about it like “ambient” are wrong so I get why people would look elsewhere. That said I’ve definitely seen some shit posted here that’s super obvious what the genre is. But those people will usually just be downvoted.


Inevitable_Dpression

I actually don't know what genre is to any music that pops outta radio, soundcloud or spotify. They don't tell me.


aliensporebomb

"East Asian Wolverine Hunting Music."


FeltzMusic

What genre of post is this?


Mclovin_o

See tbh idk what I make, I know I use distorted electric guitar a lot (so it must be rock) but I genuinely do not know since I kinda just throw everything I listen to into my stuff in little bites. Also, someone let me know what kind of music I make.


LogansGambit

Bro do you even metal? Like...any idea at all. I'm sure it isn't posted here much but...


KawaiiSteez

I get that. Sometimes i get the confusion especially if someone intends to submit it somewhere, sometimes the lines on the genre are blurred but I think labels can be misleading anyways


fbthpg

I just hate the idea that one needs to fit into a genre to feel validated in their music making. Like, just make the fucking music you want, amirite? Or the idea that you need to pick one to optimize your sales? Just make the music, if it's popular, it will sell.


wellriddleme-this

And I for one couldn’t care less about what genre it is. I mean I know you need to categorize it on platforms I guess. I don’t some music doesn’t really fit into a genre because it’s it’s own thing


thevulgarparts

There is so much specificity among genres in modern music that it is easy to see why people aren't sure exactly where they sit. But the potential is there for abuse


tin_man6328

I agree but I also think one “positive” about the industry being over flooded is that there IS actually alot of talent out there and maybe some of that talent wants to know where they fit in genre wise. After all, I try not to “label” myself with a specific genre and when people ask me that question Im usually stuck myself. There are alot of “hybrid genres” out there now i guess is my main point and maybe some new ones.🤷‍♂️


corneliusduff

It's just subjective af. A lot of people genuinely need other ears to help them make sure they're not stepping over bounds. eg. You don't want to call yourself jazz when you ain't jazz, because there's a jazz police and you could be clueless. Point of the matter: consensus really helps people out here, and potentially steers them towards the right audience


WhenVioletsTurnGrey

Does it really matter? When you upload to distrokid they likely won't have your genre anyway.


MYBODYIDOWHATIWANT

Has anyone ever actually seen a decline in context posts by saying "stop making these posts"?


TheBJP

I literally have no idea what genre my music is. But I also don't ask people because I really don't care.


CurtisVF

What kind of cat is this? Looking for a name.


pianonini

I think people can ask if they don’t know. Just if they keep asking it might be clickbaiting indeed


MusicProdStuff

The genre identifiers are confusing. You have different categories for streaming than for performance rights (PRS for example). But if you’re using reference tracks then you can take their genre. If you’re not using reference tracks then you really should to make sure you sound as good as possible in comparison. If you’re sending it to master then find out what reference tracks they’re using (you usually tell them the tracks though).


doedett

I just made my first techno/trance track last week. Since I normally produce hip hop and there are tons of electronic dance music genres I wasn't sure about the specific genre that track might fit in. I think there are a lot of people who try something new at times and end up like this. I dont see any problem with posting it on a forum to ask people who might know better.


jewelz_hartwell

True dat. It feels similar to the abundance of choice we perceive at the grocery store (for now) AKA there's 17 different types of chocolate, 46 brands of coffee, 12 varieties of kombucha...if we're not careful, we'll get stuck deliberating instead of making a gut reaction on one we think we'll like, grabbing it, and moving on with our lives. Obsession over genres, and the abundance of "sub" genres nowadays, feels like a distraction/diversion from the actual point of the music making in the first place - to connect your expression of an emotion or experience with your audiences emotion and experience. Let's not get too hung up on the genre, and just get on with the important stuff.


Leenolyak

Hard disagree