Research and Planning: Common Genres Regarding Music

The most common genres regarding music are:

Rap: refers to "spoken word or chanted rhyming lyrics with strong, rhythmic accompainment". Rapping can be traced back to its African roots.
Rap music has much history; Old School Rap: "identified by its relatively simple range" . . . "the emphasis was not on lyrical technique, but simply on good times". The Golden Age of Rap: 1980's, the invention of complex wordplay and lyrical kung-fu of later hip-hop.
Through the research of certain artists such as 50 Cent, I have found that Rap, a genre of music originating from the 'hard life', the 'Ghetto' has been transformed and manipulated to show a false portrayal of its real value and blended in which hip-hop. Rather than, social issues such as drugs, deaths, illegal weapons and racism being explored, it has become far too concerned with financial status - emphasized through cars, jewellery (Or in their terms 'bling'), women and the overrating of the drug use.

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Rock (Alternative, Metal): the foundations of rock music lie within 'rock 'n' roll', a subgenre originating from America during the late 1940's and early 1950's. There has traditionally been a perception of the decline of Rock Music.
Guitars, keyboards, bass-guitars [etc] are all the common instruments used within Rock Music

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Indie: Originated from the US and UK. Is a distribution of underground music. They belong to independent record labels rather than mainstream ones.

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Hip-Hop: is a cultural movement incorporating break-dancing, music, graffiti and rapping. Unlike rap music, it has originated from the African AMERICAN, Jamaican communities of NEW YORK. Other elements include hip-hop fashion and slang. Hip-Hop has been credited for reducing inner city violence and replacing them with art and dance battles.

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Pop: Genre has been developed in the 1950's, aimed at youth market. The most common genre to sell by far, the most singles. Refers to 'popular music - anything mainstream. Is an alternative to the rock and roll and later on rock music that was present during its time.

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