As most here know, I am a metalhead through and through. But I also love most music in general. I grew up on country as that's what my parents listened to around us kids. Then I discovered my dad used to listen to a ton of classic rock (CCR, Steppenwolf etc) and eventually I found my love for metal. But I enjoy a lot of rap, classical music, EDM etc. Just please don't play pop music around me as that is the ONE thing I could never get into.
But recently, I have seen an amazing trend in music.… See More
One that I hope gets bigger and bigger, because it is blurring the lines of what we have considered in musical genres forever. Big names are blending multiple genres of music on one album, and often within the same song.
Three notables come to mind. I know there are more, but these three are my big three at the moment. Below you will find them listed and I will put a few youtube links as well.
Falling In Reverse: These guys are one of the biggest bands out there right now. Both known for the genre bending tunes, and some notorious history, Ronnie is polarizing the industry. But love him or hate him, you can't dismiss the fact that he and the band have started a lot of things rolling down the hill. Lots of bands are getting into the genre bending/blending game and almost ripping them off. If you like their music, you will LOVE their live show. I saw them in Orlando this spring and was absolutely blown away by them.
Watch The world Burn
Ronald
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWoQ7PFSYlk
Next up is probably one of the ODDEST artists out there. I classify their music as "ADHD Metal" I am pretty sure that when Kim Dracula walked into the record exec office and they asked "what genre do you do" they answered "All genres. Simultaneously". Kim Dracula, taking their name from the song of the same name from DefTones, literally blends multiple musical genres in a single song. Even moreso than FIR above. EDM, Metal, pop, BIG BAND, lounge, you name it, it has popped up somewhere. I see big things in Kim's future.
Make Me Famous:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6o7RtOHpVc
Seventy Thorns:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMcpF8uLpD4
Finally, one of the newer breakouts in genre blending, HARDY. Yeah, this redneck country boy has gone from songwriter for the big stars (like Florida Georgia Line and others of that caliber) to dropping his own stuff. He started out country because that's what the industry wanted from him. He got tired of it. If you want to "hear the story" check out The Mockingbird and The Crow, his 2023 album. It is a must listen, and you have to listen from track 1 to the end. It is my personal album of the year for 2023, even though there were tons of other contenders. It starts with his "popular country stuff" and moves into the REAL HARDY. His mixes are generally country and rock, but he has other surprises from time to time too.
Gin and Juice:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCCmumpYdtA
Jim Bob:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=or_eyH9HBLU
Sold Out:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r57GhcHEgGo
Radio Song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km3DY77vINU
If you read/listened this far, feel free to drop some other bands etc below that you think are good examples of genre blending. I am always on the look out for another new band to listen to. Until next time, keep rockin'!!!!
I'm not sure if my opinion would really count, I grew up listening to my dad's vinyl records, Through the 90's it was KoRn, Pearl Jam, Stabbing Westward, Smashing Pumpkins, Marilyn Manson... (sigh) memories... I fell in absolute love with Fear Factory and Type O' Negative. In the 00's was metal like Dark Tranquility, Arch Enemy, Cradle of Filth, Iced Earth...so much so good, the sound I wanted in the 90's. Of course I enjoyed classical, trance, dance, & Techno. Never big on country (a couple o songs… See More
spoke to me), not into rap ('sept Wu-Tang Clan) and certainly no pop... All that to say, I look at Metal as modern classical in that it's willingness to experiment with sounds and arrangements, and dub-step is like the Metal of EDM... I listen to what sounds good...I've been diving into Christian Metal lately...it's not as campy as it would seem... I've found my like of genre blends to be mixed (no pun intended)
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