GENRE IN MUSIC

Amy Wichelow

DEFINITION OF MUSIC GENRE

Refers to the style of music. When talking about genre in music industry, it is helpful to think in terms of top level genres and subgenre. Rock is a very broad term than encompasses many different types of music, punk, indie, shoegaze, AOR, metal and many more all fall under the top level genre category of rock but can each be considered individual sub-genres.

THE SCHATZ CYCLE

Stage 1 Innovation Stage 2 Classical 3 Parody

Experimenting with genre conventions or merging existing genres to create new forms.

Boundaries between genres tend to be well-defined. Genre texts are likely generate pleasure through the reinforcement of predictable elements.
Stage

Genre texts take advantage of audiences familiarity with their conventions by self-consciously drawing attention to their form and style. Often in form of exaggerated or humorous use of generic conventions.
Stage

4 Deconstruction

Genre texts challenge their generic elements by reformulating the conventions breaking, ignoring or altering the shared understanding of the genre.

HOW AUDIENCES USE GENRE

Select texts on basis of genre, often because texts are arranged at retail outlets by genre. Many genres are associated with certain ages and genders in society this means that choices are made accordingly. Audiences have systems of expectations about the content and style of a text, according to its genre. They also identify with repeated elements in generic texts and may shape their own identity in response.

HOW PRODUCERS USE GENRE

Producers market texts according to genre because a niche audience has already been identifies as taking pleasure in that type of text. They also standardise production practices according to genre conventions cutting costs. Many producers subscribe to established conventions of verisimilitude (believability within genre) this allows creativity within a given format. EG. It is an accepted convention in science fiction that spaceships make noises which helps create excitement in battle scenes.

EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT GENRES IN MUSIC VIDEOS

Animation Daft Punk One More Time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGBhQbmPwH8&safe =active Narrative Katy Perry Hot N Cold http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTHNpusq654&safe=a ctive Live You Me At Six The Swarm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTbr89zSNok&safe=ac tive Parody Midnight Beast Tik Tok http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3gFGu9yF34&safe=a ctive Surreal Katy Perry California Gurls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F57P9C4SAW4&list=P Lz68cPKdtIOxcO2jNfWrKN4qY6QyDvw_&index=11&safe=active