A number of overlapping punk rock subgenres have developed since the emergence of punk rock (often shortened to punk) in the mid-1970s. Even though punk genres at times are difficult to segregate, they usually show differing characteristics in overall structures, instrumental and vocal styles, and tempo. However, sometimes a particular trait is common in several genres, and thus punk genres are normally grouped by a combination of traits.
Afro-punk (sometimes spelled AfroPunk) refers to the participation of African Americans in the punk and alternative music cultures. Afro-punks represent a majority in the punk culture in predominantly black regions of the world that have burgeoning punk communities, such as in parts of Africa. There are many punk rock bands with black members, and several with lineups that are all black.[1]
Anarcho-punk is punk rock that promotes anarchism. The term anarcho-punk is sometimes applied exclusively to bands that were part of the 1970s/1980s anarcho-punk movement in the United Kingdom. Some, however, use the term to refer to any punk music with anarchist lyrical content.
Christian punk (or Christ punk, as it is called in reference to crust punk) is punk rock with some degree of Christian lyrical content. Given the edginess of punk and some of its subgenres, such as hardcore punk, many bands have been rejected by the Christian music industry. Due to the message and nature of Christian punk, many traditional punks ridicule it.
Crust punk (also known as Crust or Stenchcore[2]) is a subgenre which evolved in the early-1980s in England,[3] and has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills. Crust is partly defined by its "bassy" and "dirty" sound. It is often played at a fast tempo with occasional slow sections. Vocals are usually guttural and may be grunted, growled or screamed. While the term was first associated with Hellbastard, Amebix have been described as the originators of the style, along with Discharge and Antisect.[4]
Deathrock is a subgenre of punk rock incorporating horror elements and spooky atmospherics, that emerged on the West Coast of the United States in the early 1980s. Deathrock songs use simple chords, echoing guitars and prominent bass. Drumming emphasizes repetitive, post-punk beats within a 4 4time signature. To create atmosphere, scratchy guitars are sometimes used. Lyrics can vary, but are typically introspective and surreal, and deal with the dark themes of isolation, gloom, disillusionment, loss, life, death, etc.; as can the style, varying from harsh and dark to upbeat, melodic and tongue-in-cheek. Deathrock lyrics and other musical stylistic elements often incorporate the themes of campy horror and sci-fi films, which in turn leads some bands to adopt elements of rockabilly and surf rock.
Egg punk is an Internet-based subgenre of punk rock that emerged during the 2010s referring to bands with a lo-fi recording style and satirical tone. The genre is influenced by new wave band Devo and historically referred to as Devo-core. The origins of egg punk are attributed both to a community of DIY midwestern American punk rock artists from the early 2010s and their subsequent characterization as "egg punk" by a series of internet memes circulated in the late 2010s.
Horror punk mixes Gothic and punk rock sounds with morbid or violent imagery and lyrics, which are often influenced by horror films or science fiction B-movies. The genre is similar to, and sometimes overlaps with, deathrock, although horror punk music is typically more aggressive and melodic than deathrock. Some horror punk bands dress up in black clothes, skeleton costumes, and skullface paint.
Nazi punk (also known as hatecore) is punk rock that promotes neo-Nazism. The term Nazi punk can also refer to a neo-Nazi who is part of the punk subculture. Rock Against Communism is a related genre. Skrewdriver and Skullhead are notable examples.[6][7]
Oi! is a working class street-level subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1970s. It had a goal of uniting punks, skinheads, and other working class youths.
Punk pathetique or Fun punk is a subgenre of British punk rock (principally active circa 1980–1982) that involved humour and working class cultural themes. Musically it was related to (and had crossover with) the Oi! subgenre.
Riot Grrrl is a feminist punk/indie rock genre and subculture, whose popularity peaked in the 1990s. The subculture features elements such as female-centric bands, concerts and festivals; collectives, support groups, workshops, self-defense courses, activism and fanzines.
Skate punk (also known as skatepunk, skate-punk, skate-thrash, surf punk, skate rock or skate-core) is a subgenre of punk that is derived from hardcore punk. Skate punk most often describes the sound of melodic hardcore bands from the 1990s with an aggressive sound, and similar-sounding modern bands. Skate videos have traditionally featured this aggressive style of punk rock.
Street punk is a working class subgenre of punk rock which emerged in the early 1980s, partly as a rebellion against the perceived artistic pretensions of the first wave of British punk. Street punk developed from the Oi! genre, and then continued to go beyond the confines of the original Oi! style.
Taqwacore is a punk rock subgenre dealing with Islam and its culture, originally conceived in Michael Muhammad Knight's 2003 novel The Taqwacores. The name is a portmanteau of hardcore and the Arabic word Taqwa, which is usually translated as "piety" or the quality of being "God-fearing". Although Muslim punk rock dates back to at least the 1979 founding of the British band Alien Kulture. Knight's novel was instrumental in encouraging the growth of a contemporary North American Muslim punk movement. Taqwacore bands often challenge Islam as it exists, promoting a very liberal-progressive agenda.
Trallpunk is a subgenre of punk known for fast drumming, a melodic sound and often politically oriented lyrics. It emerged from the late-1980s Swedish hardcore punk scene.
2 Tone (or Two Tone) was a music genre created in England in the late 1970s by fusing elements of ska, punk rock, rocksteady, reggae and new wave. The 2 Tone sound was developed by young musicians in Coventry, West Midlands, England.[8] The genre is the precursor of the third wave ska scene of the 1980s and 1990s.
Anti-folk (sometimes antifolk or unfolk) is a subgenre of folk music and punk rock that seeks to subvert the earnestness of politically charged 1960s folk music. The defining characteristics of this anti-folk are difficult to identify, as they vary from one artist to the next. Nonetheless, the music tends to sound raw or experimental; it also generally mocks perceived seriousness and pretension in the established mainstream music scene.
Burning spirits
Burning spirits is a fusion genre of hardcore punk and heavy metal music, particular the sounds of the New wave of British heavy metal. The style is typified by drums and vocals inspired by hardcore, crust punk and D-beat, accompanied by heavy metal-style guitar harmonies and solos. Originating from the Japanese hardcore scene in the mid–to late 1980s, it began to form with bands including Gudon and Poison Arts. In the 1990s, the most influential works in the genre were released, notably: Bet On the Possibility (1991) by Death Side; Tetsuarei (1991) by Tetsu Arrey; Wind of Pain (1992) by Bastard and No Reason Why (1996) by Judgement. The genre's name was coined by Death Side vocalist Ishiya and Tetsu Arrey bassist Katsuta Tokuyuki, based on a quote by New Japan Pro-Wrestling wrestler Bruiser Brody, in reference to Antonio Inoki.[9]
Celtic punk is punk rock fused with influences from Celtic music. Often, the bands add Celtic instruments such as bagpipes, fiddle, tin whistle, accordion, mandolin or banjo. Celtic punk bands often play covers of traditional Irish or Scottish folk songs, as well as original compositions.[13]
Scottish Gaelic punk is a subgenre of punk rock in which bands sing some or all of their music in Scottish Gaelic. The Gaelic punk scene is, in part, an affirmation of the value of minority languages and cultures. Gaelic punk bands express political views, particularly those related to anarchism and environmentalism.
Chicano punk is music by punk bands of Mexican American ethnicity. The subgenre originated in Chicago's Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods during the mid-1990s and later spread to the Los Angeles punk scene.
Spanish raw punk
Spanish raw punk is punk fused with the combination of Spanish punk and d-beat. The genre is also very rare and underground due to the level of demonstration. Often, bands add some type of crude lyrics in which they protest against police brutality, religion and government.
Melodic punk
Melodic punk is a type of punk that is melodic and up-beat.
Dark cabaret may be a simple description of the theme and mood of a cabaret performance, but more recently has come to define a particular musical genre which draws on the aesthetics of the decadent, risqué German Weimar-era cabarets, burlesque and vaudeville shows with the stylings of post-1970s goth and punk music.
Latin Punk is a subgenre of punk rock influenced by Latin AmericanRock en Español, Latino punk, Ska, and regional musical genres such as Bossa Nova, Samba, Cumbia and Boleros, among others. Although originally a subgenre born in the Latin Americas and Spain, the Latin Punk subgenre has grown internationally, providing Latin rock musicians abroad a connection to their roots.
Cowpunk (also known as country punk) combines punk rock with country music in sound, subject matter, attitude, and style. The term has also been applied to several bands that play a fast form of Southern rock.
Dance-punk (also known as disco punk, funk punk or indie-dance) mixes punk rock with disco, funk and electro music. Emerging in the late 1970s, it is influenced by the post-punk and No Wave movements and, more recently, the post-punk revival and art punk movements.
Folk punk combines elements of folk music and punk rock. Its subgenres include Celtic punk and Gypsy punk. Folk punk generally takes one of two forms: either traditional folk music played in a punk rock style, or music incorporating the themes of punk rock but played on acoustic instruments (sometimes adding additional folk instruments such as mandolins, accordions, banjos or violins).[14]
Pop-punk (also known as punk-pop and other names) is a fusion genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music and/or power pop, to varying degrees. It is not clear when the term pop-punk was first used, but pop-influenced punk rock had been around since the mid- to late-1970s.[15]
Punk jazz describes the amalgamation of elements of the jazz tradition (usually free jazz and jazz fusion of the 1960s and 1970s) with the instrumentation or conceptual heritage of punk rock and hardcore punk.
Rapcore is a fusion genre, combining elements of hardcore punk and hip hop music.[24][25] The two genres have a shared history, originating from oppressed, marginalized and disenfranchised young people, despite generally having distinctly separate ethno-cultural roots.[24] During the 1980s, Chuck D, of hip hop group Public Enemy, was inspired by Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins,[24] while Beastie Boys began as a hardcore band, before transitioning into hip hop despite retaining their hardcore influence.[26] Furthermore, many bands in the New York hardcore scene at this time began incorporating elements of hip hop.[27][28]
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock, often playing down the former's R&B roots. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk. The more punk-influenced style often features faster tempos, guitar distortion, onbeat punk-style interludes (usually the chorus), and nasal, gruff, or shouted vocals. The more ska-influenced style features a more developed instrumentation and a cleaner vocal and musical sound.
Synthpunk (also known as Electropunk) is a music genre combining elements of electronic music and punk rock. A number of bands use electronics and punk music together although the methods and resulting sounds can differ greatly. This has even led to the creation of more genres such as digital hardcore.
Grindcore is an extreme fusion genre of heavy metal and hardcore punk that originated in the mid-1980s, drawing inspiration from abrasive-sounding musical styles, such as thrashcore, crust punk, hardcore punk, extreme metal, and industrial. Grindcore is considered a more noise-filled style of hardcore punk while using hardcore's trademark characteristics such as heavily distorted, down-tuned guitars, grinding overdriven bass, high-speed tempo, blast beats, and vocals which consist of growls, shouts and high-pitched shrieks.
Deathrock is a rock music subgenre that merges punk rock and post-punk with gothic and glam rock visuals and elements of horror film scores. Often overlapping with, and sometimes considered a subgenre of, gothic rock, the genre was pioneered by bands from the early 1980s Los Angeles punk scene, including Christian Death, Kommunity FK, 45 Grave and the Super Heroines. By the middle of the decade, the genre had begun to interact with the United Kingdom's gothic rock scene, leading to the formation of English deathrock bands like Rudimentary Peni, Sex Gang Children and Alien Sex Fiend. However, soon after the genre declined in popularity, and its name largely fell out of use. In the late 1990s, a revival of the genre began, in which groups like Bloody Dead and Sexy, the Phantom Limbs and Tragic Black expanded the scope of the genre to include elements of psychobilly, electronic body music and futurepop.
Skate punk is a skater subculture and punk rock subgenre that developed in the 1980s. Originally a form of hardcore punk that had been closely associated with skate culture, skate punk evolved into a more melodic genre of punk rock in the 1990s similar to pop punk. Since then, it has predominately featured fast tempos, lead guitar playing, fast drumming, and singing. Occasionally, skate punk also combines the fast tempos of hardcore punk and melodic hardcore with the catchy hooks of pop-punk.
In the United States, California is commonly associated with the film, music, and arts industries; there are numerous world-famous Californian musicians. New genres of music, such as surf rock and third wave ska, have their origins in California.
Alternative metal is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by heavily downtuned, mid-paced guitar riffs, a mixture of accessible melodic vocals and harsh vocals and sometimes sounds that are unconventional within other heavy metal styles. The term has been in use since the 1980s, although it came into prominence in the 1990s.
A number of heavy metal genres have developed since the emergence of heavy metal during the late 1960s and early 1970s. At times, heavy metal genres may overlap or are difficult to distinguish, but they can be identified by a number of traits. They may differ in terms of instrumentation, tempo, song structure, vocal style, lyrics, guitar playing style, drumming style, and so on.
Popular music of the United Kingdom in the 1980s built on the post-punk and new wave movements, incorporating different sources of inspiration from subgenres and what is now classed as world music in the shape of Jamaican and Indian music. It also explored the consequences of new technology and social change in the electronic music of synthpop. In the early years of the decade, while subgenres like heavy metal music continued to develop separately, there was a considerable crossover between rock and more commercial popular music, with a large number of more "serious" bands, like The Police and UB40, enjoying considerable single chart success.
Crust punk is a fusion genre of anarcho-punk and extreme metal that originated in the early to mid–1980s in England. Originally, the genre was primarily mid-tempo, making use of metal riffs in a stripped-down anarcho-punk context, however many later bands pushed the genre to be more grandiose, faster or more melodic. Often songs are political, discussing environmentalism, anarchism, anti-capitalism, feminism and animal rights.
British rock describes a wide variety of forms of music made in the United Kingdom. Since around 1964, with the "British Invasion" of the United States spearheaded by the Beatles, British rock music has had a considerable impact on the development of American music and rock music across the world.
There are several subgenres of reggae music including various predecessors to the form.
Rock music and its subgenres are very popular in Portugal. The history of the Portuguese rock music scene spans several decades.
Melodic hardcore is a broadly defined subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on melody in its guitar work. It generally incorporates fast rhythms, melodic and often distorted guitar riffs, and vocal styles tending towards shouting and screaming. Nevertheless, the genre has been very diverse, with different bands showcasing very different styles. Many pioneering melodic hardcore bands, have proven influential across the spectrum of punk rock, as well as rock music more generally.
Celtic fusion is an umbrella term for any modern music which incorporates influences considered "Celtic", or Celtic music which incorporates modern music. It is a syncretic musical tradition which borrows freely from the perceived "Celtic" musical traditions of all the Celtic nations, as well as from all styles of popular music, it is thus sometimes associated with the Pan-Celtic movement. Celtic fusion may or may not include authentic traditional music from any one tradition under the Celtic umbrella, but its common characteristic is the inspiration by Celtic identity.
Electronic rock is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s when rock bands began incorporating electronic instrumentation into their music. Electronic rock acts usually fuse elements from other music styles, including punk rock, industrial rock, hip hop, techno and synth-pop, which has helped spur subgenres such as indietronica, dance-punk and electroclash.
Beatdown hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk which incorporates elements of thrash metal and hip hop. The genre features aggressive vocals, heavy, palm muted guitar riffs and breakdowns. The genre has its origins in late 1980s tough guy hardcore bands such as Breakdown, Killing Time, and Madball, and was pioneered in the mid-1990s by bands like Bulldoze, Terror Zone, and Neglect. The definition of the genre has expanded over time to incorporate artists increasingly indebted to metal, notably Xibalba, Sunami, and Knocked Loose. Later acts also feature slam death metal riffs.
↑ Rowley, Scott (February 2013). "Condemned To Rock 'N' Roll". Classic Rock Magazine. Classic Rock Magazine. Manic Street Preachers were a punk-metal explosion of great lyrics and killer riffs – Morrissey meets Michael Schenker – who threatened to split after one album.
↑ Glasper, Ian. Burning Britain: The History of UK Punk 1980–1984. p.236.
↑ The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Rock History: The grunge and post-grunge years, 1991–2005. Greenwood Press. 2006.
↑ New Statesman and Society. December 1992: 33.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
1 2 3 Partridge, Christopher (2015). Mortality and Music Popular Music and the Awareness of Death. Bloomsbury Publishing. There are conspicuous parallels between the cultures of hardcore and hip hop. Indeed, to some extent, this accounts for the fusion of the two in innovative genres such as rapcore. As Adam Horowitz of the Beastie Boys put it, 'when you think about it, hardcore and hip hop aren't that different. The attitude is the same? Similarly, Chuck D (Public Enemy) has recommended that his fans read the work of Henry Rollins: 'He's an inspiration.' As in some hardcore, hip hop's culture of death emerged from the experience of oppression, marginalization and disenfranchisement. That said, there are some significant differences between the two cultures, the principal of which is that the roots of hip hop need to be traced back into the history of Black America. That is to say, hip hop is, to a large extent, the product of a particular historical experience of exploitation and suffering.
↑ Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music Volume 1. Hendrickson Publishers. p.71. The Christian group Every Day Life should probably be credited with inventing rapcore, the musical style that would take over the world and briefly become the most popular (and despised) genre on the airwaves at the turn of the millennium.
↑ "Deez Nuts". Beat Magay. 10 March 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
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