Is There An All Bad Musical Genre?

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Reading through the trance thread, there was another airing of that perennial music obsessivist statement "There's no such thing as an all bad genre". The idea being that when people say something like "I hate rap/garage/indie", they're just closed minded and haven't listened out to enough music. I end up saying this all the time to my rockist friends.

But, then again, I've never heard a trance record that I didn't think was soulless, repetitive, and generally bad. I've never heard a drill n bass track that didn't make me feel like I was being stabbed in the ears repeatedly (and, no, that's not a good thing). I've never heard a nu-prog song that didn't sound like over-indulgent bullshit. And the less said about dadrock the better.

So, after that mild ramble... has anyone got any thoughts? Can you dismiss entire genres?

― Judd Nelson, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i was all set to disagree with you, i was going to be like "all genres have something redeeming", but then you mentioned dadrock, and i'm really struggling now...

― gareth, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

but perennial copout = "i hate genre x", "yes but record j is genre x", "uh, no thats um, genre y, or nu-x, or its IRONIC!"

― gareth, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think it depends on how inclusive you decide any particular genre is.

― Ryan, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My problem is not only do I think I might not have heard the right records but I also think I might have heard the right records under the wrong circumstances (i.e. not off my tits in the case of Trance, not having fathered any kids in the case of Dadrock).

― Tom, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Experimental horse.

― Mark, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I challenge someone to say something in favor of smooth jazz.

― j.lu, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

it's smooth!

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Is Chet Baker smooth jazz? If not why not?

It sounds quite good in pizza restaurants.

― Tom, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sade is mostly smooth jazz when she's no delving into deep house or nu-soul. Sade is unimpeachably wonderful. Smooth jazz survives obliteration (although Kenny G still goes).

― Dan Perry, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Opera.

― Dare, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Barbershop quartets.

― Kris, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Reggae. *ducks*

― david h, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Experimental horse reggae.

― Mark, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Opera. It has to be opera.

― DavidM, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh, no way is it opera. No musical medium that can produce the Queen of the Night aria can be considered completely worthless. Search also: "Habenera" from "Carmen", "Summertime" from "Porgy and Bess", the ending fugue from "Falstaff" as well as Nanette's aria in the third act.

― Dan Perry, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I was just talking about this with a friend. My vote goes to ska pop- punk. I could be wrong but I'm not putting the time in to find out.

― original bgm, Wednesday, 1 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i don't think i would ever write off a whole genre, although i have been known to say "i hate psychedelic music", but many people have pointed out to me that i actually like some psychedelic music. oh i've sometimes said that i hate prog rock, until someone pointed out that krautrock is sometimes known as prog rock, so i don't say that anymore. whats a zhon-rah anyway?

― di, Wednesday, 1 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

some good soundtracks have arisen from "horse operas"

― George Gosset, Wednesday, 1 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like country but I don't understand Tejano

― dave q, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

All Rap is crap (ever noticed the simillarity in the spelling?). It is repettative, boring, souless and made for people who haven't got enough brains to fill a teaspoon (who buys all this shit anyway?). I haven't really got a problem with any other genre, appart from Country and Western.

― jonathan thrak, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i hear chris cutler is jamming with the roots soon.

― jess, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Several cuts on THRAK are probably rap.

― matthew m., Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

All (w)rap is great to buy packets of hard drugs to! Notice the similarity in spelling?

― dave q, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ATTACK THE WACK

― ethan, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Rap is crap.
Rock is cock.
Trance is pants.
Techno? Heck no.

― Clarke B., Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I read about some style of music the other day called indy or undie or summat like that. Sounded awful anyway. I recommend we all stay well clear of that one.

― Jeff W, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

OK not only is rap crap, but R&B is REALLY bad too. I mean everyone with 1/2 a brain knows that progressive is the best type of music and everything published after about 1990 is terrible. And there's nothing like rap on THRAK, i don't think KC are capable of being that bad.

― Anna Rose, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

One word answer:

(C)rap

― Brian Wong, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Anna, what about post-1990 stuff like Dillinger Escape Plan, Conerge, and even Dream Theater

― dave q, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've believe that those *new age* stations that play Kenny G and John Tesh all day long are awful, but I know the truth of the matter is that difference between some of this stuff (I'm not familiar enough with it to name names) and some of the new age-y music I like and listen to is pretty minimal (Cluster, Eno, Tangerine Dream, Popol Vuh, etc).

Out of curiousity what does "soul-less" mean or what do you people mean when you say it? Is there a thread on this?

― Alex in SF, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It comes down to what one may consider the lines of demarcation are for some genre/subgenre and how flexible or prone to variation that is. Taking on drill n bass or even trance tends to be more specific and particular than something as broad as hip hop or indie. I'm sure that it's possible within all of the splits and combinations of sound to find a genre specific enough to offend in every one of its defining parameters.

― Honda, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Rap I can take or leave, and metal is tedious at best, but when the two come together to make - Oh no, here it comes - rap metal you have something truly rancid. I mean, really have Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Korn (note the shite spelling: why is that?) Incubus Alien Ant Farm and latest crowd of generic hangers on big on large shorts and misspent youths produced a decent tune between them? No, sir.

― Shane, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Korn is the korrekt spelling

― mark s, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

That's Korny, mark

― Dare, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Alien Ant Farm is rap-metal? Since when?

― Dan Perry, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

becuz rap = (k)rap don't you see Dan DON'T YOU SEE!!

― mark s, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

spanish "kazoo hardcore" (courtesy uk-dance)

GOBLINS vs DJ MORE: Hava Naquila (ADN Sound Spain)
http://217.158.65.110/MP3 /SF93955.mp3

X FERA: Anonymous (ADN Sound Spain)
http://217.158.65.110/MP3 /SF93955.mp3

ATRIUM: Cold Stage (ADN Sound Spain)
http://217.158.65.110/MP3 /SF93962.mp3

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Incubus are alright, Make yourself sounds fine, and there's no (c) rapping on the album at all

― Boothman, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Incubus are in the shitlist solely for that bit where yr man goes "I took a look/ In a book".

― Judd Nelson, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

jes(u)s wept.

― jess, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Lounge Lizard Music. If Wayne Newton is the best they've got...then heaven help those at the bottom of the pile.

― Lord Custos 2.0 beta, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm still back on Korn = Incubus, sorry. I'll try to catch up soon.

― Dan Perry, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm perfectly happy to dismiss opera, nu-metal and prog rock, thanks. Um, are Pavlov's Dog prog? I like them...

― Martin Skidmore, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What's with all the opera-hatarizm? *sob*

― Dan Perry, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

all the trance I've heard on the radio is shit...but I haven't listened to enough of it to dismiss the entire genre..so how much of a genre do you have to listen to before you have the "right" to say it all sucks?

― kevin enas, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Industrial

― electric sound of jim, Friday, 3 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oooh oooh oooh oooh!!!!

J-Pop.

I thank you.

― Judd Nelson, Friday, 3 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two months pass...

Lo MeJoR eS eL PuTo SPaNiSH HaRDCoRe & SPaNiSH TeCHNo

--==HCoRe:4:LiFe==--

― RooBeNTh_DJ, Monday, 22 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think people (maybe friends, but not people) should be lectured at for writing off a given genre of music. There's no guarantee that everyone who listened with an open mind (?) would find something to like in every genre. Of course, you can never be sure until you've listened to every recording ever made in that genre. Doesn't it come down to practical considerations?

Incidentally, in relation to the objective/subjective debate(s), consider this. Do you react differently if someone says, "Opera[Hip Hop/Salsa, etc.] is all crap" than you would if they say, "I have no interest in listening to Opera [Hip Hop/Salsa, etc.]" or "I just don't like [etc.]. . ."? Because I certainly do.

― DeRayMi, Monday, 22 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

with trace the thing is, there are so many genres within trance. you can be a fan of epic trance and never even think about listening to goa. and uh, why hasn't anyone mentioned polka????

― dyson, Monday, 22 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

seven years pass...

crunkcore?

― ⚖ on my truck (dyao), Saturday, 12 June 2010 06:25 (sixteen years ago)

trance, happy hardcore.

― Sunny came home with emissions (Stevie D), Saturday, 12 June 2010 12:19 (sixteen years ago)

chillwave

― akontenderizer (Whiney G. Weingarten), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:11 (sixteen years ago)

Scouse House

― Treblekicker, Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:12 (sixteen years ago)

This thread. This thread.

― Jamie_ATP, Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:19 (sixteen years ago)

― henry s, Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:20 (sixteen years ago)

it's jazz, right?

― INSUFFICIENT FUN (bernard snowy), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:39 (sixteen years ago)

country too

― INSUFFICIENT FUN (bernard snowy), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:39 (sixteen years ago)

can't forget about (c)rap

― INSUFFICIENT FUN (bernard snowy), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:39 (sixteen years ago)

and all that techno-dance-whatever stuff

― INSUFFICIENT FUN (bernard snowy), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:40 (sixteen years ago)

I can't even tell who's being ironic any more

― Katamari Desailly (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:41 (sixteen years ago)

classical music is so boring, I forgot to mention it until now. and opera makes my ears hurt.

― INSUFFICIENT FUN (bernard snowy), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:41 (sixteen years ago)

rock music's just a bunch of noise. so is noise, which also sucks.

― INSUFFICIENT FUN (bernard snowy), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:42 (sixteen years ago)

oh and pop music, jesus, it's just so melodic -- a person gets tired with all those notes, y'know?!

― INSUFFICIENT FUN (bernard snowy), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:43 (sixteen years ago)

"anti-folk"

― PaulTMA, Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:45 (sixteen years ago)

... which is why I only listen to TRUE VIKING METAL, whose unrivaled beauty and aesthetic purity were forged in the fires of the human heart by the hammer of Thor himself

― INSUFFICIENT FUN (bernard snowy), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:48 (sixteen years ago)

I take back crunkcore, that 3ohio3 song is pretty nice

― ⚖ on my truck (dyao), Saturday, 12 June 2010 13:49 (sixteen years ago)

Classical? More like ASSical.
Psychedelic? More like PsycheDULLic.
Hardcore? More like HardSNORE.

― President Keyes, Saturday, 12 June 2010 16:39 (sixteen years ago)

Music? More like SNOOZEic.

― henry s, Saturday, 12 June 2010 17:00 (sixteen years ago)

Boarding? More like BOREding.
Also:

― Sunny came home with emissions (Stevie D), Saturday, 12 June 2010 12:19 (4 hours ago)

That is a helluva user name.

― ◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝◦ ⃝ (Ówen P.), Saturday, 12 June 2010 17:15 (sixteen years ago)

There are only two genres that I don't like at all, and those are Country AND Western.

― village idiot (dog latin), Saturday, 12 June 2010 18:38 (sixteen years ago)

Hip AND Hop

― if you see her, say ayo (unregistered), Saturday, 12 June 2010 18:47 (sixteen years ago)

No mention of Latin-jazz yet?

― Sebastian (Royal Mermaid Mover), Saturday, 12 June 2010 19:29 (sixteen years ago)

i'm pretty serious when i say chillwave

― akontenderizer (Whiney G. Weingarten), Saturday, 12 June 2010 19:39 (sixteen years ago)

Anything involving fucking Vuvuzela

― disastrous sixth series (MaresNest), Saturday, 12 June 2010 19:49 (sixteen years ago)

lol

― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Saturday, 12 June 2010 19:49 (sixteen years ago)

You mean Clipse?

― The Bartered Bride (Ówen P.), Saturday, 12 June 2010 21:44 (sixteen years ago)

Does Zamfir comprise his own genre?

― ὑστέρησις (Sanpaku), Sunday, 13 June 2010 01:28 (sixteen years ago)

I've been into all bad since the early days, when it was mostly a regional scene, but now there's all-bad music in every city.

― Pete Scholtes, Sunday, 13 June 2010 04:58 (sixteen years ago)

xpost - I don't know, but that reminds me that my one genre that I truly entirely hate might very well be Andean pan flute music

― hills like white people (Hurting 2), Sunday, 13 June 2010 05:20 (sixteen years ago)

^^^ for the win

― henry s, Sunday, 13 June 2010 12:59 (sixteen years ago)

I dunno, the One Man And-Pan Flute Band has some jams.

― President Keyes, Sunday, 13 June 2010 13:17 (sixteen years ago)

One of my favorite Spinners tunes!

"hey y'all, prepare yourself, for the And-Pan Flute Band,
you've never heard a sound, like the And-Pan Flute band,
you're bound to lose control, when that One Man band, rocks the pan"

― henry s, Sunday, 13 June 2010 13:23 (sixteen years ago)

Musicals. Musicals are the bane of western civilization.

― Adam Bruneau, Sunday, 13 June 2010 14:59 (sixteen years ago)

co-sign

― hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Sunday, 13 June 2010 15:35 (sixteen years ago)

Seriously? You guys don't like a single song off of My Fair Lady or Annie, Get Your Gun or Kiss Me Kate? There are some classic fucking musicals written by America's greatest songwriters.

― kkvgz, Sunday, 13 June 2010 18:14 (sixteen years ago)

aw i luv kiss me kate. to be fair it has some shit songs but also some TRUE CLASSIX

― teledyldonix, Sunday, 13 June 2010 19:33 (sixteen years ago)

crabcore, right?

― Nate Carson, Monday, 14 June 2010 05:11 (sixteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bo5DhUxtTw

What genre is this? I'm pretty there's nothing redeeming about it.

― litel, Monday, 14 June 2010 08:02 (sixteen years ago)

im just going to coin the term gleecore right now and when yall use it plz paypal me $1

― before you post, consider just knowing that you are AWESOME AND RIGHT (jjjusten), Monday, 14 June 2010 08:21 (sixteen years ago)

Cinema organ music or theatre organ music, whatever that stuff is that Nigel Ogden plays on "The Organist Entertains" on Radio 2. It's like antimusic, sucking the life, soul, melody and rhythm out of anything it consumes.

― bham, Monday, 14 June 2010 08:24 (sixteen years ago)

I love this shit, but I have a thing for organs

― Krystal Chic (crüt), Monday, 14 June 2010 08:37 (sixteen years ago)

I've never heard any Slowcore I haven't found terminally dull.

― rhythm fixated member (chap), Monday, 14 June 2010 16:53 (sixteen years ago)

And how about whatever genre Deep Forest and Enigma are?

― rhythm fixated member (chap), Monday, 14 June 2010 17:10 (sixteen years ago)

new age?

christian singer-songwriter is the only real answer to this for my money

― I am an old guy, and I prefer the late 90s. (Matt P), Monday, 14 June 2010 17:48 (sixteen years ago)

somewhere, a single tear runs down a mountain goat's cheek

― INSUFFICIENT FUN (bernard snowy), Monday, 14 June 2010 18:51 (sixteen years ago)

Genres are coined in response to A Buncha Quality Records, aren't they?
I can't really think of any genre that was coined out of derision, except maybe "hair metal"
New age is a weird genre, I used to get red-faced browsing that section for Jean Michel Jarre CDs in my pre-teens

― The Bartered Bride (Ówen P.), Monday, 14 June 2010 19:11 (sixteen years ago)

Cinema organ music or theatre organ music, whatever that stuff is that Nigel Ogden plays on "The Organist Entertains" on Radio 2. It's like antimusic, sucking the life, soul, melody and rhythm out of anything it consumes.
I love this shit, but I have a thing for organs

YEAH! Cosign. Amazing stuff. Are you thinking of the kind of music that was performed live alongside silent films back in the days? Before the invention of records? Because if so then I am a HUGE fan. One of my favorite records is "Silent Film Music" which is admittedly on piano rather than organ but nontheless a great listen.

― Adam Bruneau, Monday, 14 June 2010 19:30 (sixteen years ago)

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