ኢትዮ-ጃዝ (Ethio-Jazz) (n.) [i θiˈoʊ jaz ]: It has been written that the word Tizita (ትዝታ) in Amharic, directly translated as Memory, has three related meanings. This Ethiopian word can mean, one; the act of memory or its associations with nostalgia, two; the tizita scale of Ethiopian music, and three; the combination of the two in songs reflecting on memories whilst playing in the tizita scale like the one you are hearing now. As musical scale and popular song form, an actual Tizita song has the a...
May 20, 2024•14 min
ケルトの日本語 (Celtic Japanese) (n.) [kɛl tɪk dʒæp əˈniz]: Two of the most distinct cultures in this world are the beautiful, ancient styles of the Japanese and the Gaelic traditions of the Irish. Yet in this crazy world they both have ties that break their geological barriers and in the subgenropedia, the wild bagpipe-filled jigs accompanied by the distinctive Japanese language are what make up the amazing subgenre that is Celtic Japanese Music. For more of the Subgenropedia and other genres check ou...
May 17, 2024•9 min
CowPunk (n.) [kaʊ pʌŋk]: This classification of music has gone by multiple names and that makes it hard to define because of it’s precursors, influences, and the genres that sparked from this twisting of two of the world most popular umbrella genres. This is the world of the twangy, angsty sounds of paradoxical, intertwining, silly humor, rebelling themes of the curious subgenre that has also been referred to by fans, critics, and musicians alike with names as broad as Americana, alternative cou...
May 16, 2024•13 min
French Canadian Country (n.) [fren-tʃ kəˈn-eɪ-di-ən kʌn-tri]: Early Country music famously known from Nashville and the likes of other southern states, has many thanks to give to the Celtic Norman Immigrants of Northern France, the Irish-Scottish Celtic regions concentrated in Canadas Atlantic Costal Provinces, and the Western Canadian and Western US settlers and pioneers. This French spoken, twangy sounding, acadian inspired genre has so many artists that fly under the radar of mainstream count...
May 29, 2023•12 min
Gospel Disco (n.) [ɡɑs-p(ə)l dɪs-koʊ]: A combination of two seemingly opposite genres of music, Gospel Disco strives to bring together the rhythm and beats of late 1970s nightclub disco and the soulful, spiritually inspired lyrics and gospel. The revitalization of the subgenre led by Greg Belson in 2016 shows that the Lord is still moving with the music and can still bring the cultures of the clubs from Saturday nights to the pews of Sunday mornings together. For more of the Subgenropedia and ot...
Apr 26, 2023•11 min
ⵜⵉⵛⵓⵎⴰⵔⴻⵏ (Tishoumaren) (n.) [tɪʃ-oʊ-mɛr-ɪn]: Also known as the Desert Blues, Tishoumaren is rooted in the the Kel Tamesheq people of ancient Northern Africa, or the Tuareq Nomads' ancient musical traditions. It seeks to educe images of the seemingly infinite expanse of the Saharan horizon, the shifting sand dunes, and the rolling rhythm of camel caravans. While the desert blues draws inspiration from the same ancient African wellspring that birthed the sounds and rhythms of the American Blues, ...
Apr 19, 2023•9 min
Jawaiian/Hawaiian Reggae (n.) [ˈʤʌˈwaɪən | həˈwaɪən ˈreɡ.eɪ]: The style and groove of classic reggae with a Polynesian twist that continues to flow in and out of the Hawaiian islands. The rich history that comes from the politically charged activism in the lyrics in Jamaica fuses perfectly with the ukulele’s and slack key guitar to emit the warm, easy-going, window’s down drive to beach music that is Jawaiian or Hawaiian Reggae. For more of the Subgenropedia and other genres check out the Spotif...
Apr 12, 2023•11 min
монгол металл (Mongolian Metal) (n.) [mɒŋ-gəʊ-li-ən met-(ə)l]: Mongolian Metal Music, also known as Hunnu Rock, is a unique subgenre of heavy metal that has been gaining popularity in recent years. The subgenre's roots lie in Mongolia's complex history, particularly during the time of communism. While under control of the Soviet Union, Western music was heavily censored in Mongolia, and access to rock and metal music was extremely limited. However, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Mongolia und...
Apr 05, 2023•13 min
New Jack Swing (n.) [nu dʒæk swɪŋ]: New Jack swing is paced much faster than its umbrella genre of R&B from around 95 beats per minute to upwards of 105 bpm. More rhythm and usage of percussion was seen from the foundation of the R&B fused with he beats, sounds and lyrical components of rap and hip of the time. The chaos of new jack swing was busy yet organized showcased within the keyboard and synth sounds. The four-four-time signature or sometimes twelve-eight time is largely seen in t...
Mar 29, 2023•12 min
ジャパニーズ・フュージョン・ジャズ (Japanese Fusion Jazz) (n.) [ʤæpəˈniz ʤæz ˈfjuʒən]: Traditionally jazz fusion is often associated with the term “jazz rock” that came into popularity in the late 60s and 70s. This era of jazz fusion heavily mixed the rock, funk, psychedelic and reggae styles with elements of jazz instrumentation. Often, the music includes electric instruments like synthesizers, electric guitars, electric pianos and other rock instruments. Most also incorporated funk rhythms popular in this era ...
Mar 22, 2023•11 min
Anatolian Rock (n.) [ænəˈtoʊliən ɹɑk]: Anatolian rock gets its name from the Turkish ethnic group “Anatolians” and the combination of the rock and roll influence of the mid 1960’s. Although the word rock typically centers around a more defined sound that we know from this era, Anatolian Rock fell under a more broad band of other genres like folk, jazz, psychedelic rock, disco, Western pop, progressive, classical and traditional Turkish music. Or rather than just being a mixture of European art m...
Mar 08, 2023•11 min
Aboriginal Roots (n.) [æbəˈrɪdʒən(ə)l ruts]: Aboriginal refers to any of the original inhabitants of the world. In reference to the Australian continent the aboriginal descriptor often contributed to the indigenous people of Australia and the Torres Straight Islands. The indigenous people of the Australian continent span over 400 tribes and hundreds of distinct languages. Through thousands of years of cultural practices, rituals, threats of destruction of lifestyles and people during the coloniz...
Mar 01, 2023•11 min
Chicano Punk (n.) [t͡ʃi-kano paŋk]: Punks best kept secret is that the genre’s origins came, not from the streets of LA or the alleys of London, or the corners of New York. Rather from costal south American country of Peru. The Latin American influence, which is rather unknown to most fans of the punk genre, plays an essential role in the foundation and broadening of the punk music as a whole. For more of the Subgenropedia and other genres check out the Spotify Playlist with some more of my favo...
Nov 29, 2022•10 min
Gothic Country (n.) [gɒ-θɪk kʌn-tri]: A Subgenre in the Country and Americana music genre that evokes the Southern Gothic literary genre through morbid lyrical themes and melancholic sounds. Some musicians that venture in Gothic Country have a more typical alternative folk sound, while others are reminiscent of soundtracks to a movie about the civil war written by Edgar Alan Poe. Dark, right? Well that is kind of the point. The sound reflects the melancholy nature of decay, ruin, damnation and t...
Nov 01, 2022•9 min
Samba Rock (n.) [sɐ̃-bɐ ɹɑk]: a Brazilian dance culture and music genre that fuses samba with soul, rock, and funk. It emerged from the dance parties of São Paulo's lower-class black communities after they had been exposed to rock and roll and African-American music in the late 1950s. See how the grove makin', booty shakin', Brazilian dance music has continued to influence the local culture... For more of the Subgenropedia and other genres check out the Spotify Playlist with some more of my favo...
Jun 15, 2022•7 min
Zydeco (n.) [zaɪ-dɪk-əʊ]: a music genre that evolved in southwest Louisiana by French Creole speakers which blends blues, rhythm and blues, and music indigenous to the Louisiana Creoles and the Native American people of Louisiana. Discover the roots of the traditional Southern musical movement that still influences the Cajun Bayou... For the more Subgenropedia songs and genre's check out the Spotify Playlist with some more of my favorite picks for each sub-genre! For more of the Subgenropedia an...
Jun 01, 2022•7 min
Muzak (n.) [mju-zæk]: Easy listening music, whether played live or recorded, especially if regarded as uninteresting. Also an American brand of background music played in retail stores and other public establishments owned by Mood Media. Coined as "Elevator Music" this subtle, easy going music reaches over 100 million people every year, but how did it start and why is it so recognizable? Find out the science behind Muzak and why it is so incising... For more of the Subgenropedia and other genres...
May 11, 2022•7 min
Nu Disco (n.) [nu dɪs-koʊ]: 21st-century dance music genre associated with a renewed interest in the late 1970s US disco, synthesizer-heavy 1980s European dance music styles, and early 1990s electronic dance and house music. How did this seemingly incompatible mix of contrasting subgenres come to be? Find out the styles, influences, and leading artists in this episode of the Subgenropedia... For more of the Subgenropedia and other genres check out the Spotify Playlist with some more of my favori...
May 05, 2022•9 min
Turntablism (n.) [ tɜrn-teɪb-əl-ɪzəm]: the art of manipulating sounds and creating new music, sound effects, mixes and other creative sounds and beats, typically by using two or more turntables and a cross fader-equipped DJ mixer. Turntablism was created by DJ Kool Herc, the Father of the Modern Hip Hop genre. But how did music evolve to what we now know as hip hop? Journey through the origins of the world's most popular music style that all started in a small Rec Room in the Bronx... For more o...
Apr 27, 2022•10 min
What is the Subgenropedia? Find out here! For more of the Subgenropedia and other genres check out the Spotify Playlist with some more of my favorite picks for each sub-genre!
Apr 21, 2022•3 min
