MUSIC GENRES

LESSON 7: PUNK, DISCO, GLAM ROCK, REGGAE, CUMBIA AND HARD ROCK

Reggae
A Jamaican music genre which originated from the ska and rocksteady.
The word reggae means rags, ragged. This also mean ragged dance music.
The music style of reggae has an offbeat rhythm, syncopated, and staccato chords.
Reggae music use also stringed instruments like guitar, bass guitar and piano. For the percussion, reggae use snare drums and tom0tom drums. Horns are also used like the saxophone, trumpet and trombone.
Some of the lyrics of reggae talk about love and sometimes about praising God. There were lyrics written to raise consciousness in political issues and national racism.
Examples of reggae song:
1. “Long Shot Kick The Buckets” by the Pioneers
2. “Roots Rock Reggae” by Bob Marley
3. “The Harder They Come” by Jimmy Cliff

Punk
Punk means beginner or novice
It is a rock music developed during the 70s. It was originated from the garage rock and protopunk music.
Punk music simply uses simple melody and simple chords.
Lyrics oftentimes pertain to political and social issues.
Instruments used are guitars, piano and drums.
Examples of punk music:
1. “Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones
2. “London Calling” by The Clash
3. “Basket Case” by Green Day

Disco
Disco is a music genre derived from the word “discotheque,” a French word for “a library of phonograph records.”
A music which became popular in the 70s.
Disco has the styles of funk, Latin and soul. The characteristics of disco music are its soaring and reverberated or echoed vocals.
Donna Summer- “Queen of Disco.”
Examples of disco music:
1. “I Fell Love” and “Last Dance” by Donna Summer
2. “Dancing Queen” by ABBA
3. “Staying Alive” by Bee Gees
4. “YMCA” by The Village People
5. “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas

Cumbia
Courtship dance of the Colombian natives.
Derived from the African word “cumbe” which means dance.
Originally, Cumbia is performed only with drums and maracas, claves and flutes. In the modern cumbia, intrsuments like clarinet. Accordion, piano, bongos, and horns.
The rhythm of Cumbia has African influence.
One of the traditional cumbia compositions is, “La Pollera Colora.”

Hard Rock
A genre with loud and forceful music.
The vocalists produce growling, wailing, screaming, and falsetto voice.
In hard rock music, electric guitar is highlighted.
Examples of hard rock music:
1. “Stairway To Heaven” and “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin
2. “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath

Glam Rock
Sometimes referred to as “glam rock”.
A musical style where performers wear glamorous and extravagant costumes, heavy make-up and hairstyle.
It has various musical styles.
The music is performed with various styles ranging from Hollywood glamour, science fiction and fantasy influences, to mysticism and mythology.
Few of the popular glam rock and musicians:
1. “Starman” and “Life on Mars” by David Bowie
2. “Blockbuste” by The Sweet
Progressive Rock
Also known as Prog and is also referred to as classical rock.
This style of music is originated from United Kingdom.
Progressive music do not follow the formal popular format of verse-chorus-verse type of composition.
This style became popular during the 70s.
Popular names associated with prog music are:
1. Pink Flyod
2. Jethro Tull
3. The Moody Blues
4. Emerson Palmer

Heavy Metal
Another genre of rock music that developed during the late 60s to early 70s.
Heavy metal bands produce a sounds that are massive, thick, and characterized by highly amplified distortion, emphatic rhythm, and generally loud sounds.
The lyrics and performance style are often associated with masculinity and aggression.
Some famous heavy metal artists and their popular works:
1. “Stairway To Heaven” by Led Zeppelin
2. “Smoke on The Water” by Deep Purple
3. “Battle and Fuel” by Metallica