There are bands that are obviously part of a specific genre/sub-genre..
e.g. Nirvana - Grunge or Black Sabbath - Heavy Metal
But are there any bands that you find difficult to place under a specific category?
What is it about them that makes it difficult to do so?
RQ.
2007-09-30 07:38:23 · 20 answers · asked by Cinny [1334♀] 6 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music ➔ Rock and Pop
The Kinks, they went through so many phases you can't just call them "hard rock" or "British invasion" cause their music ranges so much from album to album.
Also Pink Floyd, you can always label them Progressive rock, but what else? I mean I've heard people refer to them as hard rock (why, I have no idea) but like the Kinks, their music varies so much as they grow, it's hard to give them one catagory. From Piper To the Gates of Dawn to the Wall to the Division Bell, the music is obviously very different.
2007-09-30 07:45:10 · answer #1 · answered by meep meep 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
RUSH.
(like Black Sabbath) I don't consider them Heavy Metal.
I agree with the Nirvana answer earlier about not being
a Grunge band, and would go even further to say Pearl Jam
is no longer a Grunge band (since grunge is a thing of the past).
And ... just exactly what would you call people like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and even Elvis? Even The Beatles and the Stones were very diverse throughout their musical history.
Some musicians and bands transcend catagories.
2007-09-30 08:17:38 · answer #2 · answered by friscokid77 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some music just doesn't fit into a category. When Nirvana came along, for instance, they would have been hard to categorize since grunge didn't exist yet.
A couple groups I'd find hard to categorize:
Dresden Dolls
Rusted Root
Rasputina
2007-09-30 07:44:51 · answer #3 · answered by Sarah 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know you said bands, but I immediately thought of Jeff Buckley when I read your question. I honestly don't think it's possible to categorise his music. He really just blended almost every genre you can think of together. But unlike a lot of people who make a conscious effort to do this, he was able to do it very naturally and organically, so it didn't end up an incongruous mess, as usually happens.
I also find it hard to categorise:
Arcade Fire
White Stripes (rock? blues? blues-rock?...)
The Flaming Lips
Bjork
When I can't find a suitable genre for something, I usually just fall back on "Alternative". Makes things a lot easier :P
2007-09-30 10:50:11 · answer #4 · answered by rukrym 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Mars Volta, Broken Social Scene, and Godspeed you Black Emporor. These bands are the hardest to define. Are they rock, are they prog-grunge, are they new age? its really difficult!
With all of these bands its the fact that they play so many different instruments. BSS have a Cello and a Keyboard, and a violin plus 2 electric guitars!!!
2007-10-01 02:02:59 · answer #5 · answered by skullpicker 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Clash. Always tagged as a punk band, but how many punk bands could pull off a reggae cover on their debut album and make it sound awesome?? And listen to London Calling. On it there's punk, rock, rock n roll, jazz, pop, hip hop, glam and reggae. All on one album!! No wonder it was hailed as 'the most important album of the '80's' when it was released- in 1979!! The Clash could play any music style and everything they recorded sounded like they were old pros at that particular style.
2007-09-30 10:18:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
its funny that you can easily categorise Nirvana's music, it one of the bands i really can't give a sub/genre to. sure, some of their music is grungy, but really, can you tell me that tracks like In Bloom, Lithium Heart-Shaped Box and About A Girl are grunge?
I also can't define David Bowie (i know he isn't a band though)
The Beatles were quite diverse in their music, so i can't really give them a category either
2007-09-30 08:37:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anne Nonny Mouse 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Who have always been hard to classify. They started off with very pro-pop tunes in the early 60s...but eventually spawned the proto-punk song "My Generation." After that they had some very folk-like songs with "Pinball Wizard" and "Behind Blue Eyes"....and even after that they got into using synthesizers and mixing that with hard rock. "Wont Get Fooled Again" and "Who are You" are great examples of hard rock by The Who....but in addition to that they had a progressive rock classic in "Baba O'Riley"...and in the 80s they returned to their pop roots. You an classify them as a hard rock band...but that is severely limiting the depth and difference in each of their songs.
2007-09-30 08:46:22 · answer #8 · answered by Spirit of Vengeance 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Linkin Park.
They've got Mike's rapping, but then they've got the whole Chester-screaming thing. If you put each of their songs in different genres.. you might be able to figure out what genre they are.. I've heard that they're rock/rap. I guess they'll have to be called that for a while. But now they're going all pop-y. =(
2007-09-30 08:13:29 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
First on my list is Mr. Bungle ....
Others include:
Miss Violetta Bureauregarde (is it gabber-electro?)
Frog Eyes (is it noise rock?)
Ratatat (they're a cross between a video game and metal)
Deerhoof (they sound like the soundtrack to a SanRio movie)
The Mars Volta (are they prog, or punk?)
The Lost Sounds (are they new wave and dark metal combined?)
I love these bands so much, though (well, not Deerhoof as much). They're undefinable, but I think I like it that way ....
2007-09-30 11:13:58 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋