Metal: Rock Subgenre or it's own Genre?

[Rockbandfan23467]

I've seen several peole refer to Metal as both a Rock subgenre and a different genre than Rock, so which is it?

According to that ******* who typed tiny back when we could change the font size, my opinion doesn't matter so I won't say mine. :rolleyes:

[Gowienczyk]

Metal (like Punk) has evolved so much in so much time that it is it's own genre.

[Brabent]

I think that metal while yes it has some similarities to rock, is also entirely different than it (it's so much better for starters) so it has to be it's own genre!

[Alright_Computer]

It's a subgenre. A faster, more aggressive subgenre, but still a subgenre. There's a reason why I find Megadeth CDs in the rock section of my local record store.

Although it's easily the subgenre with the most subgenres.

[instantdeath999]

It can really be considered both. Metal was a progression of rock, and can be considered it's own genre, but it does share a lot of characteristics of rock... basically, I won't get my panties in a bunch if you say it's either way.

I helped balance out the one star rating.

[Rockbandfan23467]

My money it's Tiny-Type or A21 who rates my thread low.

[Gowienczyk]

My money it's Tiny-Type or A21 who rates my thread low.

I don't rate threads.

[WhiffleBallTony]

It's its own genre. It has way too many subgenres and differing styles to be a part of rock.

[OhhhhhhSnap]

Metal is it's own genre. Otherwise everything would be the same genre.

[afterstasis]

i consider metal a subgenre of rock, based upon the actual definition of "subgenre" which includes the following passage...

"falling nearly in the category of and often adjoining : bordering on"

however, in musical terms i can definitely agree that metal is large enough, and vast enough, to constitute it's own place as a genre...

then again, it really doesn't matter one bit to me! :)

[My name is Fez]

i consider metal a subgenre of rock, based upon the actual definition of "subgenre" which includes the following passage...

"falling nearly in the category of and often adjoining : bordering on"

however, in musical terms i can definitely agree that metal is large enough, and vast enough, to constitute it's own place as a genre...

then again, it really doesn't matter one bit to me! :)

I voted that it's it's own genre (God, that looks weird grammatically), but this post pretty much changed my mind if that shows on the fence I was about it. But I pretty much agree with this post on every aspect.

[JerryBrudos]

For sure I would consider early metal and some of the stuff up to the NWoBHM to be close enough to rock to consider it a subgenre, but once you get into speed and thrash it loses a lot of the similarities, In death black and doom metal theres almost none. I would say metal is to rock what rock is to blues, theres a lot of over lap but its still its own genre.

[Runesmith]

Simply put, metal is both a rock sub-genre and its own genre.

[Hungryfreak]

Metal is a subgenre of rock as rock is a subgenre of blues as blues is a subgenre of music as music is a subgenre of sound as sound is a subgenre or sensation.

[CheezerRox]

I always considered it a sub-genre. My brother and I have actually argued about this. He said it was it's on genre, and I said a part of rock. Like someone said earlier, it's a faster, more aggressive version.

[Xaris3514]

Metal may have once been a sub-genre of rock, but it has evolved and grown so much, there is no WAY I would consider it anything short of its own genre.

[Rockbandfan23467]

Metal is a subgenre of rock as rock is a subgenre of blues as blues is a subgenre of music as music is a subgenre of sound as sound is a subgenre or sensation.

Funny.


But the first Rock music was more Country than Blues.

[Rockin_it_all_nite_long]

It can really be considered both. Metal was a progression of rock, and can be considered it's own genre, but it does share a lot of characteristics of rock... basically, I won't get my panties in a bunch if you say it's either way.


QFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mystlyfe77]

Funny.


But the first Rock music was more Country than Blues.

Say that to Chuck Berry, Jackie Brenston, Big Joe Turner, Bo Diddley, and Little Richard.



As for the original discussion, it's an issue I'm on the fence about. There are certainly a number of sub-forms of metal, but there are also a ton of sub-forms of punk as well. Rock, Metal, and Punk are all tied together, and have numerous hybrid-genres that fuse aspects together.
Ultimately, it's an ambiguous matter. Is bluegrass a form of country? Is rap a form of hip-hop? Techno, house, and trance? What about swing and jazz?

[Rockbandfan23467]

Say that to Chuck Berry, Jackie Brenston, Big Joe Turner, Bo Diddley, and Little Richard.

Let me revise my statement:

The first music that could be called rock was Rockabilly,which has more in common with Country than Blues. Not to say Blues had no influence, as many 50's Rockabilly artists artists had Blues as well as Country influences. Blues didn't become the only genre to influence Rock until the psycadelic era.

[Hastyl3]

I see Metal as it's own genre. It's faster, heavier, more technical, has it's own following, and wasn't created as a sub-genre but more it's own genre. Also, you can't put Metal and Pop-Punk in the same genre, it's just ridiculous.

[kirby_is_kyaan]

I think it's a subgenre. A very big subgenre, but a subgenre nonetheless. When I download music from iTunes, it lists it as Rock, and I don't change it. If it has electric guitars/bass, a drumset, and a lead singer at least, with the most being another rythm guitar, a million singers (that exception is for Bang Camaro), and so on, it is 95% of the time going to be rock.... and since this is the Internet, somebody's going to challenge my saying that.

[Ultimatum]

Why is this important?

[Ultimatum]

I think it's a subgenre. A very big subgenre, but a subgenre nonetheless. When I download music from iTunes, it lists it as Rock, and I don't change it. If it has electric guitars/bass, a drumset, and a lead singer at least, with the most being another rythm guitar, a million singers (that exception is for Bang Camaro), and so on, it is 95% of the time going to be rock.... and since this is the Internet, somebody's going to challenge my saying that.

iTunes puts things in the most basic of categories, using iTunes as a reference is a joke.

[Mystlyfe77]

I see Metal as it's own genre. It's faster, heavier, more technical, has it's own following, and wasn't created as a sub-genre but more it's own genre. Also, you can't put Metal and Pop-Punk in the same genre, it's just ridiculous.

It wasn't created as it's own genre at all. It morphed out of rock. It was inspired by bands like Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin, Iron Butterfly, and Deep Purple. Black Sabbath, the first "true" Heavy Metal band never heard the term "Heavy Metal" until several years after they started. They didn't form to create a new genre, they formed to play music they like (specifically blues-rock).

[RockBandRocker]

Metal is a sub-genre of Rock!

Rock is the main genre, with various sub-genres like Metal, Punk, Glam, Pop, etc.

[Hastyl3]

It wasn't created as it's own genre at all. It morphed out of rock. It was inspired by bands like Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin, Iron Butterfly, and Deep Purple. Black Sabbath, the first "true" Heavy Metal band never heard the term "Heavy Metal" until several years after they started. They didn't form to create a new genre, they formed to play music they like (specifically blues-rock).

They were a blues band, they decided "Let's make scary music."

Wala! You have metal!

[Mystlyfe77]

They were a blues band, they decided "Let's make scary music."

Wala! You have metal!

If by "decided" you mean that Iommi lost his fingertips, and "blues band" you mean blues-rock, then yes. Earth (Sabbath's old name) played covers of Cream, Hendrix, Blue Cheer, and whatnot.

[kirby_is_kyaan]

iTunes puts things in the most basic of categories, using iTunes as a reference is a joke.

So what if I line the pockets of Steve Jobs? Lol. And I know, I'm just too lazy to categorize my music otherwise.

[Rockbandfan23467]

What is a good authority to go to if you want to know what genre a band is?

[Ultimatum]

Not wikipedia.

Generally dedicated music boards, not games-that-happen-to-be-music-board like this one.

You'd get eaten alive in a music forum anyways.

[polishdog90]

Let me revise my statement:

The first music that could be called rock was Rockabilly,which has more in common with Country than Blues. Not to say Blues had no influence, as many 50's Rockabilly artists artists had Blues as well as Country influences. Blues didn't become the only genre to influence Rock until the psycadelic era.

I disagree. Many Rockabilly groups used the 12 bar blues form and blues vocal styles. Also they used blues instrumentation and the shuffle beat.

And also it depends on the artist. Like Johnny Cash definitely had more of a country influence and Elvis had more of a blues influence. But I would say that country and blues were equally influential in rockabilly.

[fatalvendetta]

Metal is it's own genre. Otherwise everything would be the same genre.
I think you don't understand the concept of the sub-genre.

[Nourez]

Metal (like Punk) has evolved so much in so much time that it is it's own genre.

This. The only things that metal, punk and rock have in common is the use of guitar and drums.

[polishdog90]

This. The only things that metal, punk and rock have in common is the use of guitar and drums.

They all use the "rock rhythm" 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

They all use Electric Guitar, Bass, Drums, and Lead Vocals

They all have a certain style or attitude

They all contain riffs or instruments as a melodic point of interest

They all contain Verse/Chorus song form

Those are the 5 rules of what is rock n' roll according to my history of rock book. Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part any band that follows these 5 rules is rock. According to these rules Metal and Punk would both be a part of Rock.

[Rockbandfan23467]

And also it depends on the artist. Like Johnny Cash definitely had more of a country influence and Elvis had more of a blues influence. But I would say that country and blues were equally influential in rockabilly.

That may be true, but Rockbilly seems to fit more as a Country sub-genre than a Blues sub-genre.

[Mystlyfe77]

The only things that metal, punk and rock have in common is the use of guitar and drums.

This statement is so horribly wrong I can't even fathom it.

[polishdog90]

This statement is so horribly wrong I can't even fathom it.

Yeah I was going to post some sort of fail thing, but then I decided to give an answer that might educate.

[Rockbandfan23467]

But we agree Rockabilly fits more as a Country sub-gemre than a Blues sub-genre, right?

[polishdog90]

But we agree Rockabilly fits more as a Country sub-gemre than a Blues sub-genre, right?

haha I'm still not so sure about that. I would say Rockabilly is a combination of the 2. I wouldn't say one influence is present more than the other in the genre, but individual artists have been influenced by country or blues more.

[Mystlyfe77]

Yeah I was going to post some sort of fail thing, but then I decided to give an answer that might educate.

I started to, but realized it would take me half an hour and far more effort than I'd enjoy to put forth all the similarities between them. :rolleyes:

[Rockbandfan23467]

haha I'm still not so sure about that. I would say Rockabilly is a combination of the 2. I wouldn't say one influence is present more than the other in the genre, but individual artists have been influenced by country or blues more.

But if you had to choose to put it as a Country subgenre or Blues subgenre, which one?

[Alright_Computer]

But if you had to choose to put it as a Country subgenre or Blues subgenre, which one?

I would put it as a combination of both. I wouldn't choose between the two.

[CheezerRox]

I see Metal as it's own genre. It's faster, heavier, more technical, has it's own following, and wasn't created as a sub-genre but more it's own genre. Also, you can't put Metal and Pop-Punk in the same genre, it's just ridiculous.

But you can put pop rock and grunge in the same genre and it's not ridiculus.


Why is this important?

It's an internet forum, it doesn't have to be about a life-changing subject.

[Mystlyfe77]

But you can put pop rock and grunge in the same genre and it's not rediculus.

Nothing is "rediculus." That's such a ridiculous way to spell ridiculous. ;)

[polishdog90]

But you can put pop rock and grunge in the same genre and it's not rediculus.

Not really. Just compare Black Sabbath and a death metal band (I would pick a specific, but I'm not very familiar with the genre). They are both metal but sound very different. Music evolves, but the roots stay the same. Kind of like a tree :D. I'm not even going to explain the metaphor I think you should get it.

[Insane3]

It's an internet forum, it doesn't have to be about a life-changing subject.

Hah! I'll repeat that every time someone ask about the importance of a subject.

[CheezerRox]

Nothing is "rediculus." That's such a ridiculous way to spell ridiculous. ;)

:D I was tired, alright? :p


Hah! I'll repeat that every time someone ask about the importance of a subject.

Haha, awesome.

@polishdog90: Well, compare folk rock to hardcore punk.