The Genre Starter Guides series explores musical styles through a handful of essential albums. Each guide introduces listeners to a genre’s core sound and history while suggesting albums that make the best entry points.
If you’re curious about exploring new sounds, these music genre guides introduce the essential albums that define each style.
And if you’d rather explore other genres through a favorite artist, check out our If You Like This Artist series.
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Five Boundary-Pushing Experimental Rock Albums (A Deeper Dive)
Experimental rock is one of those genres everyone recognizes but no one can quite define. Most listeners first encounter it through albums that stretch rock music without completely… Continue Reading
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A Beginner’s Guide to Synth-Pop: 5 Albums That Define the Sound
Picture this. You step into a small club sometime around 1981. The lights are low. Everything has that metallic glow you only get from old chrome fixtures and… Continue Reading
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Beginner’s Guide to Post-Rock (It’s Not Just Crescendos)
Post-rock is one of the most misunderstood genres in modern music. Ask someone what it sounds like and you’ll likely hear a version of the same description: instrumental… Continue Reading
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An Art-Pop Starter Guide (For Listeners Willing to Sit With the Strange)
Art-pop has always existed in a slightly uncomfortable space. It borrows the structure of pop music but resists pop’s usual promises. The hooks are there, but they can… Continue Reading
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A Beginner’s Guide to Krautrock
There’s no question that krautrock can seem intimidating. For a lot of listeners, the name alone feels off-putting. It sounds rigid. Mechanical. Like something you’re supposed to study… Continue Reading
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A Beginner’s Guide to Experimental Rock Albums
When I was younger, I would roll my eyes at albums labeled “experimental” and wouldn’t even bother checking them out. Not because I wasn’t interested in a different… Continue Reading