Regardless of your tastes, there are several genres of music that you should know about and explore on Spotify. These genres include metal, emo, otacore, and more. Each one of these genres has its own style and unique sound that you should try to get to know.
Every Noise at Once
Powered by the data alchemist that is Glenn McDonald, Every Noise at Once is a data-driven website that uses the Spotify Web API to give users a glimpse into the world of music. The resulting website allows users to search for bands, browse through genres, and sample new music via 30 second clips.
The site has about a dozen subpages, with a selection of playlists and music related articles on the go. One of the most interesting is the “World Browser,” which provides a comprehensive list of editorial programming for each of the dozens of countries represented on Spotify. It also gives you a taste of the company’s editorial programming in a single country.
The map itself is a nifty little beast. It shows a surprisingly high degree of detail, as its components are not only synchronized, but also calibrated. Using 13 different audio dimensions, the site’s designers managed to construct a map that actually reveals the secrets of how people listen to music.
The site’s genre pages are similarly mapped out, with “bouncier” bands at the top and more organic acts near the bottom. There’s even a list of notable bands in the category, which is a nice touch.
Receiptify
Creating a receipt for your Spotify music is possible with Receiptify. This open-source web application works by connecting with your Spotify account and turning your most listened to songs into a receipt. It then saves the image for you. Afterwards, you can share it on social media.
It’s a fun way to see how you’ve listened to your favorite songs over the last six months or a year. The app creates a nice, beautiful picture based on the tracks you’ve listened to. You can also find out which artists you’re listening to most often. The app also rates the energy and happiness of the songs you’ve listened to.
Receiptify is free to use. You can download it from the Apple Store, or you can sign in using your Apple account. It’s also available in other languages.
One of the biggest features of the app is the “Receiptify Last Month.” The app gathers your most listened to songs from the past month and compiles them into a neat, organized receipt.
Another app, Obscurify, also uses the API to rank artists and tracks. Its ranking system is based on your Spotify account information. It uses a variety of criteria to rate the energy, danceability, and happiness of songs you’ve listened to.
Distractify
Using the Spotify app on your phone or tablet, you can browse through a plethora of playlists that are categorized by genre. You can also scour the charts and compare yourself with your music-loving peers. In the music space, the major labels have made their presence felt. For example, Sony purchased AWAL/Kobalt in 2021, making them one of the few major players in the ‘independent’ distribution business. This gives them the clout to curate their own lists of worthy tunes.
Although the Spotify app has a number of features, the company’s playlists are the best place to start for your daily fix of musical mayhem. It’s also a great way to see what your friends and family are listening to. This is the ideal way to discover new artists and bands. Besides, you’re bound to hear from a few of your favorite music buffs in the process.
The true multi-tasker is Spotify’s newest member, the Bad Bunny. Its debut LP, Born Pink, hit the top of the charts in a little over twenty years. The group has been credited with being the first girl group to reach the top of the pops in that span of time, which may have something to do with its music appeal.
Otacore
‘Otacore’ is a term used to describe music that is influenced by anime culture. This genre consists of songs that blend elements of pop, rock, and punk sounds. Those who are familiar with the genre will recognize popular Otacore artists such as Linked Horizon, Ken Ashcorp, and Toby Fox.
There are no clear rules or blueprints for creating Otacore tracks. Rather, musicians create songs that compliment anime imagery, characters, scenes, and themes. The Otacore style is also loose, and may eventually take on a new direction.
The origins of Otacore can be traced to Japan. Japanese musicians are responsible for a number of Otacore hits. The genre has grown in popularity due to platforms such as Spotify.
Otacore has a strong fan base, with millions of devoted followers worldwide. Fans often enjoy the music because it is reminiscent of popular media. It’s common to find anime characters and anime girls in the thumbnails for Otacore videos on YouTube.
Many Otacore artists have found success in the mainstream music industry. Toby Fox, an American composer and video game developer, has created multiple playlists for the genre. His work has been nominated for numerous awards. He has also composed soundtracks for popular anime series.
Escape room
Unlike the plethora of genres currently on offer on Spotify, the elusive genre identifier is not a figment of one’s imagination. Instead, it is the product of a sophisticated algorithm that replicates tiers across all micro-genres. The top-of-the-line tier, dubbed the “genre” by some, features a mix of genres that include the ubiquitous pop, electronic, and hip-hop. Its triumvirate of subgenres are the aforementioned pop, along with electropop, and indie-soul. A cursory scan of the genre’s end-of-year lists reveals that it has been on the docket for at least the past few years.
The top-of-the-line aforementioned tier is augmented by a flurry of smaller sized tiers that feature a surprisingly plethora of notable genres. The end-of-year list o’ goods features a trio of eponymous subgenres that include pop, electropop, and indie-soul. The end-of-year list enumerates a handful of recognizable names like REI AMI, Kilo Kish, and M.I.A., in addition to the aforementioned COBRAH.
Although it is impossible to know for sure, a cursory scan of the aforementioned genre’s end-of-year lists confirms that the genre’s aficionado is in good company. The genre’s most famous and influential aficionado is certainly in the know. This is particularly true when it comes to the genre’s most intriguing and interesting incarnations, namely electropop and indie-soul.
Emo
Whether you’re a music fan or simply haven’t heard the genre before, emo is a subgenre of indie rock that’s often associated with angsty, sometimes sad lyrics. Its origins go back to the 1980s, when the post-hardcore punk movement began to spread across the country. The genre has since grown and evolved into a number of different subgenres. It’s also become a staple of many media forms.
As early as the ’90s, the emo scene was growing on the West Coast. Its success was fueled by a display of sentimentality that appealed to young audiences. Its lyrics are often melancholy and portrayed feelings of heartbreak and anxiety. The lyrics are often expressed in the form of a whisper or a shout, with lyrics such as “open the curtains,” or “look at the sun.”
In the mid-2000s, emo started to become popular again. A new wave of emo bands emerged, such as Weezer and My Chemical Romance. These bands embraced the emo sound with more mature and ambitious albums.
The emo genre branched out into several subgenres. One of the most well-known is Pierce the Veil. The band features a soaring vocalist. Their song “Besitos” features a Mexican-inspired guitar intro.
Metal
Streaming services like Spotify have been playing a big role in the modern metal scene. It’s a surefire way to get discovered and get your music out there. And it’s also a great way to sample music before you buy.
The study shows that metal is one of the most loyal genres of listeners in the world. While other genres, such as pop, have seen their overall number of listeners drop, metal artists have outperformed the rest of the pack.
The study, which was conducted by Spotify Insights, measured how many streams were listened to by the average listener for each artist. Then, the company normalized the data against each genre. Ultimately, metal took the top spot.
The report also showed that the majority of metal artists have twice as many listeners in the United States as in other countries. This means that more of them are listening to their own music, which may be a signal that their fan base is changing.
The report prompted typical responses from the mainstream media. It was interpreted as a close-minded view of the music industry. And it could be argued that metalheads are fixated on core artists. But in reality, the report shows that devoted fans are looking for ways to connect with their favorite artists. They may attend hyper-specific music festivals, or use music streaming services as personalized sources of curation.
