This is a list of music genres and styles. Music can be described in terms of many genres and styles. Classifications are often arbitrary, and may be disputed and closely related forms often overlap. Larger genres and styles comprise more specific sub-categories.

Classical

Popular

Avant-garde & experimental

Blues

• African blues • Blues rock • British blues • Canadian blues • Chicago blues • Classic female blues • Contemporary R&B • Country blues • Delta blues • Desert blues • Detroit blues • Electric blues • Gospel blues • Hill country blues • Hokum blues • Jump blues • Kansas City blues • Louisiana blues • Memphis blues • New Orleans blues • Piedmont blues • Punk blues • Rhythm and blues • *Doo-wop • Soul blues • St. Louis blues • Swamp blues • Talking blues • Texas blues • West Coast blues

Country

Easy listening

• Adult contemporary music • Adult standards • Background music • *Elevator music (muzak) • Barococo • Beautiful music • Chill-out • Downtempo • Furniture music • Light music • Lounge music • Middle of the road • New-age music • Soft rock

Electronic

Folk

• American folk revival • Americana • Anti-folk • British folk revival • Cajun music • Celtic music • Chalga • Corrido • Creole music • Filk • Folk noir • Folk rock • Folktronica • *Celtic rock • Freak folk • Indie folk • Industrial folk • Mariachi • *Ranchera • Neofolk • New Weird America • Progressive folk • Protest song • Psychedelic folk • Singer-songwriter • *Nueva canción • Skiffle • Sung poetry • Tarantella/Pizzica • Traditional blues verses

Hip hop

Jazz

• Acid jazz • Afro-Cuban jazz • Alt-jazz • Avant-garde jazz • Bebop • Big band • Boogie-woogie • Bossa nova • Brazilian jazz • British dance band • Cape jazz • Chamber jazz • Continental jazz • Cool jazz • Crossover jazz • Dixieland • Ethno jazz • European free jazz • Free funk • Free improvisation • Free jazz • Gypsy jazz • Hard bop • Jazz blues • Jazz-funk • Jazz fusion • Jazz rap • Jazz rock • Jazztronica • Kansas City jazz • Latin jazz • Livetronica • M-base • Mainstream jazz • Modal jazz • Neo-bop jazz • Neo-swing • Nu jazz • Orchestral jazz • Post-bop • Progressive jazz • Punk jazz • Samba-jazz • Shibuya-kei • Ska jazz • Smooth jazz • Soul jazz • Straight-ahead jazz • Stride jazz • Swing • Trad jazz • Third stream • Vocal jazz • West Coast jazz

Pop

• Adult contemporary • Adult hits • Alternative pop • Ambient pop • Arabic pop music • Art pop • Avant-pop • Baroque pop • Beach music • Bedroom pop • Brill building • Britpop • Bubblegum pop • C-pop • *Cantopop • *Hokkien pop • *Mandopop • Canción • Canzone • Chalga • Chamber pop • Chanson • Christian pop • Classic hits • Classical crossover • Contemporary hit radio • Country pop • Cringe pop • Dance-pop • Dark pop • Disco polo • Electropop • Europop • *Austropop • *Eurobeat • *French pop • *Italo dance • *Italo disco • *Laïkó • *Nederpop • *Neomelodic music • *Nordic popular music • *Russian pop • Fado • Folk pop • Hyperpop • Indie pop • *Twee pop • Indian pop • Iranian pop • J-pop • *Anime song • *City pop • *Shibuya-kei • Jangle pop • Jazz pop • K-pop • *Korean hip hop • *Korean rock • *T'ong guitar • *Trot • Latin ballad • Latin pop • *Mexican pop • New pop • New Romantic • Oldies • Operatic pop • OPM • *Pinoy pop • Pop rap • Pop rock • *Pop punk • **Emo pop • **Neon pop • *Power pop • *Soft rock • *Surf pop • *Yacht rock • Pop soul • Progressive pop • Psychedelic pop • Rebetiko • Rhythmic adult contemporary • Rhythmic contemporary • Rhythmic oldies • Schlager • Sophisti-pop • Space age pop • Sunshine pop • Swamp pop • Synth-pop • Teen pop • Traditional pop • Turbo-folk • Turkish pop • Urban adult contemporary • Urban contemporary music • Vispop • Wonky pop • Worldbeat • Yé-yé

R&B & soul

• Alternative R&B • Contemporary R&B • Disco • Freestyle • *Go-go • Funk • *Deep funk • *Minneapolis Sound • *Psychedelic funk • *Synth-funk • Gospel music • *Southern gospel • *Urban contemporary gospel • New jack swing • Post-disco • *Boogie • Rhythm and blues • *Doo-wop • Soul • *Blue-eyed soul • *Brown-eyed soul • *Cinematic soul • *Classic soul • *Hip hop soul • *Neo soul • *Northern soul • *Progressive soul • *Psychedelic soul • *Quiet storm • *Southern soul

Rock

• Active rock • Adult album alternative • Adult-oriented rock • Afro rock • Album oriented rock • Alternative rock • *Alternative dance • *Britpop • **Post-Britpop • *College rock • *Dream pop • **Shoegaze • ***Blackgaze • *Grunge • **Post-grunge • **Soft grunge • *Indie rock • **Dunedin sound • **Kindie rock • **Math rock • **Midwest emo • **Post-punk revival • **Slacker rock • *Madchester • **Baggy • *Noise pop • *Sadcore • *Slowcore • American rock • Anatolian rock • Arabic rock • Arena rock • Beat • *British Invasion • *Freakbeat • *Mod (subculture) • *Nederbeat • Blues rock • *Boogie rock • Brazilian rock • *Samba rock • British rhythm and blues • British rock music • Chamber pop • Chinese rock • Christian rock • Classic alternative • Classic rock • Comedy rock • Country rock • Dark cabaret • Death 'n' roll • Deathrock • Desert rock • Electronic rock • *Electroclash • *Electronicore • *New wave • **Cold wave • **Dark wave • ***Ethereal wave • Emo • Experimental rock • *Art rock • *Industrial rock • *Post-punk • **Dance-punk • **Dance-rock • **Gothic rock • **No wave • **Noise rock • *Post-rock • **Post-metal • Folk rock • *British folk rock • *Celtic rock • *Medieval folk rock • Funk rock • Garage rock • *Proto-punk • Geek rock • Glam rock • Gothic rock • *Pagan rock • Hard rock • Heartland rock • Heavy metal • Indian rock • Iranian rock • Instrumental rock • Japanese rock • Jazz fusion • *Jazz rock • Korean rock • Latin rock • *Chicano rock • *Rock en español • *Rock music in Mexico • Mainstream rock • Mangue bit • Modern rock • New wave of classic rock • Occult rock • Paisley Underground • Pop rock • *Jangle pop • *Power pop • *Soft rock • **Yacht rock • Progressive rock • *Art rock • *Avant-prog • **Rock in Opposition • *Canterbury scene • *Flamenco rock • *Krautrock • *Neo-prog • *New prog • *Post-progressive • *Progressive rock (radio format) • *Proto-prog • *Space rock • *Symphonic Rock • *Zeuhl • Psychedelic rock • *Acid rock • *Freak scene • *Neo-psychedelia • *Raga rock • Pub rock (Australia) • Pub rock (United Kingdom) • Punk rock • Rap rock • *Rapcore • Reggae rock • Rock and roll • *Rockabilly • **Gothabilly • **Hellbilly • **Psychobilly • Rock music in France • Rock opera • Roots rock • Southern rock • Stoner rock • Swamp rock • Sufi rock • Surf rock • Tropical rock • Viking rock • Visual kei • *Nagoya kei • Wizard rock • Worldbeat • World fusion

Metal

• Alternative metal • *Funk metal • *Nu metal • *Rap metal • Avant-garde metal • *Drone metal • *Post-metal • Black metal • *Depressive suicidal black metal • *Blackened death metal • *Atmospheric black metal • *Blackgaze • *Melodic black metal • *National Socialist black metal • *Symphonic black metal • *Viking metal • Christian metal • *Unblack metal • Death metal • *Death 'n' roll • *Deathgrind • *Melodic death metal • *Technical death metal • *Brutal death metal • *Slam death metal • Doom metal • *Death-doom • *Stoner-doom • Extreme metal • Folk metal • *Celtic metal • *Medieval metal • *Pagan metal • Glam metal • Gothic metal • Industrial metal • Kawaii metal • Latin metal • Math metal • Metalcore • *Deathcore • *Mathcore • *Melodic metalcore • *Progressive metalcore • Neoclassical metal • Neue Deutsche Härte • New wave of American heavy metal • New wave of British heavy metal • Nintendocore • Pirate metal • Pop metal • Power metal • Progressive metal • *Djent • Sludge metal • Speed metal • Symphonic metal • Thrash metal • *Crossover thrash • *Groove metal

Punk

• Afro-punk • Anarcho punk • *Crust punk • **D-beat • Art punk • Avant punk • Christian punk • Crust punk • Deathrock • Electropunk • *Cyberpunk • *Dance-punk • *Digital hardcore • *Dreampunk • *Synth punk • Folk punk • *Celtic punk • *Cowpunk • *Gypsy punk • *Scottish Gaelic punk • Garage punk • German punk • Glam punk • Gothic punk • Grindcore • *Crustgrind • *Electrogrind • *Goregrind • *Noisegrind • *Pornogrind • Hardcore punk • *Bardcore • *Beatdown hardcore • *Christian hardcore • *Crabcore • *Crunkcore • *Electronicore • *Krishnacore • *Melodic hardcore • *Positive hardcore • *Post-hardcore • *Queercore • *Taqwacore • *Emo • **Emo pop • **Screamo • *Powerviolence • *Street punk • Horror punk • Latino punk • Nazi punk • Oi! • Pop punk • *Easycore • *Neon pop • Post-punk • *Dance-punk • *Post-punk revival • Proto-punk • Psychobilly • *Punkabilly • Punk blues • Punk jazz • Punk pathetique • Punk rap • Reggae punk • Riot grrrl • Ska punk • Skate punk • Street punk • Surf punk • Trallpunk

Regional

African

• African heavy metal • African hip hop • African popular music • Afro pop • Afrobeat • Afrobeats • Afro house • Amapiano • Apala • Arabesque • Afro tech • Benga • Bikutsi • Bongo flava • Boomba • Bubu music • Cape jazz • Chaabi • Chalga • Chaoui music • Chimurenga • Congolese rumba • Coupé-Décalé • Fuji music • Genge • Gnawa • Gqom • Gumbe • Highlife • Hiplife • Igbo highlife • Igbo rap • Ikorodo • Ikwokirikwo • Isicathamiya • Jit • Jùjú • Kadongo Kamu • Kizomba • Kuduro • Kwaito • Kwela • Lingala • Makossa • Maloya • Ma'luf • Marabi • Marrabenta • Maskandi • Mbalax • Mbaqanga • Mbube • Morna • Music of Egypt • Music of Nigeria • Ndombolo • Owerri Bongo • Ojapiano • Palm-wine • Raï • Rumba • Sakara • Sega • Seggae • Semba • Shangaan electro • Soukous • *Kwassa kwassa • Taarab • Zamrock • Zouglou

Antarctica

Asian

• ;Central Asian • Shashmaqam • Pashto music • Kazakh folk music • Kyrgyz folk music • Mongolian folk music • *Tuvan throat singing • Tajik folk music • ;East Asian • Chinese: • C-pop • *Cantopop • *Hokkien pop • *Mandopop • Chinese hip hop • Chinese folk music • Chinese rock • Hong Kong, China: • Hong Kong English pop • Hong Kong hip hop • Taiwanese: • Taiwanese hip hop • Taiwanese pop • Taiwanese rock • Japanese: • Anime song • Enka • J-pop • Japanese hip hop • Japanese jazz • Japanese rock • Kayōkyoku • Korean: • K-pop • Korean folk music • Korean hip hop • Korean rock • Trot • ;South Asian • Asian Underground • Baul • Bhangra • Bhawaiya • Dappankuthu • Dohori • Filmi • Indian classical • *Carnatic • *Hindustani classical • Indian jazz • Indian pop • Indian rock • *Raga rock • Lavani • Morlam • Ragini • Sufi rock • Sri Lankan: • Baila • Sri Lankan hip hop • ;Southeast Asian • Malaysian: • Malaysian hip hop • Malaysian pop • Malaysian rock • Indonesian: • Gamelan • Dangdut • Indo pop • *Sundanese pop • Keroncong • Thai: • Luk thung • *Luk krung • Thai pop • *Thai string pop • Filipino: • Manila sound • *Original Pilipino • Pinoy pop • Pinoy rock • Lao: • L-pop • Mor lam • Vietnamese: • V-pop

Australasia & Oceania

European

• ;Balkan States • Balkan music • *Balkan brass • *Balkan folk music • *Music of Albania • *Music of Bosnia and Herzegovina • **Sevdalinka • *Music of Bulgaria • *Music of Cyprus • *Music of Greece • *Music of Kosovo • *Music of Montenegro • *Music of North Macedonia • *Music of Romania • **Romani music • ***Manele • ***Gypsy music • ;Baltic States • Lithuanian folk music • Music of Estonia • Music of Latvia • ;Caucasus • Music of Armenia • Music of Azerbaijan • Music of Georgia (country) • ;Central European States • Music of Austria • *Viennese waltz • *Yodeling • Music of Croatia • Music of the Czech Republic • *Polka • Music of Germany • Music of Hungary • Music of Liechtenstein • Music of Poland • *Polka • Music of Serbia • Music of Slovakia • Music of Slovenia • Music of Switzerland • *Yodeling • ;Nordic/Scandinavian States • Nordic folk music • *Music of Denmark • **Danish traditional music • *Music of Finland • **Rautalanka (Finnish surf-rock) • *Music of Iceland • *Music of Norway • *Music of Sweden • *Music of the Faroe Islands • *Viking metal • ;Slavic States • Klezmer • Music of Belarus • Music of Moldova • Music of Russia • *Music of Buryatia • *Russian folk music • Music of Ukraine • Music of Yugoslavia • ;Western European • Music of Andorra • Music of Belgium • Music of France • Music of Ireland • *Celtic music • Music of Italy • Music of Luxembourg • Music of Malta • Music of Monaco • Music of the Netherlands • Music of Portugal • Music of Spain • Music of the United Kingdom • *Britpop • *Music of Scotland • *Music of Wales

Latin & South American

• ;Brazilian • Axé • Brazilian rock • Brega • * Tecnobrega • Choro • Forró • Frevo • Funk carioca • Lambada • * Zouk-Lambada • Maracatu • Música popular brasileira • * Tropicalia • Música sertaneja • Samba • * Pagode • * Samba rock • ;Caribbean • Baithak Gana • Bouyon • Cadence-lypso • Calypso • Cha-cha-chá • Chutney • *Chutney soca • *Chutney parang • Compas • Dancehall • Mambo • Mento • Merengue • Méringue • Mozambique • Pichakaree • Punta • Punta rock • Rasin • Reggae • *Dub • *Lovers rock • *Ragga • *Reggae fusion • *Ragga jungle • **Reggae rock • *Reggaeton • **Alternative reggaeton • **Moombahton • *Roots reggae • Rocksteady • Rumba • Salsa • Ska • *Ska punk • *Two-tone • Soca • *Power soca • Son cubano • Songo • Timba • Twoubadou • Zouk • ;Hispanic • Boogaloo • Bullerengue • Flamenco • *Cantes de ida y vuelta • *Fandangos • *Soleá • **Alegrías • **Bulerías • **Peteneras • *Tango • *Toná • **Martinetes • **Tonás • Grupera • Hispanic rhythmic • Latin Christian • Latin pop • *Latin ballad • Latin rock • *Latin alternative • *Rock en Español • Latin jazz • *Afro-Cuban jazz • *Bossa nova • Mariachi • Ranchera • Reggaeton • *Latin trap • Regional Mexican • *Banda • *Norteño • Tango • Tropical • *Bachata • *Bolero • *Criolla • *Cumbia • **Chicha • **Porro • *Guajira • *Mambo • *Merengue • *Música popular (Colombia) • *Rumba • *Salsa • **Salsa romántica • *Son • *Tejano • *Timba • *Tropipop • *Urbano music • *Vallenato

North American

• American rock • Canadian folk music • Indigenous music of North America • Inuit music • *Music of Alaska • *Indigenous music of Canada • *Music of Greenland • Ragtime • *Cakewalk • *Classic rag • *Folk ragtime • *Honky-tonk piano • *Novelty piano • *Stomp • *Stride piano • Swing music

Religious

Traditional folk

Other

These categories are not exhaustive. A music platform, Gracenote, listed more than 2000 music genres (included by those created by ordinary music lovers, who are not involved within the music industry, these being said to be part of a 'folksonomy', i.e. a taxonomy created by non-experts). Most of these genres were created by music labels to target new audiences, however classification is useful to find music and distribute it.