Music Genres and their Target Audiences
The first part of my research for my main task is to study some different
genres of music before I choose the genre I will base my main print product on.
The range of publications reflects the range of music genres that the consumers
enjoy. Institutions choose to create magazines for in order to produce a
profit, with genres of:
Rock
Grunge
Metal
Alternative/Indie
Classical
Jazz
Folk
Country and Western
Pop
Reggae
R&B
Rap
I will research six genres; Indie pop, Rock, Heavy Metal, Reggae, Jazz and
Modern Folk, including information on its origins, the type of music, key
artists, the most popular magazines and the primary target audience for each
genre.
Indie pop:
Indie pop is a sub-genre of alternative rock, which is derived from late
21st century pop and post-punk, using typical rock instruments of drums, bass
guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals and quite often a keyboard. The main audience for indie pop is 16-30 years
old of both genders and of any sexuality; typically white people in bands E-C1
in the social class demographic. Leading magazines for this genre are Kerrang!
and NME, and the audience consumes these magazines to get information, for
entertainment, socialization, distraction and personal identity, following
Blumler and Katz’s theory (1974).
Examples of popular, current indie pop artists are Bon Iver, Bastille, Dog
Is Dead and Ellie Goulding.
Dog
Is Dead – Teenage Daughter
Rock:
Rock music is very broad genre of popular music that originates from many
different genres including folk, classical, jazz, r&b and country.
Depending on the sound the artist wishes to produce, a large range of
instrument can be used, including vocals (clean and unclean), electric guitar,
acoustic guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards and synths. The main audience
started as a male orientated group, but as the genre has progressed, I think
the audience has broadened to mixed genders of age 16- 50, generally, and of
any sexuality, typically white people in bands E-C1 in the social class
demographic. Leading magazines for this genre are Kerrang! and NME, as shown
above, and the audience consumes these magazines to get information, for
entertainment, socialization, distraction and personal identity, following
Blumler and Katz’s theory (1974). Some popular rock artists include Deaf
Havana, You Me At Six, Bring Me The Horizon and My Chemical Romance, however
this is a range and therefore each would fit into a different sub-genre within
rock.
You
Me At Six – Stay With Me
An
article for rock music is:
Heavy Metal:
Heavy metal music is another genre of rock music that was developed in the
UK in the 1960’s. Like general rock, heavy metal is influenced by many
different genres such as grunge, hip-hop and punk. Metal uses the same instruments
as Rock. The main audience is a niche audience, typically of males aged 18-50,
although there are a lot of females into the genre and also people outside of
those age brackets, who are of any sexuality, typically white people in bands
E-C1 in the social class demographic. Leading magazines for this genre are
Kerrang! and NME, as shown above, and the audience consumes these magazines to
get information, for entertainment, socialization, distraction and personal
identity, following Blumler and Katz’s theory (1974). Some examples are Iron
Maiden, Of Mice & Men, Metallica and Led Zeppelin.
Of
Mice & Men – Second & Sebring
An article
about metal music is:
Reggae:
Reggae music originated in Jamaica in the 1960’s. Reggae traditionally uses
more of a range of instruments than the previous genres, such as guitars (bass,
acoustic and electric), organs, brass instruments and a range or percussion
instruments, including various drums. This gives the music a more laid back,
calming and celebratory sound. The typical audience for reggae music started as
Jamaicans of both genders, any sexuality and typically black people in bands
E-D in the social class demographic, but this genre has become more culturally
diverse and is now popular around the world. Leading Reggae magazines include
United Reggae and Reggaeville (online magazine), and the audience consumes
these magazines to get information, for entertainment, socialization,
distraction and personal identity, following Blumler and Katz’s theory (1974).
Popular Reggae artists include Bob Marley, Beenie Man, Peter Tosh and
Dennis Brown.
Bob
Marley – No Woman No Cry
An article about Reggae music is:
Jazz:
Jazz music was created in the early 20th century in southern
North America. It uses few or many instruments, from a single saxophone to a
whole orchestra of brass instruments with piano, drums, guitar and many more.
The audience for jazz music is people of middle age upwards, however with
things like school jazz orchestras the genre is appreciated by people younger
than this primary audience. The primary audience are generally in bands C1- A,
of both genders and any sexuality. The genre started with a black audience, but
now the genre is more diverse and is enjoyed by black and white audiences. Leading
Jazz magazines include Jazzwise and DownBeat, and the audience consumes these
magazines to get information, for entertainment, socialization, distraction and
personal identity, following Blumler and Katz’s theory (1974).
Louis
Armstrong – When The Saints Go Marching In
An
article about jazz music is:
Folk:
Folk music originated much earlier than the previous genres, from before
the 19th century; just under the term ‘world music’ before a more specific title of
folk was used. Folk music uses a huge range of instruments, but common in the
UK are ones such as fiddle, tenor saxophone, ukulele, guitar and accordion. The
main audience for folk music is 35+ of both genders, with some appreciation
form people younger than this border. Typically the primary audience is in
bands D-C2, of any sexuality and ethnicity. Leading folk magazines include Acoustic
magazine and the audience consumes these magazines to get information, for
entertainment, socialization, distraction and personal identity, following
Blumler and Katz’s theory (1974).
Popular folk artists include Bombay Bicycle Club, Mumford & Sons, Ed
Sheeran and Damien Rice.
Mumford
& Sons – I Will Wait
An article about folk music is:
Good initial research into genre, well done!
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