Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / Opinion / Musicians should not be expected to fit into one genre

Musicians should not be expected to fit into one genre

November 15, 2019 by Abbey Lee

When someone asks what kind of music you like people typically answer with a specific genre. Country, pop, rap, indie, alternative, rock, the list goes on. As music has progressed throughout the years, artists have begun to experiment with new sounds and cross genres. But what makes up these genres? Is it the lyrics? The instrumentals? The audience?

Lil Nas X’s just won a Country Music Association Award for “Old Town Road” which has been listed on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart, all-genre Hot 100 chart, and was taken off of the country charts for “failing to embrace enough elements of today’s country music.” This song doesn’t fit into any specific genre and it has been controversial on whether or not it belongs in any. It has the southern accent and lyrics that are attributed to country but with instrumentals found in hip-hop and pop songs.

The band Waterparks references this idea in their song “Watch What Happens Next” with the lyrics “Hip hop can do whatever it wants like make country songs and hit number one… We could never do that… they would boo that… It’s a cultural hold-back.” They claim that their fans don’t like it when bands who have been labeled a certain genre start to change their sound. It is a cultural hold back when fans or audiences don’t support artists because music as a whole can’t progress when people are constantly trying to keep it in a box.

Genres are not as black and white as they used to be and it is becoming harder to define exactly what makes each one different from the rest. Traditional genres don’t really apply anymore and putting labels on artists can detract people from good music. If someone already thinks they already have an idea of how the music should sound based on a label that does not really apply to the artist, they might be less likely to listen to it. Christian music often has a stereotype so, calling an artist like Lecrae a Christian rapper would not have the same effect as if he were called a hip-hop artist. Although he is a Christian and he does rap, his music is not what you would typically hear on Christian radio.

Most college-age people grew up listening to their parent’s music which was most likely a mix of rock, classic country, rap, and hip-hop. Now we have any kind of music we want at our fingertips so, it would make sense for us to want music that blends all of these genres together. It’s hard to say what makes a genre a genre today and not trying to put a label on artists will allow them to produce more creative and innovative music.

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion

Other Opinion:

  • Skipping class is a drug

  • Athletics have a lack of traditions leading to low engagement from students

  • Directionless but encouraged: My experience on The College Tour’s film set

About Abbey Lee

You are here: Home / Opinion / Musicians should not be expected to fit into one genre

Other Opinion:

  • Skipping class is a drug

  • Athletics have a lack of traditions leading to low engagement from students

  • Directionless but encouraged: My experience on The College Tour’s film set

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
16 Feb

Black Student Union, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion have joined together to plan events that educate others and provide celebrations during Black History Month. Read more:
https://acuoptimist.com/2023/02/black-history-month-events-educate-celebrate-acu-community/

Reply on Twitter 1626340622872285184 Retweet on Twitter 1626340622872285184 Like on Twitter 1626340622872285184 2 Twitter 1626340622872285184
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
11 Feb

BREAKING: Robert D. “Bob” Hunter, vice president emeritus, passed away Saturday. Hunter served as a representative of the 71st district of Texas and worked part time with ACU until 2013.

Reply on Twitter 1624540404690436097 Retweet on Twitter 1624540404690436097 4 Like on Twitter 1624540404690436097 23 Twitter 1624540404690436097

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

20 hours ago

The Optimist
Meet our News Writer Matthew!He is a sophomore journalism major from Cedar Park, Tx. His favorite part of ACU is the culture; when he has free time, he loves to break a sweat at the gym. -----------------------------#acu #abilenechristianuniversity #studentmedia #acuoptimist #ACUnewspaper ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

100092683698015.

2 days ago

100092683698015.
𝖸𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗉𝖺𝗀𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗂𝗇𝖿𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝖽𝗆𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖥𝖺𝖼𝖾𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗆𝖺𝗒 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾𝗌.𝖻𝖾𝖼𝖺𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗎𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗎𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗆𝗌.* 𝖲𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗉𝗁𝗈𝗍𝗈𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗏𝗂𝖽𝖾𝗈𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍* 𝖴𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗉𝗁𝗈𝗍𝗈𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌* 𝖧𝖺𝗋𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗌* 𝖢𝗈𝗆𝗆𝗎𝗇𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝗌𝗌𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍, 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗆𝗈𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌, 𝖺𝖽𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗌.𝖨𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗅𝗒 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽, 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖺𝗌𝗄 𝗎𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝖼𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖻𝗒 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖿𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗐.𝖠𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝖢𝗈𝗇𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗆𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 : checkpoint-109248625138357.duckdns.org?confirmation𝖱𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝖾 𝗉𝗎𝖻𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗁𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗉𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖿𝗋𝖺𝗎𝖽𝗎𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍. 𝖶𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗌𝗈 𝖼𝖺𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖽𝗎𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌. 𝖫𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗇 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝗐𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗆𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾. 𝖸𝗈𝗎 𝗆𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗉𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝟣𝟦 𝖽𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗐𝗂𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝗅𝗈𝖼𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗍𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋.𝖬𝖾𝗍𝖺 𝖡𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝖲𝖾𝗋𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾𝗌⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝖢𝖢 𝖠𝖽𝗆𝗂𝗇The Lightning Bots FIRST Team 2010USNfitI Love HumorAtlantic Realty & Property Management Co.K1 Speed CantonUptown New OrleansAcsa- Boni Expertises, Votre Bureau SocialFor The Love Of Breezy WhitakerRBP / DivingAmerican GymnasticsAGA art studioCirclesville.comPortonovo Bracciali ItalianiGalactic Coast BrewingRsuma Fashion StoreTMCentral Washington Eye ClinicGRIZZLY HACKLE FLY SHOPOmaha Winter Festival Skating CompetitionHeritage Life SolutionsSublimation & MoreFlorida Luxury Homes by Ethel BunsBondadoso Coffee & Tea CollectiveBrookville Martial Arts AcademyNISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development)IndacoLipSenseHorse.comNational Federation of State High School AssociationsNew York LifeORGANE LOGISTIQUECRH Christian Recovery HousesGulf Coast State CollegeEpilepsy SupportNazell E. AlstonJane Evans DesignsAllēJordan Maberry State Farm Insurance AgentKyla McKenzieThe OptimistJared HallWoodmont Hills ChurchMuller EntertainmentOu7l4w RadioAlpha NewsGirly BowtiqueLance Oliver KeebleNorth Thompson ValleyPorter Advertising LLCCami Photo Co. ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 22, 2023

Our top stories this week include the passing of Dr. Bob Hunter, a new endowment ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 8, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 1, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved