Music Genres
Country Music
All Music Guide
Country music is about tradition, yet its simple form lends itself to endless variations on similar themes. Like blues -- the two genres often shared themes, melodies and songs -- country is a simple music at its core. Most of its songs are built around three chords and a plain melody, but these forms are so basic, they allow for many different styles, from the gritty sounds of honky tonk to the jazzy improvisations of Western Swing. Country music grew out of American Southern folk music, both Appalachian and blues, and old-time country was simple and folky, with just guitars and fiddles. As the genre progressed, old time music evolved into the rhythmic guitar-and-fiddle driven traditional country that became the foundation of modern country music, from honky tonk and Western Swing to the pop-oriented Countrypolitan and rock-inflected Bakersfield Sound.
Back to the topStyles of Country
Traditional Country
Traditional Bluegrass Old-Timey Traditional Country
Cowboy Yodeling Bluegrass
String Bands Country Gospel Instrumental Country
Country Boogie Close Harmony Square Dance
Jug Band Bluegrass-Gospel
Alternative Country
Alternative Country-Rock Alternative Country
Americana Neo-Traditional Folk
Contemporary Country
Contemporary Country New Traditionalist
Neo-Traditionalist Country Contemporary Bluegrass
Country-Pop
Country-Pop Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan
Urban Cowboy
Folk/Country Rock
Country-Rock Folk-Pop
Singer/Songwriter Folk-Rock
British Folk-Rock
Honky Tonk
Honky Tonk Bakersfield Sound
Truck Driving Country
Progressive Country
Progressive Bluegrass Progressive Country
Country-Folk Outlaw Country
Rodeo
Western Swing
Western Swing Western Swing Revival
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