Music Madness
2025-07-15 08:26
I wanted to listen to more music in 2025. So obviously I created a kanban board with 1 card per music genre from Rate Your Musics list of Genres and figured I can listen to the nr 1 rated album in each category. Then I should be able to say I gave most types of music a fair chance while figuring out what I like and don't like.
So the first thing I noticed is that there were a few more genres than I initially thought. A lot more. And I didn't even go deeper than 2 sub-levels of genras.
534 genres. As a friend said "So if you do 3 a day, it’ll only take you 2/3 of a year".
Seems resonable. And if I don't do it, take a break or take longer - who cares. This is ment to help me along one of my 2025 themes, "experience more art and culture" which has been really underprioritized in my life up until this point.
The rating system
Adopted from Pitchforks old rating system (found in sidebar on this archived site) to work with RYMs 5 star with half star system.
| Star Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| ★★★★★ | Essential, Spectacular |
| ★★★★½ | Amazing, maybe a few very tiny flaws. Exceptional; will likely rank among my top ten albums of the year, Very good |
| ★★★★ | Very good |
| ★★★½ | Above average; enjoyable |
| ★★★ | Not brilliant, but nice enough |
| ★★½ | Has its moments, but isn't strong |
| ★★ | Mediocre; not good, but not awful, Just below average; bad outweighs good by just a little bit |
| ★½ | Definitely below average, but a few redeeming qualities |
| ★ | Heard worse, but still pretty bad; Awful; not a single pleasant track |
| ½ | Breaks new ground for terrible |
Genres listened to
Alright, here we go. The first batch of genres I listened to.
Ambient Americana
Made using traditional Americana and Country instrumentation, typically to evoke a pastoral atmosphere.
Nr1 album Dick Slessig - Wichita Lineman / Guinnevere was not on Tidal so jumped to nr 2: Old Saw - Country Tropics
Weeds tumbling across the desert as we drive along some Arizona highway. Not my cup of tea but interesting. Ambient Americana, sounds exactly like I would have suspected I guess.
Solid two stars ★★
Ambient
Combines the theory and atmosphere of Ambient with traditional instruments and sounds from around the globe.
Strange, but not to strange. Expected more strange.
”Bit”ish somehow. Not to memorable.
Don’t know what makes this a masterpiece.
★★½ stars.
Blues
Originated toward the end of the 19th century in African American communities in the United States, particularly the Deep South; drew on traditional Spirituals and Work Song; highly influential to the whole of Western popular music.
Nina Simone - Nina Simone Sings the Blues (1966)
Well. It was bluesy alright.
Not really captivating me. Sensuality and strife. Probably made more sense in the 60s. Good time to reflect on that the world is actually better in a lot of ways than it was before, not everything is going the wrong way. Thanks Nina.
★★★ stars
Classical Music
Part of a broad generalization about the structure and function of music throughout history across the globe, describing traditions distinct from Traditional Folk Music and popular music.
Steve Reich and Musicians - Music for 18 Musicians (1978)
Was ok as background music. Didn't really say anything to me.
★★★ stars
Drift Phonk
Busy, noisy production inspired by lo-fi Memphis Rap; frequently features 808 cowbell melodies and chopped, compressed samples.
Reminds me of ICP. Don’t know why I liked it but I do. A mix of metal growling and rap.
★★★½ stars
Funkot
Fast-paced Indonesian form of Electronic Dance Music that combines Eurodance and Trance synths with the syncopated rhythm from Dangdut koplo.
First impression: "Wow. This sucks".
Listening to this album makes me feel a bit racist and dismissive of Indonesian culture. Lots of high pitched singing, small ”tube trums” etc. Not my cup of tea.
★ star
Europop
Emerged throughout mainland Europe in the early 1970s, referring to slick, highly commercial Pop songs that emphasize sugary melodies and light, bouncy instrumentation.
Yeah this should have stayed in the 80s. American Pshycho vibes for sure. Old ABBA era dance music - but worse.
★★ stars
Emo
Focuses on emotional lyrics, expressive vocals, melodic songwriting, and dynamic song structures.
My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
I just had to go with MCR even though it was nr 5 on the list of most highly rated Emo albums. When I think of Emo I think of MCR.
And no, no it's not for me. Vocals doesn't sound great, music sounds "sloppy" somehow. I guess never having been into it when young also helps kill some of the "glow" that can exist around music.
★½ stars
Mathcore
Rhythmically complex, features unconventional time signatures, syncopated and dissonant riffs and erratic metric shifts.
What a f-n ride. Anger. Dissonance. Totally incomprehensible vocals even when reading the lyrics. Almost turned it off after 5 seconds. But … it grew on me. At the end I was kinda sad to see it go.
Perhaps need to listen to it just once more…
★★★★ stars
Livetronica
Incorporates Electronic instrumentation into live Rock jamming, drawing on a wide variety of Electronic Dance Music and Downtempo styles.
Ozric Tentacles - Jurassic Shift
Like an early rock band had an acid trip and picked up synthesizers and dream machines. Throw in some bird calls and boing boing and you got yourself an album.
Basically - It’s like Ross in Friends made an album - but good.
The first song was so so, didn’t feel it but then it took off. And then it really took off in the middle of the second song.
Third getting even weirder. Dig it.
End of fourth song (Feng shui) then went all out rock. Like proper. What the hell is going on.
Fourth starting to see a pattern in the songs. Still great rocking.
Fell off after this, to much of the same. But might just be fatigue from listening to something so different. Will revisit later.
★★★½ stars
Drone
Focuses on long, sustained tones and tone clusters, or repetition of single notes.
Well. Didn’t know why I expected something else. The description of the Drone genre as a whole was spot on. Not sure what the point is. But perhaps thats the point? Perhaps I just don’t get it. Need to come back to this one.
★★ stars
Free Jazz
Attempts to break free from the conventions and patterns of earlier Jazz subgenres through the use of elements such as dissonance, atonality, and free-flowing rhythmic structures.
It's... A lot. Rules be damned let's jam seems to be the theme. This was my first foray into free Jazz and it's pretty cool. Focusing in on certain elements really helps and I admit I had to take a break after a while. Deserveres many more listens.
★★★★ stars.
Industrial Hardcore
Fuses the sonic palettes and aesthetics of Industrial with the intense rhythms of Gabber, Speedcore, Doomcore, and other subsequent styles.
Sounds like what I imagine a migrane feels like. Repetitive low frequency bass droning. Simple sound effects. Not my cup of tea.🫖
Trasher somewhat of a beat that made head go bop bop. Not much but some bop.
★ star.
Post-Punk
Emerged alongside the initial Punk Rock explosion in the mid-to-late 1970s, putting a greater emphasis on frequent experimentation, atmosphere, generally stripped-back instrumentation and, at times, angular-sounding guitars, throbbing bass lines, and interlocked drumming.
Coming into this via looking up top rated albums for ”post-punk” as part of a challenge to explore new genres daily.
Expecting some punk sounding stuff. Saw that the cure was 2nd on list. Now confused. Lets listen.
Plainsong - mellow Introduction to the album. Set a chill ”English vibe”. Very late 80s early 90 sounding (not sure when album is from). ★★★ stars
Pictures of you - distorted guitars, non-exciting guitar playing/plucking. Sounds more 80s, more like glam than punk. Enjoyable. ★★★½ stars.
There is something about that plucking on the guitar that bothers me. And the high pitched ”English sounding vocals” are hard to get used to.
Closedown - heavier on the synths. Interesting. Anxiety? ★★★½ stars.
Having a hard time keeping focus on the music for some reason. Mind drifts along to other places…
Lovesong - is that a xylophone? More interesting musically than lyrically. Then again I spent most of the day listening to Dylan so might expect to much. ★★½ stars.
Last dance - before lyrics: softer more dreamy guitars. I like it. Sounds like a movie soundtrack or intro to an 80s tv show about something serious. After lyrics: the lyrics are interesting. Death of a memory of a relationship after time has passed? ★★★½ stars
Lullaby - what the f. Haha. ★★★★
Fascination street - musically not much different except for some more bass. Seems like a tale about a night of debauchery one would expect from a rockband. ★★½
Prayers for rain - great intro with some really low rumbling overlay. Strings signalling some kind of epicness coming? Song about anxiously fretting over lack of patience, that twisting feeling of unease. Withdrawal? Music conveys feelings no doubt about it. ★★★★ stars.
This is music that I probably could not have on repeat since it would wreck havoc on my mental state engrossing into this gloom for to long. But can be enjoyed when the time and mood is right.
The same deep water as you - dreamy. Fading off to the sound of a storm. Song leaves me with the feeling of not being enough despite trying. ★★★½ stars.
Disintegration - really nice drumline throughout with those double kicks (no idea if those are the right words). Ah, a song about facade, inevitable breakup and hiding - works well in todays instagram world. Smile and fake the darkness inside. ★★★★ stars.
I must say the album really picked up lyrically after a few songs. Really great writing imho. Still can’t get over the ”British singing” that so well characterizes the band. Another one of those albums that require a lot of repeat listens.
Homesick - I’m a real fan of the drum-work on the whole album. Song could be about giving up hope of a drug free life. Surrendering. That’s what I think right now. Might be wrong. ★★★
Untitled - one could think of this as spiraling. Angst and love driving the increasing pace until implosion. ★★★
Overall I enjoyed my time with the cure more than I thought I would. I thought the whole ”British” scene was not for me. I think I might have been wrong…
★★★★ stars.
Gothic Metal
Features heavy, low-mid tempo riffs, somber, gloomy atmosphere accentuated by ethereal keyboards and synthesizer layers, and vocal styles ranging from raspy growls to female operatic singing.
Type O Negative - October Rust
Did not click with me. Droning on, nothing happening, gloomy. Exactly as described still found myself wanting more. I got led into this as a recommendation of something better than Cradle of Filth and frankly can't see how they are even slightly related.
★★½ stars.
Krautrock
Brings together elements of Psychedelic Rock with avant-garde influences, often incorporating hypnotic rhythms, extended improvisation, and Electronic textures.
Laying down on the couch. Chilling with daughter in my arms under a blanket. Lights turned down low. Both listening to the music, thinking out loud about how it makes us feel and what we envision.
She mentions waves rolling in over the beach, train station and more. I think of things like floating in space, pleasantness and similar.
I might have given this 3,5 stars instead of 4 just because I'm trying not to be biased by the experience of how and with whom I listened to the album. Great great stuff.
★★★½ stars.
Synthwave
Rooted in 1980s synth music, characterized by large, throbbing "retro" synths and visual elements, often features upbeat percussion and/or epic, cinematic atmospheres.
Ok synthwave is, at least before this experiement started, my nr 1 favorite Electronic genre, so any album in the genre automatically gets a bonus star just for being in the genre. Objectivity - out the window.
Not sure what to say. Some of the tracks are really … captivating. Are they they the technically most impressive tracks ever laid? Probably not.
Are they enjoyable? Yes, if you are in the mood to envision some form of extended dystopian cantena scene meets pulp fiction basement narrative. Overall very enjoyable.
★★★★ stars.
Pop Rock
Fuses conventional verse-chorus song structure and especially melodic songwriting with usage of guitars, drums, and propulsive rhythms.
Well somehow I stumbled across and listened to this album "outside of the context of the experiment". But I figure it's a good representation of the genre. So here we go.
St Teresa - Didn’t pay to much attention while listening. Needs a relisten. ★★★
Man in the long black coat - wonderful. Powerful voice. ★★★★
Right hand man - pleasant. Nothing special. ★★★
Pensacola - average. Nice enough. ★★★
Dracula Moon - slow, angst, Sunday morning vibes. Bluesy. Good transmission of feelings. ★★★½
One of us - woh had no idea this was on the album when I put it on. Love this. ★★★★★
Ladder - average. Vocals a bit to hidden. ★★★
Spider web - great power and groove. ★★★½
Let’s just get naked - not sure about this. Feels … lazy. But at the same time got a groove. ★★★
Help me - sweet sweet sounds. Band came alive on this one. Very good. ★★★★
Crazy baby - nothing that stands out. Pleasant enough. ★★★
Lumina - good wrap up song. Does not stand on its own. Decent though. ★★★
Enjoyed this album a lot. Would not place it in the 90s. Got an older soul. Very good.
★★★★ stars.
Other listening
So of course the plan to just keep chugging along albums from the genre list was way to intense to keep doing day in day out. So to break up the monotony of that much music I listened to some more music.
The Ghost a.k.a "Ghost B.C" discography
A theatrical satan worshipping band from Linköping playing with a set of ghouls? How can one not love it. I also find it way to funny that they added B.C "because copyright" when appearing in online shops.
Before watching the movie I didn't really get the "band" but after that (and digging through YouTubes to see all the papas through time) I have a whole new appreciation of the theatrics.
Opus Eponymous - 2010 - ★★★½ stars.
Infestissumam - 2013 - ★★★½ stars.
Meliora - 2015 - ★★★★ stars.
Popestar - 2016 - ★★★½ stars (also bought this in Vinyl on an auction site by accident..)
Prequelle - 2018 - ★★★½ stars
Impera - 2022 - ★★½ stars
Rite here rite now, "live recording packaged as a movie" - ★★★½ stars
Death Metal
Heavily distorted, down-tuned guitars, palm-muted, tremolo-picked riffs, double-kick and blast beat percussion, chromatic chord progressions, minor keys, abrupt changes in tempo, and guttural vocals.
Really catchy. Can you say that about death metal? Nice mix of heavier slower guitar and the more lighter metal with accompanying speed in general on tracks like Slaughterday. Like it how it's not just and endless "drone of darkness" and that they actually throw in some interesting guitar and other arrangements.
"When I enjoy myself with a corpse, it's a high beyond any I've ever had".
Well, that's a great illustration of the death part of death metal I think.
Reminds me of this reddit thread "What’s the most inappropriate thing to say at a funeral?".
★★★ stars.
Jazz Fusion
Near-universal usage of electric guitars and keyboards coupled with influences from genres such as Rock, Rhythm & Blues, Funk, and Traditional Folk Music, and a relative degree of harmonic simplicity.
Really liked this. The piano is front and center as it should be for this artist but the rest is also really enjoyable. Fusion is great.
★★★★ stars
Death Doom
Fuses down-tuned guitars, growled vocals, and aggressive, often double-kick drumming with a mournful, somber atmosphere and plodding tempos.
Oh man, my new favourite genre. Made me go and buy The Tritonus Bell - Hooded Menace on Bandcamp as well as Never Cross The Dead. Both really stellar albums. Totally making me question the whole "buy physical media" kick I'm on. Still, I want it on Vinyl - but without paying as much in shipping as I do for the actual record.
Turns out I enjoy the slow, heavy guitars and drums, deep growling.
Anyways.
The Tritonus Bell - Hooded Menace
Great low growling, heavy guitar riffs. Slow, dark, wonderful.
★★★★ stars
Currently listening to
Turns out I like Death Doom. Listening a bunch to Hooded Menace - which brings me down routes like Symphonic Black Metal and Dimmu Borgir.
Besides that I currently have modern fusion jazz as a favorite genre. Right now really enjoying Hiromi and in particular the album Alive as well as Snarky Puppy with We like it here.
Also trying to figure out how to get a hold of Ken Burns documentary on Jazz here in Sweden. But so far no dice without buying a pretty overpriced DVD boxset..
More on all that later.
Thats all folks
Alright, there we have it. I'll try to post a roundup like this from time to time for record keeping. To see more what I listen to check out my profile on RYM.