# Favorite rock subgenre?



## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

Just out of curiosity: those of you who like Rock in addition to Classical, what's your favorite subgenre, and why? (If you can pick just one, that is! ) It might also help to mention your favorite classical era, as well. 

I'm sort of leaning toward progressive rock right now, myself. It seems like sort of natural extension/fusion of Rock with the Romantic era. However, I do like some folk rock, particularly Jethro Tull's few albums of it, and there are some times when I just need some AC/DC.


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## Glaliraha (May 2, 2010)

Psychedelic rock for me. My three favourite bands are Tool, Pink Floyd and King Crimson.

I don't consider Progressive Rock a genre. Bands that are considered progressive are just the ones that are individual enough to not be classified as belonging to any particular genre.


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Progressive.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I was a classical music fan as a child and through most of my teens until one day I heard Yes' Close to the Edge, and Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick in the same afternoon. That was about 40 years ago and I haven't been the same since.

So it's progressive rock* all the way for me, though I do enjoy the occasional headbanging too.

*Tull was considered one of the big 5 progressive bands at that time, along with Yes, ELP, King Crimson, and Genesis. It was slightly less folk oriented than the Tull works that came later. 

I think there are many similarities between prog and classical. They have similar aspirations let's say.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I like most rock music but I haven't exactly had my finger on the pulse since I started collecting classical about 10 years ago. Broadly speaking, the only non-pop genres I've never took to is World, Dance and most Metal.


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## Comus (Sep 20, 2010)

Glaliraha said:


> Psychedelic rock for me. My three favourite bands are Tool, Pink Floyd and King Crimson.
> 
> I don't consider Progressive Rock a genre. Bands that are considered progressive are just the ones that are individual enough to not be classified as belonging to any particular genre.


I wouldn't decribe Tool and King Crimson as psychedelic. Pink Floyd only in some of their early music. Progressive rock is a general term and most people have a good idea of what it means. There's a big difference between bands like the 13th Floor Elevators and King Crimson. Trippy doesn't neccessarily mean psychedelic.

Anyway, Prog for life! Especially Banco del Mutuo Soccorso from Italy.


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## Argus (Oct 16, 2009)

No Krautrock, punk rock, indie rock, jazz rock, pop rock, stoner rock, synth rock, glam rock, grunge or art rock in the poll.

At the minute I'd say Krautrock (even though most of it isn't really rock), doom/stoner rock (although that treards a fine line between metal and rock) and space rock. Or just plain old freak rock (see Non-classical listening thread). I like most types of rock though, but not much punk, indie or that insipid American soft rock. More the mindless hard rock (Sabbath, AC/DC) and trippy weird prog (Hawkwind, Gong).

My favourite classical era would be the present.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Argus said:


> No art rock in the poll.


Corrected. 

Prog for me, although I enjoy many other genres as well. Favourites: Porcupine Tree, Genesis (the Gabriel and/or Hackett years), Pink Floyd, Kayak.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

It's probably most obvious for classical listener to like progressive rock (if any), but personally I got tired with it. Most of bands seem pretentious with ideas that rock music can't meet, it's not that bad when they try to have fun with weird sound experiments etc. but when they are trying to make some kind of pathos-filled rock-cantatas, rock-operas, rock-suites? No, thanks, it sucks too hard. First album by King Crimson is good example. They made some better albums later though. 

So when I feel like reminding myself what I've listened for when I had long hair I go for bands like Cream, The Doors (no, The End is not what I've just bashed), Blak Sabat or something like that.


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## Comus (Sep 20, 2010)

I didn't even look for punk rock, opting to go straight for the prog button. I would assume many don't like punk here. Too many subgenres with this rock business. I like 80s American hardcore punk myself.


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## Glaliraha (May 2, 2010)

Aramis said:


> It's probably most obvious for classical listener to like progressive rock (if any), but personally I got tired with it. Most of bands seem pretentious with ideas that rock music can't meet, it's not that bad when they try to have fun with weird sound experiments etc. but when they are trying to make some kind of pathos-filled rock-cantatas, rock-operas, rock-suites? No, thanks, it sucks too hard. First album by King Crimson is good example. They made some better albums later though.
> 
> So when I feel like reminding myself what I've listened for when I had long hair I go for bands like Cream, The Doors (no, The End is not what I've just bashed), Blak Sabat or something like that.


_*In The Court Of The Crimson King*_ is one of the greatest albums ever written, and King Crimson's best!


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Glaliraha said:


> _*In The Court Of The Crimson King*_ is one of the greatest albums ever written, and King Crimson's best!


Hi, G. I would agree that ITCOTKC is one of the great DEBUT albums, but for style and substance it's easily topped by Larks' Tongues In Aspic and possibly also Red. Probably unfair to compare them but I always preferred the knottier Crimson material from the Wetton/Bruford years (one of rock's greatest rhythm sections).


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

I like progressive, but I also like folk rock, so I voted for that.


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## Argus (Oct 16, 2009)

elgars ghost said:


> Hi, G. I would agree that ITCOTKC is one of the great DEBUT albums, but for style and substance it's easily topped by Larks' Tongues In Aspic and possibly also Red. Probably unfair to compare them but I always preferred the knottier Crimson material from the Wetton/Bruford years (one of rock's greatest rhythm sections).


You sir, know what's up (and Aramis too). I much prefer LTiA, Red and the live album USA over ITCOTKC by a wide margin, Fripp was writing his heaviest riffs at that point to boot. I thought Wetton's voice was a bit weak but his bass playing fitted perfectly. I'd even say the Belew/Levin albums like Discipline are better than ITCOTKC, and Fripp's couple of albums with Eno blows them all out of the water.



Comus said:


> I didn't even look for punk rock, opting to go straight for the prog button. I would assume many don't like punk here. Too many subgenres with this rock business. I like 80s American hardcore punk myself.


All the best punk either has proto- or post- before the punk part. The Stooges, MC5, Joy Division, Wire, Durutti Column, The Fall, A Certain Ratio, Cabaret Voltaire, Pere Ubu, Theoretical Girls, Chrome, Throbbing Gristle, Devo.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

Weston said:


> *Tull was considered one of the big 5 progressive bands at that time, along with Yes, ELP, King Crimson, and Genesis. It was slightly less folk oriented than the Tull works that came later.


I am similarly a prog rock fan (surely Pink Floyd are prog rock too - albeit in a quieter, subtler way). I would have to argue that Jethro Tull (a band whose music I adore) were not actually prog rockers at all. Although their album _A Passion Play_ resembled a prog rock album, the subsequent _Thick as a Brick_ was an obvious send-up to the critics and aficionados who suddenly labelled Tull as a prog band. They have also been labelled variously as 'folk rock' and even 'heavy metal' (winning the award of _Grammy Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Performance_ in 1989 for their album _Crest of a Knave_!). A less heavy metal band than Tull it is hard to imagine. It just shows how pointless these labels actually are.


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## Comus (Sep 20, 2010)

Argus said:


> All the best punk either has proto- or post- before the punk part. The Stooges, MC5, Joy Division, Wire, Durutti Column, The Fall, A Certain Ratio, Cabaret Voltaire, Pere Ubu, Theoretical Girls, Chrome, Throbbing Gristle, Devo.


I like hardcore for the, shall I say, intensity? The MC5 are alright, but it's not my thing. I lived in the metro-Detroit area for some time, so maybe it's a reactionary thing. Cabaret Voltaire and Joy Division I find a bit boring, not to say JD didn't have some good stuff going on. I've wanted to hear more of The Fall, however. What would you suggest?


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## Argus (Oct 16, 2009)

Comus said:


> I like hardcore for the, shall I say, intensity? The MC5 are alright, but it's not my thing. I lived in the metro-Detroit area for some time, so maybe it's a reactionary thing. Cabaret Voltaire and Joy Division I find a bit boring, not to say JD didn't have some good stuff going on. I've wanted to hear more of The Fall, however. What would you suggest?


A good compilation is this:










It covers a lot of their best songs from their 30 odd years.

For studio albums try these:


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## Comus (Sep 20, 2010)

Thank you much. :tiphat:


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## Colourless (Oct 21, 2010)

I'm a total sucker for symphonic metal music, I just love hearing the powerful sound of electric guitars incorporated to the grandeur of orchestral work, when it is well-dosed. The Mystic Prophecy Of The Demonknight from Rhapsody of Fire is a perfect example of this, and my all-time favourite work from them. I do have to admit that the feel of this song becomes hard to bear as it keeps a heavy, dangerous and adventuring mood with barely any change or breaks for a whole 16 mins. The finale of this song though (named Dark Reign Of Fire) is in my opinion grandiose and brings tears to my eyes everytime I listen to it. 

Too bad there isn't an entry for this sub-genre in the poll, but I guess we can't put every single existing subgenre of rock (and metal by the same means)!


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## JMJ (Jul 9, 2010)

I like jazz-rock; groups & players that combined the brains & sophistication of jazz with the fire & balls of rock and who could _really play & improvise_ ... Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Tony Williams Lifetime, Return to Forever (w Bill Connors), Tribal Tech, Allan Holdsworth etc. ... and whatever category Frank Zappa fits into. (who specialized in jazz-rock too, but lots else) ..


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## Mahler7 (Sep 7, 2010)

ha, punk is never an option on these polls.

dead kennedys, black flag, early misfits, bad brains, SSD etc.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

I like the Psychedelic Pop like Baroque Pop/Rock. (The Moody Blues, The Zombies, Procol Harum, Pink Floyd, Love, and etc.) I'm not sure to go with Progressive or psychedelic. I also like bands like Boston, Supertramp, Kansas, Styx, and Reo Speedwagon). I'll just say classic rock.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

JMJ said:


> I like jazz-rock; groups & players that combined the brains & sophistication of jazz with the fire & balls of rock and who could _really play & improvise_ ... Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Tony Williams Lifetime, Return to Forever (w Bill Connors), Tribal Tech, Allan Holdsworth etc. ... and whatever category Frank Zappa fits into. (who specialized in jazz-rock too, but lots else) ..


Yup, that's always been my favorite stuff in addition to prog rock like Gentle Giant, King Crimson, etc... Currently, former Zappa band member Mike Keneally is the one guy that really blows me away! He's got it all, from great songwriting, advanced instrumental composition, and a very appealing idiosyncratic guitar and piano style.


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## Iforgotmypassword (May 16, 2011)

No favorite... but for the sake of saying a subgenre, I like "Stoner rock" and "Doom metal".


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## regressivetransphobe (May 16, 2011)

Argus said:


> No ...grunge in the poll.


That's OK. All grunge did was dumb down Melvins and Flipper for radio consumption. Anyone who would have chose that is wrong.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Whatever genre of rock _doesn't_ sound like My Chemical Romance.


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

power metal (helloween, avantasia), symphonic metal (rhapsody of fire, nightwish), gothic metal (epica), flower metal (freedom call), and progressive.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Looks like Prog rock is the go


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

Progressive is the only form of rock I like.

I like most of the subgenres of prog, also: RIO and avant-prog, symphonic, prog-metal, technical-metal, Canterbury. And some forms of jazz-rock (fusion) straddle the line of of prog.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Simon Moon said:


> Progressive is the only form of rock I like.
> 
> I like most of the subgenres of prog, also: RIO and avant-prog, symphonic, prog-metal, technical-metal, Canterbury. And some forms of jazz-rock (fusion) straddle the line of of prog.


Ditto .........................


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

Progressive, jazz, psychedelic and folk rock and all that Pere Ubu made out of that (avant garage).


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

Progressive. It seems to be the sub genre with the closest affinity to classical.


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## Vronsky (Jan 5, 2015)

Progressive/Experimental with a touch of jazz (Zappa & Mothers, Beefheart & Magic, Pink Floyd, Boston, Jay Savarin etc.) and post-punk (Joy Division, Swans, Velvet Underground, The Stranglers, Pere Ubu).


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

I'm a part time metalhead and have a MM in classical guitar. I like both (heavy) metal & extreme metal and have so since my teens


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Post-rock is currently my rock choice but I like elements of most rock music and was raised on a diet of Black Sabbath (Ozzy era), UFO and Wishbone Ash (go figure). Still like all that stuff and a wide variety of styles from Crimson to the Dead Kennedys, Mono to Porcupine Tree and Johnny Winter to Einsturzende Neubauten.


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## Xenakiboy (May 8, 2016)

Surf rock, SURF ROCK!!!


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)




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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

Vronsky said:


> Progressive/Experimental with a touch of jazz (Zappa & Mothers, Beefheart & Magic, Pink Floyd, Boston, Jay Savarin etc.) and post-punk (Joy Division, Swans, Velvet Underground, The Stranglers, Pere Ubu).


I think this is an excellent indicative summary of the music that binds many of us. We should have a comprehensive word for that. Maybe one that also extends into the realm of the jazz and classical music we like.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Xenakiboy said:


> Surf rock, SURF ROCK!!!


You've missed us already?


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## Harmonie (Mar 24, 2007)

I voted Progressive rock, but I love more than that. My favorite type is probably actually 'Brass Rock' from the late 1960s and early 1970s. A trumpet, trombone, saxophone section and a little jazz spice to rock is amazing. I also like British Folk Rock (like Pentangle and Steeleye Span), but would avoid really saying I like 'Folk Rock' since in a general sense I don't like it quite as much. I also adore Soft Rock from the 70s, it was the soundtrack to high school for me (even though I was in high school a decade ago, not in the 70s)


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I have to say that my tastes in rock are without structure at all. I like some of just about everything, often with enormous appreciation and enthusiasm. Obviously, some artists and/or groups resonate with me more often or more profoundly than others, but, in general, labeling by genre is irrelevant for me.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Rock Paper Scissors Rock


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

I like to play paper-scissors. Scissors always wins.


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