Which is the greatest genre of music?

Subject: RE: Which is the greatest genre of music?
From: gnu
Date: 15 Jan 09 - 12:14 PM

James... stupid? No such thing as a stupid question. Only thing stupid is not to ask questions.

That and the woman in front of me at Speedy Checkout cash at the grocery today who had over 30 items. I had to listen to Céline Dion squeal and screech over the PA system for an extra three minutes!

Subject: RE: Which is the greatest genre of music?
From: TinDor
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 05:31 PM

I think it's impossible to state which one is the "greatest" musically since everyone has different musical tastes but just based on it's influence on music globally, my pick would be JAZZ. Jazz, more than any other genre of music has the ability to adapt to and absorb any other form of music and create a whole new genre altogether. Just a list of forms globally that Jazz has influenced..



Soul,Rock, Funk, Bluegrass,Western Swing, Jamaican Ska, Trinidadian Calypso, Cuban Mambo-Afro Cuban Jazz, Brazilian Bossa Nova-Chora-Samba Jazz, Puerto Rican Salsa-Latin Boogalu, Nigerian Afrobeat, Ghanaian Highlife, British Skiffle, New Age Music, Ethiopian Jazz, North African Rai, Electronica, Haitian Zouk-Compa, Argentine Tango, South African Mbaqanga, Arab Jazz, Gypsy Jazz

Jazz's global influence is unmatched IMO.

Subject: RE: Which is the greatest genre of music?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 08:44 PM

Which country, Bert?

Subject: RE: Which is the greatest genre of music?
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 18 Jan 09 - 12:06 AM

I seem to like cornucopia

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Which is the greatest genre of music?
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 18 Jan 09 - 03:16 AM

I read greatest as largest ... sort of assuming which genre has the most songs.

But then that's just me slagging off slang.

Taking "great" at it's popular definition... I would say Blues is the most influential. Not that I listen to much (usually only on the weekends). It just seems to have touched so many other genre. One can pick out blues elements in so much music dating from the 1920s forward. Probably because it is musically amazing, composers can't help but pinch and adapt bits. Jazz, Swing, Gospel Blues(spiritual with a blues motif), Rockabilly (bluegrass and blues), Modern Folk (20th century) Country Western, Rock and Roll(50s forward including many sub genre), numerous world fusions, etc.

So it is really "great" (translate - fortunate) that we had Blues to bouy up and in some cases give birth to much of the music we love.