Genre Theory

Genre as Daniel Chandler (2001) argues comes from the French (and originally Latin) word for 'kind' or 'class'. For example the type of music a song belongs to according to the codes and conventions of the song. For example within folk music there are acoustic instruments and typically the lyrics relate to politics or social issues. Such as Woody Guthrie's song "This Land Is Your Land," which comments on Irving Berlin's song "God Bless America." Guthrie considered "God Bless America" to be unrealistic and his song is a response to it. So stereotypically folk music could potentially be quite outspoken and controversial as it explores the concerns of the artist's homeland.

Genre also refers to the kind of music video which represents a specific song. I have chosen to make a music video for the song "White Blank Page" originally sung by Mumford & Sons, but my video will feature a cover of the song by Taylor Swift. This song belongs to the genre of folk, but I would also suggest that it crosses over to rock and indie genres as well. All genres have sub genres (genre within a genre) and this shows through Mumford & Sons' music. Sub-genres mean that a certain genre i.e. folk is divided up into more specific categories that allow audiences to identify them specifically by their familiar and what become recognisable characteristics (Barry Keith Grant,1995) For example Mumford & Sons' music and music videos feature acoustic instruments such as guitar and violin. The videos feature close-ups of these instruments and of the band members to make something that could be quite simple, more interesting.


However, Steve Neale (1995) stresses that “genres are not ‘systems’ they are processes of systematization” – i.e. They are dynamic and evolve over time. This shows in the genre of folk as the term would suggest folk music often relates to a nation or a culture. Such as American follm singer Pete Seeger, who sang about America and left-wing politics which he strongly supported. In the 50s and 60s when he was at his peak, folk music appealed to a niche audience and was a rather acquired taste. But over time the genre of folk has evolved, but still features similar elements such as acoustic instruments and the lyrics telling a story. It is vocal music, where the singing whether it is accompanied by music or not is the main focus.

Folk music has recently undergone a revival recently with the help of bands such as Bellowhead and later Mumford & Sons. People want to listen to music that is real and has some significance such as lyrics that discuss politics and social issues. But taking Mumford & Sons for instance, their music isn't political it deals with more romantic themes, yet also contains the conventional acoustic instruments.