The Evolving Concept of Genre in Music and Its Impact on Black Artists

The concept of 'genre' in music may seem like a straightforward idea—it's a term used to describe categories of music with shared styles, forms, or content. While genres should theoretically help categorize the vast landscape of music for listeners, they often fall short, especially when it comes to music created by Black artists.

Historical Context

In the early days of popular music on the radio, genres began to shape what listeners would hear. These classifications sometimes rested on biased assumptions, including racist stereotypes, and influenced which radio stations would play certain artists' music. For instance, Tina Turner's 'River Deep — Mountain High,' despite its pop sound, found limited radio play due to racial preconceptions about the music Black artists 'should' produce.

Contemporary Genre Challenges

Fast forward to recent times, artists like SZA have experienced similar challenges. Her versatile sound covers alternative, pop, and R&B, but her work often gets pigeonholed into R&B classifications, irrespective of the actual style of individual tracks. For example, her song 'Ghost In The Machine' was categorized as pop because it features indie artist Phoebe Bridgers, raising questions about whether genre labels are applied consistently or meaningfully. SZA herself has expressed frustration over being boxed in as an R&B artist simply because of her race.

Beyoncé's journey with her country-styled tracks 'Texas Hold 'Em'' and '16 Carriages' also reflects this genre struggle. Initially avoided by country stations, the tracks only gained airplay after fan protests. This highlights the difficulties Black artists face when stepping outside of genres they are traditionally associated with in the industry.

A Shift in Perception

Despite the challenges, there are signs that the music industry may be moving towards a more inclusive and less rigid approach to genre. Women are winning big at award shows, and albums by Black artists that defy traditional genre boundaries are succeeding commercially.

Yet, the roadblocks Black artists face in being recognized and marketed outside their expected genres suggests that non-Black artists enjoy more flexibility in genre shifting. This disparity limits the reach of Black artists and denies audiences the chance to appreciate a fuller spectrum of their talent.

Looking Ahead

The way forward might involve more listeners and fans calling out obsolete genre categorizations, as well as artists being vocal about their own diverse sounds. The conversation around genre is changing, but there's still much to learn and accept about the multifaceted nature of all artists, regardless of race.

genre, music, artists