K-pop, Genres A to Z
Though “pop” is in the name, k-pop actually covers dozens of genres, from country to metal to jazz. Take a look!
A: Afrobeats
More of an umbrella term for West African music, including Juju and Zouk. Think Tinnitus by TXT, BTBT by B.I., or The Other Side by Fatou.
B: Ballad
Often dramatic and sweeping, either with strings or piano. Think Don’t Look At Me Like That by Song Jieun, Road In The Light by Swan, or Blue by Onew.
C: Country
Created in America in the early 1900’s, with influences from Black and Irish culture. Think O Sole Mio by Sf9, Stay by BLACKPINK, or 24/7 by ToYoon.
D: Disco
Incredibly common in the 70’s/80’s inspired k-pop world, dance and usually upbeat. Think Step by Kara, Mago by Gfriend, or Midnight Queen by Goo Hara.
E: EDM
Stands for electronic dance music; usually loud with a strong base beat and meant for clubs or parties. Think District 9 by Stray Kids, Say My Name by ATEEZ, or Hard Carry by Got7.
F: Folk
A bit unusual in k-pop, but there nonetheless, taking Inspo from many cultures, Celtic, Caribbean, and Appalachian among them. Think Bon Voyage by YooA, Voyage by Kim Sejeong, or Fish In The Water by AKMU.
G: Gospel
First used in churches, now more commonly an element in other genres, with backing choirs. Think Holy Water by Taemin, Circle by Onew, or Secret by IU.
H: Hip-Hop
Created by African-Americans, based on drum beats and often featuring rapping or sing-talk. Think Uh-Oh by (G)I-DLE, Child by Mark, or SHINHWA’s early work.
I: Indie
A sub-genre of pop created by independent artists, that’s usually bright and hopeful. Think I Got You by TWICE, I by Taeyeon, or Travel by Bol4.
J: Jazz
Based in blues and ragtime and often heavily involving brass and unique rhythms. Think Red Lipstick by Bol4, Piano Man by Mamamoo, or Miniskirt by AOA.
K: Kagok
Korean traditional music, often with ancient string instruments, flutes, and loud drums. Think Promise by Kingdom, Luna by Oneus, or Hwaa by (G)I-DLE.
L: Latin Pop
Slowly becoming more common; includes a range of styles from Reggaeton to Salsa. Think I Knew It by SONAMOO, Señorita by (G)I-DLE, or Demente by Chung Ha.
M: Metal
In-your-face and often furious, it uses shredding guitars and heavy drums to force you to watch. Think What by Dreamcatcher, Internet War by Seo Taiji, or Guerrilla by ATEEZ.
N: Noise Music
Exactly what it sounds like; loud, dissonant, chaotic, and striking. Think Crazy Form by ATEEZ, Side Effects by SKZ, or Simon Says by NCT 127.
O: Orchestral Pop
Led by strings, it’s more common in k-pop than you might think. Think Abandoned by Brown Eyed Girls or really anything by Lucy.
P: Psychedelic
Off-beat and funky, psychedelic originated in the 60’s. Think Heart Burn by Sunmi, Goblin by Sulli, or Hello Future by NCT Dream.
Q: Quiet Storm
A subgenre of R & B, that’s smooth and jazzy. Think Kingdom Come by Red Velvet, Decalcomanie by Mamamoo, or Shinin’ by Jonghyun.
R: Rock
Often led by electric guitars and heavy drums, rock is slowly beginning to make its way into K-pop. Think Good Night by Dreamcatcher, Azalea by Rolling Quartz, or What Can I Do by Day6.
S: Showtunes
Most often used for performances in k-pop, it pulls from golden age jazz and showstopping flourishes. Think Shake It by LOONA, Blue Moon by BTOB, or Pantomime by WJSN.
T: Tango
Created in Argentina to be doubles’ dance music, sensual and dramatic. Think Irreversible by Ga-in, Manhattan Tango by BoA, or Señorita by (G)I-DLE.
U: Understated
Light and ethereal, drifting in and out of your ears, often with a comforting message. Think Generation by Triple S, Life Goes On by BTS, or Palette by IU.
V: Vocal
Anything that’s mainly centered around vocals counts, but bonus points if there’s very little instrumentation. Think When This Rain Stops by Wendy, Lost Child by IU, or Bambi by Baekhyun.
W: Witch Pop
Minimalistic, creepy, and often quite queer, this is mostly a girl group sound. Think Oh My God by (G)I-DLE, Sweet Juice by Purple Kiss, or Chill Kill by Red Velvet.
X: Xenomania
Bizarre, unnerving, and always a bit fun, it’s an unusual genre, but hey, I needed something for X. Think Goblin by Sulli, Merry And The Witch’s Flower by Baek Yerin, or Gingamingayo by Billlie.
Y: Ye-Ye
A genre invented in the 60’s, combining youthfulness and sex appeal in a sometimes queasy, sometimes hilarious combination. Think Warm Hole by Brown Eyed Girls, Hoot by SNSD, or Miss Agent by 9Muses.
Z: Zouk
Caribbean dance music, that’s sometimes considered a subgenera of Afrobeats. Think La Luna by HA:TFELT, Oh NaNa by KARD, or Dumdi Dumdi by (G)I-DLE.
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