Mumbai: Music as we know it is 3000 years old. It evolved from the Medieval to Renaissance to Baroque to Classical to Romantic and Early 20th Century Music (The 1900s). If we study the period of evolution in the aforementioned eras, you may find it very difficult to fathom that evolution took centuries! Music has changed from being the luxury entertainment for a privileged few to a fast-moving commodity accessible to all.

There are a plethora of musical genres and subgenres today. Here are some of the Genres people listen to today

i) Pop

ii) Rock / Metal

iii) Blues

iv) Jazz

v) Funk

vi) Hip Hop / R&B

vii) World Music / Contemporary / Fusion

viii) EDM

ix) Classical Music (Indian & Western) / Folk

x) Indie Music

xi) Bollywood

How do we define and understand these genres? Well that’s the best part about music. You are probably listening to elements of all of the above in your favorite Jazz Song or Pop Song or Rock song etc. Whatever the genre – it is still the same notes of music and owing to the huge amalgamation of cultures and access to their music – at a very subconscious level, we are able to vibe with almost any form of music.

I will still try and explain what to expect from the music today – and this is totally my perspective of the scene.

Pop Music today is as the name suggests – music that vibes instantly with a majority of the people and is usually very heavily promoted by big labels using larger than life visualizations that create a trend amongst the listeners. One could find a huge element of R&B / Rap and Hip Hop as a part of the Pop Genre. I still mention Rap as a separate genre because even now in many parts of the world, there is a core underground Rap & Hip Hop.

Underground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed to independent labels or no label at all. Underground hip hop is often characterized by socially conscious, positive, or anti-commercial lyrics (Source: Wikipedia)

EDM is huge today. I see the trend evolve from the 90s. To me, I believe it started with a simple concept of DJing (Disc Jockeying), where the DJ was required to move from one track on the playlist to another and maintain the tempo songs to ensure that the people keep moving their feet. The DJ console eventually allowed for the adding of sound effects to the music that added so many variations to the song experience. Then came the concept of remixes and remix albums. Soon to follow was “Trance” music which again was doled out by a DJing console. Slowly and steadily this has evolved into EDM where a completely new track is presented in its (for lack of a better word) “Remix” form enabling for everyone to be able to dance to it. Now the term used for these music producers is not DJ. DJ refers to the person, controlling the music in a discotheque. All EDM Producers are called Electronic Music Producers (EMPs). The latest innovation that I have seen is “Live Production of Dance Music.” The Electronic Music Producers actually make a track in real time using controllers and loopers and it is amazing.

Bollywood has taken the world by storm and there are people performing in reality shows across the world using Bollywood music. It is an amalgamation of all the possible genres listed above and the possibilities are yet limitless.

I still feel that Rock / Metal / Blues / Jazz / Funk / Classical – when they are not used collaboratively with Bollywood or Pop Music, they are best enjoyed in the form of “LIVE” Music Concerts – a trend I feel, can never be replaced.

Apart from music being evolved as a genre, it sure has evolved as an aspect of importance within one’s life. Few decades back music was considered just as a hobby and something you can never make a career out of. But today many educational institutes are considering music education as a part of the educational system. Some have even established their own institutes providing professional music education which would help an individual even in their career as well and has become a part of our lives. Music is also known to have positive effects on our emotions, mind, and our thoughts. The change has made music available at the early stage of a child’s grooming.