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Music is life. It’s uplifting and at the same time adventurous. But have you ever wondered if all you know is all there is to music? That maybe, just maybe, you’re limiting your ‘sound buds’ when it comes to the genres you listen to?

The top streaming platforms have millions in their library. We’re talking about over 100 years of music here. These figures can be overwhelming especially when you know that you won’t get to listen to all those songs. Also, there’s this FOMO you might get when you realize you’re missing out on some completely magical genres out there. How then are you supposed to find all these amazing songs buried within the phalanx of entries on your streaming service? Beyond the popular contenders like “pop” or “rock”, there are more than a thousand different genres out there.

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In this article, I’ll take you through some of the weirdest and most wonderful genres. If you want to jump on any of these genres and have no idea where to start listening, you can order the results by popularity. This helps you know quickly which tracks fans are really into. Here are 12 less popular music genres you might be missing out on.

1. Catstep

Yes, you’ve heard about dubstep. But how about catstep? Catstep is a sub-genre of the wildly popular filthstep. It is made popular especially by the Canadian record label Monstercat who are the biggest producers of the genre. Popular artists of catstep include TheFatRat and Tristam.

2. Fado

Fado originated in Portugal in the 1820s. The subject matter of the genre is based on the lives of poor people but its lyrics vary. It also follows a strict traditional structure. Some of its most renowned artists are Madredeus and Rodrigo Leao.

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3. Lowercase

This began back in 2001 with American sound and visual artist Steven Roden. He called his creation lowercase. According to Roden, he had been making lowercase music since the mid-1980s. However, the genre o my started gaining public attention in 2002.

4. Ectofolk

Ecto was first the name of an album by American singer/songwriter Happy Rhodes. However, it eventually evolved into its own genre with music from artists with a similar music approach. Some artists under this genre include Sarah McLachlan, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, and Jane Siberry.

5. Folktronica

Folktronica involves a sort of merging between electronic and folk music. A major proponent of this genre is UK artist Bibio, who often blends electronic and folk or acoustic music. Other artists are Alt-J, Animal Collective, The Books, and Caribou, even though those other artists are also playing in other genres.

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6. Zouk

Zouk was born on the street carnivals of the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the early 1980s. This genre is a tropical upbeat vibe and rapid tempo. Popular artists include Jacob Desvarieux, Pierre-Edouard Decimus, George Decimus, and the French Antillean band Kassav'.

7. Witch House

A very unusual name indeed. Witch house was coined as a joke by Travis Egedy (aka, Pictureplane). This genre can be easily identified by its slow tempo, chopped and screwed songs that embrace goth, shoegaze, hip-hop, drone, noise, and even industrial. Other associated artists are Clams Casino, Holy Other, and Zola Jesus.

8. Straight Edge

One word that best describes Straight edge is “anti-punk”. Its musical composition is in line with punk mould. However, the lyrics avoid alcohol, tobacco, recreational drugs, and caffeine.

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9. C-86

C-86, like Ectofolk, also evolved into a genre from an album. The album in question, titled C-86, was a cassette compilation released by the British music magazine NME in 1986.

10. Cloud Rap

Cloud rap is a spaced-out subgenre of rap commonly attributed to Lil B. His 2009 album, Rain In England, featured him rapping over ambient, New Age-style synthesizers. The music composition involves ambient synth pads and notes swirling in stereo as the artist raps atop it.

Photo by Wendelin Jacober from Pexels

11. Soca

Soca is popularly referred to as the “soul of calypso”, and it's easy to see why. The genre is heavily influenced by cadence, funk, and soul. After its creation, it quickly spread throughout countries like Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Saint Lucia, and Barbados in the 1970s.

12. Simpsonwave

If The Simpsons come to mind when you hear of this genre, you’re not too far off. Simpsonwave hugely owes its creation and spread to the Internet. The genre combines sampled audio and video from “The Simpsons” alongside 1990s obsession with internet aesthetics (heavy doses of pastel Tumblr colors), elevator muzak, electronic and new wave sounds, checkerboard floors, ancient Greek statues, and other bits of cultural elements.

So, which one are you trying out this weekend? 

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