What is the best and worst genre of music?

The Rambler
November 17, 2022

This week the staff of The Rambler weighed in with their opinion about the best and worst genre of music. Read on to learn their opinions.

Henry Abercrombie

The best music genre is absolutely classic rock. It encompasses a wide variety of sub-genres, to the extent that you will have a near infinite amount of music to listen to. Classic rock contains several bands that show a lot of originality and creativity in their music. Some bands are definitely more repetitive than others, but a select few are absolutely diamonds. There is jazz rock, some of it falls under metal, some is experimental, but all of it is cool.  

The worst is country music. Each song that I have heard is about love, beer, trucks, God, etc. Other than the earlier country music like Johnny Cash, they get really boring, repetitive, and annoying with their super twangy voices. It’s just not pleasant to listen to. Each voice sounds the same as the next, and all they use is a guitar and some drums. If you have listened to one country song, you have heard them all.

Gabe Allegretto

The best genre of music in my opinion is rock. Rock, in my opinion, is one of the most versatile. You can listen to it when you’re feeling happy, sad, when you want to get pumped up, etc. I’m also a little bit biased because I’ve bonded with my uncle over playing classic rock songs on the guitar with him.

The worst genre of music in my opinion is probably country music. I just can’t really connect with it on an emotional level and it’s the most inconsistent. Sometimes the songs are halfway decent, and other times they’re absolutely awful. Country also follows the same basic story across almost all songs, involving something along the lines of trucks and girls.  

Olivia Buckel

In my opinion, I am pretty torn between pop or folk music for the best genre. I listen to pop music more, but folk music moves me more than anything, so I am very torn. I also really love soft-rock and alternative sounding music like Lana Del Rey, Phoebe Bridgers, and Arctic Monkeys, so I am very very torn. Music that is a mix of all of that is my favorite genre.

For the worst genre, I feel like there is no “bad” genre of music, but I listen to intense country and intense rock the least.  

Luke Costello

In my opinion, I believe that music can teach people so many things. Listening to music is different than just hearing it. I believe that most songs have a purpose to something and that is why it plays a big role in many people’s lives. For me, the genre that does the best job of telling a story is country. The lessons along with the catchiness of it combines for a beautiful melody. One quote that stands out for me by Tim McGraw is, “Hold the door, say please, say thank you, don’t steal, don’t cheat, and don’t lie. I know you got mountains to climb, but always stay humble and kind.” To me, this is a prime example of how you should live your life. Being humble and kind are some of the best traits people can have, and they are all very easy to get along with.

On the flip side, I believe that heavy metal is the worst genre. It includes so much loud screaming and guitar playing. The reason I do not like it is because it really isn’t music in my opinion. When I listen to music, I listen to feel good and to think. But if I try to do this while listening to heavy metal, I wouldn’t be able to even think. I think there is a purpose for all music, but listen for a lesson and a melody that makes you feel good about yourself.  

Ellen Dieteman 

The best genre of music is indie/alternative. I listen to this genre most frequently because it has a bunch of great bands and artists, such as Bon Iver, Lana Del Rey, and Arctic Monkeys just to name a few. The music encompasses life themes and emotional experiences all while being catchy and easy to listen to.  

The worst genre has to be country music. I just don’t listen to it all that frequently. Most of the songs are about themes I don’t relate to, so I’d much rather listen to other music. However, to be fair there to the genre as whole, there are certain country songs that I enjoy, but overall I’m not the biggest fan.  

Alicia Gonzalez

Aiden Gromley
The best genre of music is definitely alternative music. Whether it comes to alternative rock or rap, it is clearly the best. It is the most different of all the music genres, and there are not many similarities between each of the songs. Not only are the songs different, there are ways to compare and contrast the songs in which they might apply to your own life.
I believe that the worst genre of music is definitely, without a doubt, country. Country is very basic with instruments and lyrics that make all of the songs sound the same. There is also no originality with country music.  
Hayden Hutchinson
I am not an avid music listener, and as a result I don’t know much about music. I’d argue that classical rock is the best and country is the worst. Most people know iconic bands of classic rock that people today still listen to such as Queen, The Eagles, and Led Zeppelin. These songs are still on the radio and people are happy to listen to them.
Country is the worst because it is many of the same topics without a deeper meaning. It also has the most ties to drugs and alcohol which has an influence on children.  
Matt Kalie
Country music is the best. It is very relatable and it’s a very chill genre to listen to. Jazz is the worst. There is no words for the most part, just sound. Country is good for just chilling and not wanting to be in any mood. Country also teaches good stories and lessons.
Kendra Piotrowski
Country music is the best music and rock music is the worst. Country music is the best because it is just a vibe and a perfect genre of music to just listen to while with friends, family and especially alone. It gives you a chance to pour your heart out into a song and really sing it. Country music is perfect to just listen to and sing and dance too. I feel that rock you can’t just sing and dance to it or even have a good vibe. There is no meaning to the music either. On the other hand, country music has meaning. Therefore country music is the best and will always have my heart. 
John Santone
In my personal opinion, I would say the best musical genre is currently rap. The way music has transformed over the last few decades has been predominantly towards rap in the mainstream. Rap has become so influential and diverse, it has given a voice to generations of all types of people, especially those looked down upon in society.
On the opposite side of the music, I think the worst genre is new age pop music. The pop music genre just doesn’t appeal to me. Generally the beats are generic and the lyrics are either confusing or just lack any meaning besides an occasional story about a non-descriptive romance.  
Dominick Scarpino
Alternative rock is the best music genre in my opinion. It encompasses a lot of my favorite bands, like Sabaton and Wind Rose. The instruments themselves also don’t overpower the lyrics, so you can actually understand what they are saying and even sing along to them. You also can find a great variety of songs and a great variety of bands to choose from.  

My least favorite genre is country by far. I hate the unoriginality of the lyrics. I can’t connect with the lyrics at all. I despise that it seems like every single song talks about one of five things, probably about love. I really don’t enjoy listening to country in any capacity. The lack of variety of instruments is also a big factor as to why I hate country. The acoustic guitar can get old very quickly. I would probably enjoy country more if everything about it was better.