In Defense of Post-Genre

I admit it. I’m horrible at making playlists. I’ve never quite been able to capture “the vibe”, so instead, I resort to titling my playlists after the genre of the songs in them. “Rock” is a ten hour hodgepodge of everything from Pink Floyd to Modest Mouse, “indie folk” consists solely of Neutral Milk Hotel and The Mountain Goats and “indie pop” is an indulgent collection of TikTok audios. 

I’m a culprit of thinking of music strictly in terms of genre. I’m not the most open-minded (I tell people I only listen to genres that use guitars, which is not entirely an exaggeration).

ALUR | The Spectrum of Genre

By ANITA ALUR

Like most, my tastes in music have shifted dramatically throughout my life. I remember receiving my first CD — the beginning of my navigating through music. I was five at the time and my parents got me Britney Spears’ Baby One More Time, a classic pop album that I’m sure all millenials are more than familiar with. My dad, a jazz and classic rock aficionado, exposed me to Steely Dan and The Eagles, but I spent most of my early youth situated in the pop sector. I had nearly every NOW CD on the market, and for the most part, I found new music through compilation CDs and movie soundtracks.