How to Find Out What Genre a Song Is

Classifying a song within any given genre is a subjective and transient process. This is because new genres are created all the time and perceptions of a genre can differ from person to person. The genre of any song cannot be defined as one unique thing. Whilst locating the genre of any song, be aware that what you will find may be a subjective decision. So whilst there are many websites which list the genre of a song, one may categorize it as rock, the other as heavy metal. Many genres overlap and some also have sub-genres. In most cases the genre of a song is decided by the record label or artist. There is no one definitive way of finding the genre of a song, but there are many methods you can try.

Things You'll Need

• CD In-sleeve

Show More

Instructions

1. • 1

     Check directly related information. The in-sleeve or cover of a CD may well identify a genre as will the website of the band or artist.

   • 2

     Locate the genre of a band on their profile page on a social networking site such as Facebook or MySpace. Part of the profile will identify the genres chosen by the band to represent themselves.

   • 3

     Log on to Itunes to find a song's genre. In the library search by song, click on "View," then "View options," there you can choose which columns show on your homepage, ensure that "genre" is checked. Now when you search for a song and scroll right, the genre will be shown.

   • 4

     Download a genre-finder app, such as Genre Finder (see Resources).