A rare person can live without music. So it was before, so it is now. However, everyone’s tastes differ - sometimes fortunately, sometimes unfortunately. Different people prefer different musical genres, and modern life, meeting our needs, constantly gives us new directions in music.
It is believed that there is an elitist, popular and mass culture, including music. Classical works belong to the elitist, the main musical genres of which are orchestral compositions, opera and operetta, symphonies and sonatas, and some others. All this represents a great cultural heritage. Studying it is an important aspect of the formation of any personality. Although most often, unfortunately, the younger generation considers such music boring and uninteresting.
Folk music is folk songs and instrumental works. Various state programs, including in Russia, include familiarization of citizens with primordially folk art. It is believed that music, authored by the people, is able to develop patriotism and love for the homeland. And for good reason: in Russian folk songs, for example, native expanses are praised, the beauty of Russian lands, the courage and courage of our people.
Musical genres related to popular culture currently include pop music, rock, rap, chanson, etc. The advantage of such music is its “lightness”, accessibility for perception, and its characteristic feature is fame for the general public.
However, not everything is as simple as it seems at first. The fact is that sometimes this or that musical phenomenon, which, it would seem, refers to one direction, can smoothly go into another. Suppose, it is generally accepted that an elitist culture can be understood only by a narrow part of the population. However, there are exceptions. For example, L. Beethoven's “Moonlight Sonata” today sounds like a ringtone even for those people who listen exclusively to pop music. That is, this composition has almost become part of popular culture, but, of course, has not lost its former value and has not become an example of bad taste.
Or, for example, in rock music there are some groups whose work is recognized by experts as a significant contribution to the development of culture. These include the groups Nirvana, Beatles and some others.
Often, musical genres are generally very difficult to fit into certain conceptual frameworks. This is especially true of modern music. Even a concept such as "rock" is actually very broad and includes several hundred subgenres. Here you have metal, and grunge, and hard rock, and the newfangled indie trend. By the way, ardent fans of metal, for example, often call the indie "pop". In fact, they are right, but it is often difficult to differentiate between many musical genres, it is not only difficult but also impossible.
Musical genres and styles are an extremely interesting field for research and study. And a person who can easily distinguish one direction from another is certainly worthy of respect.