Words for the Arts
Music
blues: a style of slow jazz evolved from African-American songs
I love to listen to the blues when I’m lonely.
classical: European music of the latter half of the eighteenth century; music of acknowledged excellence and serious style
Classical music is often performed by the city’s symphony orchestra.
country: a style of popular music from the rural American south and southwest
A lot of country musicians live and work in Nashville, Tennessee.
folk/ethnic: music that originates among the common people of a region
Folk misic was very popular in the United States in the 1960s.
jazz: a kind of music that originated with African-American bands in the southern United States, characterized by improvisation and strong, flexible rhythm
Jazz is popular in many parts of the world.
oldies: popular music from an earlier decade
Her favorite oldies are from the 1950s and 1960s.
popular: music that is appreciated by a large number of people during the current period of time
That radio station plays only popular music.
rap: a currently popular style of music that originated among African-American performers, characterized by talking, rather than singing, in rhyme and rhythm
Rap is for listening, not dancing.
rhythm and blues: a style of music with strong, simple rhythm and lyrics that originated in the late 1940s and early 1950s among african-American groups
Rhythm and blues is great for swing dancing.
rock: a popular style of music played by bands with electric guitars, keyboards, and drums, often with emotional singing by a group or one singer
Rock concerts are very popualr among young people.
rock and roll: a style of music that began in the 1950s and combined elements of rhytyhm and blues and country
There were a lot of TV shows with rock-and-roll dancers.