Navigating Rock's Family Tree

Here is how to orient yourself in rock's vast ecosystem:

• If it is bluesy and guitar-driven: blues rock or classic rock
• If it is fast and angry with short songs: punk or hardcore
• If it is heavy with distorted riffs: metal (then narrow down by speed, complexity, and vocal style)
• If it is experimental and artistically ambitious: progressive or art rock
• If it is atmospheric with layers of effects: shoegaze, post-rock, or dream pop

Rock's subgenre system is a map of how one musical idea can evolve in every possible direction when given enough time, talent, and teenage angst.