5 Bands Who Quietly Invented Subgenres Without Meaning To

Here are five bands who quietly (or not so quietly) invented entire subgenres without ever meaning to.

When we look back on music history, genres often get framed around big moments and clearly defined movements, but that isn’t how many genres are actually formed.

In a lot of cases, new and unique styles are developed quietly as bands made practical or creative choices without thinking about the long-term impact. Many of these bands weren’t even sure there’d be any long-term impact for them to have at all. The creation of a genre simply comes down to a band following their gut instincts.

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These bands weren’t trying to create new genres or reshape music. Most of them, including the ones we don’t talk about here, were simply reacting to what felt limiting about the already existing styles around them at the time, whether that meant stripping songs down, pushing volume, or rejecting any kind of real production altogether. At the time, many of these choices seemed unremarkable.

Only later did their influence become clear as those that followed them became inspired by it. Other artists picked up on those ideas, built on them, and eventually entirely new subgenres took shape. All of these bands changed the direction of music without ever really meaning to.

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