Nicola Evans

The History of Exotica

The real story of how exotica developed, from postwar America's tiki boom through Baxter, Denny and Lyman, told in order.

Glam Rock Subgenres, Explained

Glam rock was never one sound wearing different outfits — here's the honest breakdown of its distinct strands, and the metal genre people confuse it with.

Thrash Metal Subgenres, Explained

Thrash metal isn't one sound, it's a family of them. Here's what actually separates crossover, technical, progressive, blackened and groove — no waffle.

The Best Hardstyle Artists to Know

Hundreds of names, multiple camps, and a lot of sounds that need context. Here are the hardstyle artists who actually matter and where they fit in the story.

The Best Coldwave Artists to Know

Forget the reading lists. Here's the honest rundown of the bands who actually built coldwave, and why each one still matters.

Soft Rock for Newcomers: Where to Start

You don't need to know a single band name to start enjoying this stuff. Just ten quiet minutes and a willingness to let a song be gentle.

Future House Subgenres, Explained

Nobody's agreed on a strict rulebook here. Here's the most honest breakdown of the overlapping labels going, no pretending there's more consensus than there is.

Art Pop Subgenres, Explained

Say art pop to five people and you get five different mental playlists — here's how its neighbouring styles actually differ from each other.

The Best Reggae Music Artists to Know

No filler, no forced obscurities — the reggae artists, producers and session players who actually built the genre, and what to listen for from each.

Essential Grindcore Albums Explained

There's no official grindcore canon. Here's what actually earns a place in the conversation, and why.

Black Metal Subgenres, Explained

One narrow Norwegian template splintered into a whole family tree of sounds. Here's every branch, plainly explained, with a reference artist for each.

The History of Chillout

It started as a room, not a genre. Here's how chillout grew from rave chill-out rooms into a sound of its own, via Ibiza and beyond.

Bachata Subgenres, Explained

No dance-school marketing here: the honest, plain-spoken breakdown of traditional, modern and sensual bachata, and where each one actually came from.

The Best Cumbia Artists to Know

No single figurehead built this music — here's the roster of artists, across seventy years and four countries, who actually shaped it.

The History of The Black Pearl Soundtrack

The score for Pirates of the Caribbean was composed in six weeks under Hans Zimmer's supervision. Here is the story of how it was made.

The Best Alternative Music Artists to Know

These are the artists who built alternative music — the bands and musicians worth knowing, from post-punk pioneers to 21st-century shape-shifters.

Disco Lights: A Complete Buyer's Guide

No filler, just what matters: matching the light to the room, understanding control methods, and not falling for a big LED number on the box.

The History of Bedroom Pop

The DIY impulse has been there since the cassette era. The internet made it a genre. Here's the full history.

The Best Math Rock Artists to Know

Slint's tension, Don Caballero's precision, American Football's crossover appeal: here are the artists who actually built this genre.

Punk Music Subgenres, Explained

Punk music splintered almost immediately into dozens of distinct traditions. This guide breaks down every major subgenre — what it sounds like, where it came from and which bands define it.

The Best Rap Music Artists to Know

A genre shaped by personalities as much as songs. Here are the rap music artists who moved the needle, from the turntables up to today's charts.

The Best Grime Artists to Know

A handful of producers and MCs built grime, then rebuilt it a decade later. Here's who they are, what they changed, and where to start with each one.

The Best Ragtime Artists to Know

Scott Joplin isn't the whole story. The ragtime composers who built the genre alongside him, and why they deserve to be named just as often.

World Music Subgenres, Explained