The 100 Most Popular Rock Music Genres, Ranked
Update: Follow Ranker's official New Rock 2020 playlist on Spotify!
The most popular rock genres embody the rollicking, freewheeling spirit of rock ’n’ roll in unique and fascinating ways. Whether it’s the head-banging riffs of metal or the drone of goth rock that makes you want to run and put your eyeliner on, all types of rock music connect with audiences on a personal, visceral level.
Rock music genres have always been fluid, with the best artists mixing and matching and forming new styles by forging ahead and just making the music they want to hear. Artists like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana, for instance, took the parts of punk rock and metal that appealed to them most and helped launch the whole grunge rock movement of the early 1990s.
The list of rock genres is as long as the list of musicians willing to pick up a guitar and try something new. Rock music is not necessarily defined by the driving bass lines and pounding drums of thrash metal, just as it is not defined by the synthesizers and drum machines of the new wave. There is a genre of rock music for any music fan.
So which are the rock genres that best capture the spirit of rock ’n’ roll? Which genres get your heading bobbing to the beat and your fist in the air with devil horns up? Vote below on the best subgenres of rock music.
1Alternative Rock
Popular artists: Beck, Weezer, R.E.M., Foo Fighters, The Cure, Muse, The Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis, Pixies, The Smiths
2Heavy Metal
Popular artists: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Pantera, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, Slipknot, Deep Purple
3Grunge
Popular artists: Nirvana, Hole, Stone Temple Pilots, The Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains, Everclear, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Melvins, L7
4Blues Rock
Popular aritsts: Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, The Allman Brothers Band, The Black Keys, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Muddy Waters, Gary Clark Jr.
5Progressive Rock
Popular artists: Rush, Dream Theater, Soft Machine, Porcupine Tree, Kansas, Gong, Supertramp, Spock's Beard, Roger Waters, The Nice
6Punk Rock
Popular artists: Dead Kennedys, The Clash, Ramones, Misfits, Black Flag, The Stooges, Bad Religion, Bad Brains, Rancid, NOFX
7Psychedelic Rock
Popular artists: Tame Impala, The Doors, Grateful Dead, The 13th Floor Elevators, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, Love, The Byrds, Iron Butterfly, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
8Glam Rock
Popular artists: David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Queen, Slade, Sweet, Motley Crue, Poison, The Darkness, Quiet Riot, Def Leppard
9Alternative Metal
Popular artists: Tool, Korn, Alice in Chains, System of a Down, Deftones, A Perfect Circle, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Sour, Three Days Grace
10Arena Rock
Popular artists: Journey, Queen, Styx, Europe, Boston, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Kansas, Night Ranger, Survivor
11Acid Rock
Popular artists: Grateful Dead, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Iron Butterfly, Blue Cheer, Steppenwolf, The Seeds, Grace Slick
12Soft Rock
Popular artists: Billy Joel, Air Supply, Hall & Oates, Chicago, Elton John, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart, Carpenters
13Indie Rock
Popular artists: Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Vampire Weekend, Modest Mouse, The Strokes, Death Cab for Cutie, The Shins, Sonic Youth, The National, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
14Garage Rock
Popular artists: The White Stripes, The Sonics, MC5, Black Lips, The Kingsmen, The Raconteurs, The Kinks, The Kills, Kings of Leon, FIDLAR
15New Wave
Popular artists: The B-52's, The Human League, Blondie, The Police, Elvis Costello, The Cars, INXS, Culture Club, The Pretenders, Simple Minds
16Folk Rock
Popular artists: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Jethro Tull
17Pop Punk
Popular artists: Green Day, blink-182, Sum 41, Paramore, New Found Glory, Jimmy Eat World, Yellowcard, All Time Low, Taking Back Sunday, The Offspring
18Art Rock
Popular artists: Genesis, Kate Bush, Yes, The Moody Blues, Brian Eno, Electric Light Orchestra, Greg Lake, The Who, Talking Heads, Lou Reed
19Hair Metal
Popular artists: Whitesnake, Poison, Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Ratt, Quiet Riot, Warrant, Dokken, Skid Row, Van Halen
20Roots Rock
Popular artists: John Fogerty, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Ry Cooder, Los Lobos, Dire Straits, Tom Petty, Wilco, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Chris Isaak, The Doobie Brothers
21Funk Rock
Popular artists: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Living Colour, George Clinton, Faith No More, Primus, Lenny Kravitz, Wild Cherry, Bootsy Collins, Dan Reed Network, Grand Funk Railroad
22Nu Metal
Popular artists: Disturbed, System of a Down, Mudvayne, Static-X, Sevendust, Staind, Godsmack, Marilyn Manson, Evanescence, Taproot
23New Wave of British Heavy Metal
Popular artists: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Satan, Angel Witch, Witchfinder General, Savage, Cloven Hoof, Blitzkrieg, Raven
24Gothic Rock
Popular artists: The Cure, The Sisters of Mercy, Christian Death, Bauhaus, Joy Division, The Cult, The Mission, London After Midnight, Play Dead, The Damned
25Britpop
Popular artists: Oasis, Pulp, Blur, Radiohead, Suede, The Stone Roses, Supergrass, Coldplay, Placebo, Cast
26Experimental Rock
Popular artists: David Bowie, Death Grips, Tom Waits, Björk, Frank Zappa, Throbbing Gristle, Swans, Portishead, The Residents, Nurse with Wound
27Electronic Rock
Popular artists: Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Kraftwerk, Devo, Garbage, Starset, Pendulum, The Prodigy, Ratatat, The Killers
28Surf Rock
Popular artists: The Beach Boys, The Ventures, Dick Dale, The Surfaris, The Bel-Airs, The Lively Ones, Brian Wilson, The Challengers, The Atlantics, The Trashmen
29Synthpop
Popular artists: Pet Shop Boys, New Order, A-ha, Duran Duran, Gary Numan, Eurythmics, CHVRCHES, Soft Cell, Tears for Fears, A Flock of Seagulls
30College Rock
Popular artists: R.E.M., Pixies, The Smiths, The Replacements, Sonic Youth, Violent Femmes, 10,000 Maniacs, Superchunk, Dinosaur Jr, The Lemonheads
31Industrial Rock
Popular artists: Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Skinny Puppy, KMFDM, Rammstein, Swans, Die Krupps, Rob Zombie, White Zombie, Gravity Kills
32Shock Rock
Popular artists: Gwar, Alice Cooper, GG Allin, Kiss, W.A.S.P., Twisted Sister, Plasmatics, Dwarves, Beefcake the Mighty, Murderdolls
33Rap Rock
Popular artists: Linkin Park, twenty one pilots, Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, Rage Against the Machine, Beastie Boys, Hollywood Undead, Korn, P.O.D., Papa Roach
34Post-Punk Revival
Popular artists: Interpol, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Bloc Party, Editors, The Rapture, The National, Kaiser Chiefs, She Wants Revenge, The Hives
35Jazz Rock
Popular artists: Steely Dan, Frank Zappa, Soft Machine, Miles Davis, Nucleus, Weather Report, Return to Forever, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Mahavishnu Orchestra
36Space Rock
Popular artists: Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Eloy, Ozric Tentacles, Gong, Failure, Porcupine Tree, Farflung, Nektar, Spiritualized
37Stoner Rock
Popular artists: Queens of the Stone Age, Clutch, Fu Manchu, Orange Goblin, Monster Magnet, Kyuss, Red Fang, Unida, Stoned Jesus, Slo Burn
38Comedy Rock
Popular artists: "Weird" Al Yankovich, Tenacious D, Gwar, Spinal Tap, Frank Zappa, The Dead Milkmen, Flight of the Conchords, Steel Panther, Ween, Bloodhound Gang
39Post-Grunge
Popular artists: Creed, Nickleback, Breaking Benjamin, Seether, Puddle of Mudd, Candlebox, 3 Doors Down, Collective Soul, Theory of a Deadman, Live
40Emo
Popular artists: My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, The Get Up Kids, Rites of Spring, Dashboard Confessional, The Used, Hawthorne Heights, AFI, Mineral
41Americana
Popular artists: Johnny Cash, Brandi Carlile, Emmylou Harris, The Milk Carton Kids, The Band, Alison Krauss, Alabama Shakes, Van Morrison, John Mellencamp, Guy Clark
42Groove Metal
Popular artists: Pantera, Lamb of God, Gojira, Five Finger Death Punch, Soulfly, Machine Head, Exhorder, Chimaira, Prong, DevilDriver
43Ska Punk
Popular artists: Sublime, Reel Big Fish, The Interrupters, Streetlight Manifesto, No Doubt, The Specials, Goldfinger, Fishbone, The Aquabats, Mustard Plug
44Sleaze Rock
Popular artists: L.A. Guns, Guns N' Roses, Faster Pussycat, Skid Row, Mötley Crüe, Cinderella, Hanoi Rocks, Kix, Dangerous Toys, Hardcore Superstar
45Instrumental Rock
Popular artists: Explosions in the Sky, Joe Satriani, The Shadows, Mogwai, Steve Vai, Jeff Beck, Buckethead, Link Wray, John Lowery, Yngwie Malmsteen
46Baroque Pop
Popular artists: Lana del Rey, Panic! at the Disco, Fleet Foxes, Arcade Fire, Florence + the Machine, The Zombies, The Beach Boys, Belle and Sebastian, Kate Bush, The Association
47Alternative Country
Popular artists: Johnny Cash, Steve Earle, Wilco, Son Volt, Ryan Adams, Drive-By Truckers, Gillian Welch, Old 97's, Sturgill Simpson, Emmylou Harris
48Proto-Punk
Popular artists: The Stooges, Death, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, The Dictators, The Modern Lovers, Richard Hell, John Cale, Roxy Music, Television
49Glam Punk
Popular artists: Iggy Pop, New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders, Backyard Babies, Dregen, Turbonegro, Adam and the Ants, The Runaways, Nasty Suicide, The Lords of the New Church
50Jam Rock
Popular artists: The Allman Brothers Band, Phish, Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, The String Cheese Incident, Santana, Umphrey’s McGee, Dave Matthews Band, Phil Lesh and Friends, Little Feat
51Noise Rock
Popular artists: Butthole Surfers, The Velvet Underground, The Jesus Lizard, Flipper, Dinosaur Jr., Helmet, No Age, Melvins, Daughters, Health
52Doom Metal
Popular artists: Ghost, Electric Wizard, Candlemass, My Dying Bride, Sleep, Paradise Lost, Saint Vitus, Sun O))), Anathema, Yob
53Shoegaze
Popular artists: My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Slowdive, Swervedrive, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Lush, Chapterhouse, The Boo Radleys, Catherine Wheel, Kevin Shields
54Skate Punk
Popular artists: Suicidal Tendencies, Pennywise, JFA, Lagwagon, Face to Face, Descendants, Guttermouth, Strung Out, The Vandals, Fat Mike
55Yacht Rock
Popular artists: Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, The Doobie Brothers, Pablo Cruise, Toto, Dan Fogelberg, Jim Messina, David Paich, Steve Lukather
56Geek Rock
Popular artists: They Might Be Giants, Devo, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Oingo Bongo, Thomas Dolby, Cake, Barenaked Ladies, Ween, OK Go, Ben Folds Five
57Melodic Hardcore
Popular artists: Bad Religion, Rise Against, Counterparts, Comeback Kid, The Ghost Inside, Hundredth, Descendents, Pennywise, Title Fight, Have Heart
58Post-Hardcore
Popular artists: A Day to Remember, Escape the Fate, At the Drive-In, Glassjaw, The Fall of Troy, Circa Survive, Chiodos, Falling in Reverse, Blessthefall, Funeral for a Friend
59Alternative Dance
Popular artists: New Order, Gorillaz, Pet Shop Boys, M83, MGMT, Björk, Hot Chip, Passion Pit, The Chemical Brothers, Electronic
60Riot Grrrl
Popular artists: Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, Sleater-Kinney, Kathleen Hanna, Babes in Toyland, Tobi Vail, Huggy Bear, Heavens to Betsy, Bratmobile, Calamity Jane
61Melodic Death Metal
Popular artists: Opeth, Insomnium, Kalmah, Amorphis, At the Gates, Wintersun, Dissection, Swallow the Sun, Carcass, Amon Amarth
62Jersey Shore Sound
Popular artists: Bruce Springsteen, The Gaslight Anthem, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, Looking Glass, Mink DeVille, Bon Jovi, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Gary U.S. Bonds
63Crossover Thrash
Popular artists: Cro-Mags, Municipal Waste, D.R.I., Stormtroopers of Death, Agnostic Front, Corrosion of Conformity, Discharge, Bad Brains, Cryptic Slaughter, Anthrax
64Anarcho-Punk
Popular artists: Subhumans, Crass, Flux Of Pink Indians, Poison Girls, Discharge, Dead Kennedys, Zounds, MDC, Reagan Youth, Conflict
65Funk Metal
Popular artists: Mr. Bungle, Living Colour, Extreme, Mind Funk, Infectious Grooves, L.A.P.D., Peeping Tom, Finger Eleven, Follow for Now, Zebrahead
66Horror Punk
Popular artists: Misfits, The Cramps, Grave Robber, Samhain, Koffin Kats, Tiger Army, T.S.O.L., Nekromantix, The Undead, Wednesday 13
67Math Rock
Popular artists: King Crimson, Chon, Minus the Bear, Slint, Foals, Hella, Battles, Shellac, Tricot, Lite
68Psychobilly
Popular artists: Reverend Horton Heat, Tiger Army, Mad Sin, Demented Are Go, The Meteors, The Cramps, The Quakes, Guana Batz, Stray Cats, King Kurt
69Screamo
Popular artists: Underoath, Senses Fail, Escape the Fate, Silverstein, Black Veil Brides, Of Mice & Men, Saosin, Asking Alexandria, Thrice, Atreyu
70Folk Punk
Popular artists: AJJ, Daze N' Days, Mischief Brew, Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains, The Pogues, Ramshackle Glory, Against Me!, Defiance, Ohio, Ghost Mice, The Mountain Goats
71Electropunk
Popular artists: Adult, Mindless Self Indulgence, Crystal Castles, The Prodigy, Nine Inch Nails, Die Krupps, Happy Little Day, Snog, Egotronic, COBRA
72Krautrock
Popular artists: Neu!, Faust, CAN, Tangerine Dream, Popol Vuh, Ash Ra Tempel, Cluster, Klaus Schulze, Harmonia, Agitation Free
73Art Punk
Popular artists: Suicide, Television, Pere Ubu, The Mutants, Crass, Tom Verlaine, Deerholf, Past Lives, fIREHOSE, The Membranes
74Christian Rock
Popular artists: Switchfoot, Skillet, Kutless, Disciple, Jars of Clay, Flyleaf, Relient K, Fireflight, Pillar, Casting Crowns
75Streetpunk
Popular artists: The Unseen, The Casualties, The Exploited, Oxymoron, Slaughter and the Dogs, Angelic Upstarts, Rancid, A Global Threat, The Last Resort, The Business
76Cowpunk
Popular artists: Meat Puppets, The Beat Farmers, The Long Ryders, Rank and File, The Mekons, X, Social Distortion, The Supersuckers, Jason & The Scorchers, Lucero
77Straight Edge Punk
Popular artists: Fugazi, Minor Threat, Youth of Today, Earth Crisis, Have Heart, Gorilla Biscuits, Judge, Inside Out, 7 Seconds, Slapshot
78Avant-Garde Metal
Popular artists: Sigh, Meshuggah, Diablo Swing Orchestra, Mr. Bungle, Celtic Frost, Arcturus, Kayo Dot, Ulver, Gorguts, Solefald
79Indietronica
Popular artists: LCD Soundsystem, MGMT, The Postal Service, Passion Pit, Hot Chip, Lali Puna, Metronomy, M83, Miike Snow, Cut Copy
80Sadcore
Popular artists: Lana del Rey, Cat Power, Codeine, Red House Painters, Mojave 3, Mike Johnson, Rex, Iroha, Early Day Miners, Arab Strap
