Loading
Preparing your generator page
We are loading content and tools so everything is ready to use.
We are loading content and tools so everything is ready to use.
Stuck playing the same songs? Get a random music genre from 116, from ragtime to amapiano, with where it started, what to listen for, and three artists to start with. Filter by family, mood, era, and tempo, roll a genre mashup challenge, or play guess-the-genre.
Also try the Band Name Generator, Random Movie Generator, and Random Hobby Generator.
Last updated: October 3, 2026 · Published: 2026-04-28 · Updated: 2026-10-03
For music discovery, producers and songwriters, DJs, music teachers, and party playlists. Browse all Randomizer tools.
Pick a family, mood, era, or tempo, or leave everything on Any, and get a genre from 116, each with artists to start with.
A random music genre generator picks a music genre for you. People use it to find new music, to set a creative challenge, or to choose a theme for a playlist or party.
Muxgen's generator picks from 116 genres in 11 families: rock, metal & punk, pop, hip-hop, electronic, r&b & soul, jazz & blues, country & folk, latin, caribbean, african & global, and classical & soundtrack. Every genre shows where and when it started, a plain description of how it sounds, the signature sounds to listen for, its typical BPM where the tempo is consistent, and three well-known artists to start with.
A music genreis a category of music that shares a sound, a history, and usually a community, like jazz, techno, or bluegrass. Genres split into subgenres and blend into new ones all the time. That's why the generator also has a mashup mode, and a guess-the-genre quiz to train your ears. Everything runs in your browser, with no sign-up.
Three steps from a genre name to music in your headphones.
Random genre gives you 1 to 10 genres with artists to start with. Genre mashup blends two genres into a creative challenge. Guess the genre is a 10-round quiz.
Choose a family like jazz or electronic, a mood like chill or danceable, an era from before 1950 to today, and a tempo. Or leave everything on Any and explore all 116.
Each genre has artists to start with plus Spotify and YouTube search links. Swap a genre you already know, and copy your picks to share.
Random genres with context, a two-genre mashup challenge, or the guess-the-genre quiz.
1 to 10 different genres per click. Genres from your last batch go to the back of the line.
11 families: rock, metal & punk, pop, hip-hop, electronic, r&b & soul, jazz & blues, country & folk, latin, caribbean, african & global, and classical & soundtrack.
chill, energetic, danceable, happy, melancholy, dark, romantic. Most genres have one to three moods.
When the genre took shape: before 1950, 1950s–60s, 1970s–80s, and 1990s and later.
slow, mid-tempo, fast, varies. "Varies" covers styles like opera and film scores that move between speeds.
The sounds that define the genre, and three well-known artists to play first.
Search links for the genre, opened in a new tab, so you can hear it within seconds.
Six steps from an unfamiliar genre name to music you actually like.
Every family in the generator, what it covers, and where its genres started.
| Family | Genres | What it covers | Earliest here | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock | 10 | Guitar bands, from 1950s rock and roll to post-rock | Rock and roll (1950s) | Rock and roll, Classic rock, and Psychedelic rock |
| Metal & punk | 12 | The loudest and fastest guitar music | Heavy metal (Late 1960s) | Punk rock, Hardcore punk, and Pop punk |
| Pop | 11 | Hooks and choruses built for radio and charts | Bubblegum pop (Late 1960s) | Synth-pop, Disco, and Bubblegum pop |
| Hip-hop | 10 | Rapping and DJ-built beats, born in the Bronx | Old-school hip-hop (1970s) | Old-school hip-hop, Boom bap, and Gangsta rap |
| Electronic | 11 | Club and studio music made with machines | Ambient (1970s) | House, Techno, and Ambient |
| R&B & soul | 10 | Soulful singing rooted in Black American church music | Gospel (1930s) | Doo-wop, Gospel, and Soul |
| Jazz & blues | 10 | Improvisation, swing, and the blues | Ragtime (1890s) | Ragtime, New Orleans jazz, and Delta blues |
| Country & folk | 10 | Acoustic roots and storytelling | Celtic folk (Traditional) | Western swing, Honky-tonk, and Bluegrass |
| Latin | 10 | Dance rhythms from Latin America and its diaspora | Merengue (19th century) | Tango, Merengue, and Mariachi |
| Caribbean, African & global | 13 | Caribbean, African, European, and South Asian traditions | Qawwali (13th century) | Ska, Reggae, and Dub |
| Classical & soundtrack | 9 | Orchestras, opera, and music for film and games | Opera (Around 1600) | Opera, Baroque, and Classical period |
When each genre in the generator took shape, from the oldest roots to the 2010s. Most genres grew from earlier ones, so dates are approximate.
| Era | Genres that took shape |
|---|---|
| Before 1900 | Qawwali (South Asia), Opera (Florence, Italy), Baroque (Europe), Classical period (Vienna), Flamenco (Andalusia, Spain), Celtic folk (Ireland and Scotland), Romantic era (Europe), Fado (Lisbon, Portugal), Merengue (Dominican Republic), Mariachi (Jalisco, Mexico), Tango (Buenos Aires and Montevideo), Impressionism (France), Ragtime (Missouri) |
| 1900s–1940s | New Orleans jazz (New Orleans), Samba (Rio de Janeiro), Delta blues (Mississippi Delta), Highlife (Ghana), Gospel (African American churches in the United States), Swing (United States), Western swing (Texas and Oklahoma), Film score (Hollywood), Bebop (New York), Chicago blues (Chicago), Honky-tonk (Texas), Bluegrass (Kentucky and Appalachia), Cumbia (Colombia's Caribbean coast), Doo-wop (United States), Cool jazz (United States) |
| 1950s | Rock and roll (Southern United States), Soul (Southern United States), Folk revival (United States), Bossa nova (Rio de Janeiro), Motown (Detroit), Free jazz (New York), Ska (Jamaica) |
| 1960s | Surf rock (Southern California), Bachata (Dominican Republic), Minimalism (United States), Psychedelic rock (San Francisco and London), Funk (United States), Salsa (New York), Classic rock (United Kingdom and United States), Bubblegum pop (United States), Singer-songwriter (United States and Canada), Country rock (California), Reggae (Jamaica), Dub (Jamaica), Progressive rock (United Kingdom), Heavy metal (Birmingham, England), Jazz fusion (United States), Afrobeat (Lagos, Nigeria) |
| 1970s | Disco (New York), Outlaw country (Texas and Nashville), Old-school hip-hop (The Bronx, New York), Soca (Trinidad and Tobago), Punk rock (New York and London), Quiet storm (United States), City pop (Japan), Synth-pop (United Kingdom), Ambient (United Kingdom), Hardcore punk (Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.), Dancehall (Jamaica) |
| 1980s | Thrash metal (San Francisco Bay Area), Smooth jazz (United States), Indie rock (United States and United Kingdom), Dance-pop (United States), Dream pop (United Kingdom), Bhangra (Punjab and the United Kingdom), Black metal (Europe, peaking in Norway), Doom metal (United Kingdom and United States), House (Chicago), Emo (Washington, D.C.), Death metal (Florida), Power metal (Germany), Indie pop (United Kingdom), Techno (Detroit), Contemporary R&B (United States), Latin pop (United States and Latin America), Video game music (Japan), Gangsta rap (Los Angeles and Philadelphia), Grunge (Seattle), Conscious hip-hop (New York), New jack swing (New York), Shoegaze (United Kingdom and Ireland), Boom bap (New York), Jazz rap (New York) |
| 1990s | J-pop (Japan), Trance (Germany), Eurodance (Europe), Trip hop (Bristol, England), K-pop (South Korea), G-funk (Los Angeles), Britpop (United Kingdom), Metalcore (United States), Drum and bass (United Kingdom), Post-rock (United Kingdom and United States), Pop punk (California), Nu metal (California), UK garage (London), Neo-soul (United States), Americana (United States), Reggaeton (Puerto Rico), Teen pop (United States), Hardstyle (Netherlands) |
| 2000s | Dubstep (South London), Grime (East London), Trap (Atlanta), Modern classical (Europe), Indie folk (United States), Synthwave (France and online), Afrobeats (Nigeria, Ghana, and London) |
| 2010s | Drill (Chicago), Alternative R&B (United States and Canada), Hyperpop (London and online), Lo-fi hip-hop (YouTube and online), Amapiano (South Africa) |
Typical beats per minute for genres with a fairly consistent speed, slowest first. Useful for DJ sets, workouts, and production.
| Genre | Typical BPM | Family | Listen for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reggae | 60–90 | Caribbean, African & global | offbeat guitar skank, heavy bass, one-drop drums |
| Dub | 60–90 | Caribbean, African & global | heavy echo and reverb, stripped-back bass and drums |
| Lo-fi hip-hop | 70–90 | Hip-hop | dusty samples, vinyl crackle, mellow jazzy chords |
| Boom bap | 85–95 | Hip-hop | punchy kick and snare drums, chopped jazz and soul samples |
| Reggaeton | 85–100 | Latin | dembow rhythm, Spanish rap and singing |
| Dancehall | 90–110 | Caribbean, African & global | digital riddims, rapid-fire toasting vocals |
| Afrobeats | 95–115 | Caribbean, African & global | bouncy percussion, melodic vocals, highlife guitars |
| Disco | 110–130 | Pop | four-on-the-floor kick, lush strings, funky bass |
| Bachata | 110–140 | Latin | requinto lead guitar, bongos, romantic lyrics |
| Amapiano | 110–115 | Caribbean, African & global | log drum bass, jazzy keys, shakers |
| Dance-pop | 115–130 | Pop | steady dance beats, huge hooks, polished production |
| House | 118–130 | Electronic | four-on-the-floor kick, off-beat hi-hats, soulful vocals |
| Merengue | 120–160 | Latin | tambora drum, accordion, güira scraper |
| Techno | 125–150 | Electronic | repetitive machine rhythms, analog synthesizers |
| Trance | 125–150 | Electronic | long build-ups, euphoric synth leads, emotional breakdowns |
| Trap | 130–170 | Hip-hop | booming 808 bass, rapid hi-hat rolls, dark synths |
| UK garage | 130–135 | Electronic | shuffling two-step beats, chopped R&B vocals |
| Grime | 140 | Hip-hop | cold synths, rapid-fire MCing, pirate radio energy |
| Dubstep | 140 | Electronic | wobbling bass, half-time drums, deep sub-bass |
| Hardstyle | 150 | Electronic | distorted reverse-bass kick, euphoric melodies |
| Punk rock | 160–200 | Metal & punk | fast three-chord songs, shouted vocals, raw production |
| Drum and bass | 160–180 | Electronic | fast chopped breakbeats, heavy rolling sub-bass |
Every genre sorted by how it feels, with what each mood suits. Set the Mood filter to pick from one row.
| Mood | Good for | Genres |
|---|---|---|
| Chill (27) | Studying, reading, and winding down | Psychedelic rock, Shoegaze, Post-rock, Dream pop, City pop, Indie pop, Boom bap, G-funk, Jazz rap, Lo-fi hip-hop, Ambient, Synthwave, Trip hop, Quiet storm, Neo-soul, Alternative R&B, Cool jazz, Smooth jazz, Americana, Indie folk, Bossa nova, Reggae, Dub, Amapiano, Impressionism, Minimalism, Modern classical |
| Energetic (34) | Workouts, running, and cleaning | Rock and roll, Classic rock, Surf rock, Britpop, Punk rock, Hardcore punk, Pop punk, Emo, Heavy metal, Thrash metal, Power metal, Nu metal, Metalcore, Hyperpop, Trap, Grime, Techno, Trance, Drum and bass, Hardstyle, Funk, Bebop, Chicago blues, Jazz fusion, Bluegrass, Merengue, Mariachi, Salsa, Soca, Afrobeat, Qawwali, Bhangra, Film score, Video game music |
| Danceable (33) | Parties, weddings, and dance floors | Rock and roll, Synth-pop, Disco, Dance-pop, Teen pop, K-pop, Old-school hip-hop, G-funk, House, Eurodance, UK garage, Motown, Funk, Contemporary R&B, New jack swing, New Orleans jazz, Swing, Western swing, Celtic folk, Merengue, Samba, Cumbia, Salsa, Latin pop, Reggaeton, Ska, Dancehall, Soca, Highlife, Afrobeat, Afrobeats, Amapiano, Bhangra |
| Happy (46) | Road trips, mornings, and cooking | Rock and roll, Indie rock, Surf rock, Britpop, Pop punk, Power metal, Synth-pop, Disco, Bubblegum pop, Dance-pop, Teen pop, K-pop, J-pop, City pop, Indie pop, Hyperpop, Old-school hip-hop, Conscious hip-hop, House, Trance, Eurodance, UK garage, Doo-wop, Gospel, Soul, Motown, Ragtime, New Orleans jazz, Swing, Western swing, Bluegrass, Folk revival, Country rock, Celtic folk, Mariachi, Samba, Cumbia, Latin pop, Ska, Reggae, Highlife, Afrobeats, Qawwali, Baroque, Classical period, Video game music |
| Melancholy (19) | Rainy days and late-night thinking | Grunge, Indie rock, Shoegaze, Post-rock, Emo, Doom metal, Dream pop, Conscious hip-hop, Alternative R&B, Delta blues, Honky-tonk, Folk revival, Singer-songwriter, Americana, Indie folk, Bachata, Fado, Romantic era, Modern classical |
| Dark (28) | Night drives, gaming, and Halloween | Psychedelic rock, Progressive rock, Grunge, Punk rock, Hardcore punk, Heavy metal, Thrash metal, Death metal, Black metal, Doom metal, Nu metal, Metalcore, Gangsta rap, Trap, Grime, Drill, Techno, Synthwave, Trip hop, Dubstep, Alternative R&B, Chicago blues, Free jazz, Outlaw country, Tango, Dub, Flamenco, Opera |
| Romantic (19) | Dinners, dates, and slow dances | Teen pop, City pop, Doo-wop, Soul, Quiet storm, Contemporary R&B, Neo-soul, Cool jazz, Smooth jazz, Singer-songwriter, Tango, Bossa nova, Bachata, Latin pop, Flamenco, Fado, Opera, Classical period, Romantic era |
Calm, steady, and mostly instrumental. Set Mood to Chill to pick from all 27.
Many genres started when musicians blended two styles. The Genre mashup mode gives you the same kind of collision on purpose.
| Genre | Ingredients | Landmark example |
|---|---|---|
| Bossa nova | Samba + cool jazz | "The Girl from Ipanema", Stan Getz and João Gilberto (1964) |
| Western swing | Country fiddle + big-band jazz | "San Antonio Rose", Bob Wills (1938) |
| Jazz fusion | Jazz improvisation + rock and funk | Bitches Brew, Miles Davis (1970) |
| Afrobeat | Yoruba rhythms + funk + jazz horns | Zombie, Fela Kuti (1976) |
| Rap rock | Hip-hop + hard rock | "Walk This Way", Run-DMC and Aerosmith (1986) |
| Trip hop | Hip-hop beats + soul and film samples | Blue Lines, Massive Attack (1991) |
| Nu metal | Metal riffs + hip-hop grooves | Korn, Korn (1994) |
| Reggaeton | Dancehall + hip-hop + Latin pop | "Gasolina", Daddy Yankee (2004) |
| Amapiano | Deep house + jazz + kwaito | Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa |
| Country rap | Country + trap | "Old Town Road", Lil Nas X (2019) |
For producers, songwriters, bands, and music classes. Works solo or as a group battle.
For parties, classrooms, and group chats, with the generator setting to use.
| Game | Players | How to play | Generator setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guess the genre | 1+ | Read what a genre sounds like and pick it from 4 choices. 10 rounds per game, with an optional hint. | Guess the genre mode |
| Genre roulette playlist | 3+ | Each person rolls a genre and adds one song from it to a shared playlist. Play it at the party and guess who added what. | Random genre, 1 per person |
| Genre-swap covers | 2+ | Sing or play a well-known song, like "Happy Birthday", in a random genre. Bossa nova and death metal are crowd favorites. | Random genre, 1 genre |
| Name that genre | 3+ | One player secretly rolls a genre and plays a song from it. First to name the genre scores a point. | Random genre, Spotify or YouTube links |
| Genre of the week | 1+ | Roll one genre every Monday and listen only to it on your commute for a week. Keep a list of what stuck. | Random genre, Era or Family filter |
| Producer battle | 2+ | Everyone gets the same mashup and 30 minutes to make a beat. Vote on the best blend. | Genre mashup mode |
| Music class timeline | Class | Students each roll a genre, then line up in order of when their genre started. Check against the timeline below. | Random genre, 1 per student |
Every genre in the generator by family, with where and when it started and three artists to play first.
Match the number to what you're doing.
| Number | Best for |
|---|---|
| 1 genre | Genre of the day or week, or a single creative prompt |
| 3 genres | A quick listening session or a three-way producer challenge |
| 5 genres | A party playlist rotation or a class activity |
| 10 genres | A listening club season or a 10-week discovery challenge |
Built to turn a genre name into something you can hear.
11 families, from ragtime and qawwali to drill and amapiano. Each one shows where and when it started, what to listen for, and three artists to start with.
Spotify and YouTube search links on every genre, so discovering turns into listening right away.
Filter for a chill genre from before 1950, or a fast, danceable genre from the 1990s.
Two genres from different families, a mood, and a format. Made for producers, songwriters, and bands.
10 descriptions, 4 choices each, usually from the same family.
No sign-up and nothing saved. Works on phones, tablets, and computers.
Who uses a random music genre generator, and why.
Break out of the same five artists. Roll a genre, play the starters, and follow what you like.
Mashups force you out of your habits. Bossa nova drums under a trap beat might be your next track.
The quiz, the timeline, and the fusion table give ready-made lessons on how genres grow.
Filter to Danceable and check the BPM table to plan a set that builds.
Give a character a favorite genre, or pick the sound of a fictional city.
Genre-swap cover videos and "listening to a random genre for a week" challenges.
When to use this tool, and when something else fits better.
Algorithms suggest more of what you already play. A random genre takes you somewhere you'd never have searched.
Some sites list thousands of micro-genres. This is a smaller set of established genres, each with context and artists, so you know where to start.
A plain list tells you a name. This adds the sound, the history, and the first artists to play.
A chatbot can describe any genre but sometimes mixes up facts. This picks from a fixed, curated list with filters you control.
What the labels mean, and where the details are approximate.
Genre labels are useful shortcuts, not strict boxes. Many artists fit several genres, and fans argue about the borders.
The origin marks roughly when and where a genre took shape or got its name. Most have earlier roots.
Tempos are shown only for the 22 genres with a fairly consistent speed. Individual songs can sit outside the range.
They're well-known examples that make a good first listen, not the best or only artists in the genre.
Music terms used on this page.
Beats per minute, the speed of a song. Most pop sits between about 90 and 130 BPM.
A steady kick drum on every beat of the bar, the backbone of disco, house, and techno.
An accent on beats two and four, usually from the snare drum. It drives rock and roll.
A drum break sampled from a record and looped, the foundation of hip-hop and drum and bass.
Accenting the off-beats, so the rhythm feels like it's pushing or pulling against the pulse.
The Roland TR-808 drum machine from 1980, famous for its booming bass drum in hip-hop and trap.
A piece of an existing recording reused in a new track.
A short, repeated musical phrase, often on guitar, that a song is built around.
A more specific style inside a genre, like doom metal inside metal.
A style created by blending two or more genres, like bossa nova or jazz fusion.
One voice or instrument plays a phrase and another answers it, common in gospel, blues, and qawwali.
A two-bar rhythmic pattern that anchors salsa and other Afro-Cuban music.
Explore more tools in the directory.
Names for your band or project.
Films to watch, by mood and decade.
New hobbies, including music ones.
Books to read next, by genre.
Countries to explore, and their music.
Spin to pick whose playlist is next.