3 Songs That Killed a Genre and Accidentally Created Another

All good things must come to an end. Sadly, that’s especially true when referring to music genres. What’s “cool” now won’t be “cool” for too much longer, as we naturally search for something new. Genres generate timeless songs, but others get lost in time as we push into different directions. Sometimes, artists kill a genre altogether. Music is constantly evolving, and there’s nothing we can do to stop that. Here are five songs that killed a genre and accidentally created another in the process.

Led Zeppelin – “Communication Breakdown”

Released at the tail end of the 1960s, Led Zeppelin’s debut album signaled a massive shift in rock ‘n’ roll. Psychedelic “flower power” was on its way out, and bands were dabbling increasingly in hard rock. Bands such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple took over, steering the direction of rock music. Hard rock was set on this path with The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” and accelerated by The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter.” Bands like Led Zeppelin capitalized on the movement. “Communication Breakdown” was the B-side of the band’s first single release, “Good Times Bad Times.” The B-side track is credited with the creation of metal in 1969. The song explodes with fast and crunchy guitar tone, igniting the metal genre and influencing decades of metal players to come. Flower power was out, hard rock and metal were in.

Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

In the early 1990s, hair bands were lingering around, but the direction of rock was feeling more like a hangover. Party band music videos on MTV had dominated the previous decade, and it felt like the party was over. Ultimately, the next step was unclear until Seattle’s Nirvana hit the scene. The opening track and lead single of Nevermind marked the point at which grunge took over the mainstream. The “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video took over MTV, and leather pants were replaced by torn-up jeans and flannel shirts within weeks. Nirvana became the biggest band in the world in the early ’90s. Hair bands were out, and grunge was now in the pilot seat. Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and Alice in Chains took over the airwaves, and a decade of alternative music was set in motion.

Green Day – “Basket Case”

Born directly out of the alternative rock movement set forth by Nirvana, Green Day released the Dookie album in 1994. “Longview” was the first single released, but it was “Basket Case” later that year that solidified a shift in alternative music. Kurt Cobain’s death in April 1994 made it feel like grunge was coming to a premature end. This came true with the release of Dookie. A punk rock group hadn’t been as catchy as Green Day since The Ramones, and the band’s sound brought lively punk rock to the mainstream. MTV played the “Basket Case” music video on regular rotation, and the next two singles, “Welcome to Paradise” and “When I Come Around,” also dominated the airwaves. Grunge was on its way out, and the newly created pop-punk was in. Weezer contributed to the shift as well with their release of the Blue Album that same year.