10 Bizarre Musical Genres You Need to Hear Now!

Are you tired of the same, overly-produced pop songs dominating the airwaves? Are you ready to dive headfirst into a sonic landscape so diverse it might just teleport you to another dimension? Then buckle up, music lovers, because we’re about to explore some seriously fringe musical genres. Forget what’s ‘current’ and ‘new,’ and prepare to discover your next old jam!

Bardcore

The internet loves a good reimagining. Taking modern songs and recasting them in different styles has become a popular trend. Think Post Modern Jukebox, but instead of 20th-century retro, we’re going medieval! Bardcore takes contemporary hits and gives them a medieval makeover.

Nostalgia might fuel the retro craze, but what drives the Bardcore phenomenon? It’s partly the novelty, the discovery of a little-known era blended with the familiarity of modern tunes. Before you know it, you’ll be trading Lady Gaga for Hildegard von Blingin’ and singing, ‘I want thy horror, I want thy design/Thou art a criminal whilst thou art mine’.

Chillhop

Need to unwind? Studying for a big exam? Want a gentle wake-up call? Chillhop has you covered. This genre is so laid-back, it’s hard not to love. It’s perfect for those moments when you need to de-stress and recharge.

It’s hard to imagine someone truly hating on chillhop, unless they completely misunderstand that art is subjective. While it might not define your entire life like punk or metal, chillhop offers a beautiful escape. Pop in your earbuds, grab your coffee, close your eyes, and get ready for whatever comes next.

Japanoise

Okay, enough with the blissed-out vibes. Let’s get the adrenaline pumping with Japanoise! Japan has a strong history of extreme, avant-garde metal, and Japanoise (Japan + Noise) is a prime example.

Noise music isn’t for everyone. But Japanoise often feels more accessible to those who aren’t metalheads, thanks to its focus on musical skill and innovation. Still, it might be a tough sell for Grandma. Think of listening to bands like Merzbow or Melt Banana as attending an immersive conceptual art exhibition. You don’t have to love it, but let the complexity and discord challenge you.

Gypsy Punk

When you listen to Django Reinhardt, his music feels revolutionary for its time. That raw, joyous sound, drawing from traditional Romani music, lives on in gypsy punk.

Gypsy punk blends Romani influences with polka, klezmer, rockabilly, and English folk, truly making it the ‘world music’ of punk. The genre celebrates new experiences and wanderlust. Planning a wedding? Hire a gypsy punk band and guarantee a party everyone will remember.

Traditional Georgian Folk Music

Beauty is in the ear of the listener, especially when it comes to traditional Georgian folk music.

This polyphonic singing tradition dates back to before Christianity in Georgia. In 2001, it was recognized by UNESCO as a ‘Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’. Werner Herzog and the Coen Brothers have even used it in their films, contrasting their counter-culture themes with these ancient, heavenly sounds. Hamlet Gonashvili, a star in the genre, tragically died after falling from an apple tree in 1985. Listening to his atmospheric, tragic songs, you might find that his death seems strangely fitting.

Witch House

This is the soundtrack Blade puts on after a long night of staking vampires. It’s what the CIA should blast at enemy hideouts. It is unsettling, yet strangely captivating.

Witch House, an unholy mix of EBM (electric body music), trance, and industrial metal is haunting in every sense. Is it black magic that binds your soul to these tunes? Perhaps. Or maybe, beneath the foreboding and uncanny, there are genuinely good songs. Perfect for your next community sacrifice, goat or baby!

Zeuhl

Many people despise prog rock. Prog fans often claim haters ‘just don’t get it’. This elitism can be off-putting. But what about Zeuhl, a sub-genre of prog? Avant-garde musician Dominique Leone described it as “about what you’d expect an alien rock opera to sound like”. How can you, a human, possibly ‘get’ it?

Originating in late ’60s France, Zeuhl means ‘celestial’ in Kobaïan, an alien language invented by Christian Vander of the band Magma. The music is otherworldly, conjuring a sense of vastness and the limitlessness of the universe. Cosmic, indeed.

Italian Occult Psychadelia

Horror tends to fall flat in music, often resorting to cheese or fanboyish homages. But Italian Occult Psychadelia seems to have cracked the code. This music can be truly unnerving, even frightening, while drawing from literary and filmic influences, especially the works of Italian directors like Dario Argento, Federico Fellini, and Pier Paolo Pasolini, along with banned ‘Cannibal’ movies and Spaghetti Westerns.

You’ll either love the chills running down your spine, or you’ll throw your earbuds against the wall and hide in a cupboard (exactly where the serial killer wants you!).

Time Lord Rock

Led Zeppelin drew inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien, opening up Middle Earth to rock fans. Will bands like Chameleon Circuit do the same for Doctor Who? Probably not. But as far as IP-fan driven music goes, Time Lord Rock isn’t half bad.

Forget Doctor Who (or embrace it if you’re a fan). These bands are pretty good and prove once and for all that Potterheads are the least creative, least open to new experiences, and least talented people in fandom culture.

Dark Cabaret

This is perhaps the most commercially viable genre on the list, with acts like Tiger Lilies and Dresden Dolls gaining traction. Still, it’s hard to imagine it topping the Billboard charts. Unless, of course, Armageddon strikes, and dark troubadours wander the wasteland, delighting us with accordion-driven songs about humanity’s follies. So, there’s hope!

From medieval makeovers to unnerving horror soundscapes, these bizarre musical genres offer a refreshing escape from the mundane. So, go ahead, dive in and discover your new favorite sound.

Which of these genres are you most excited to explore? Leave your comment below!