Types of Music Groups and Bands

Mainstream music can be divided into two main different categories, these are Synthetic and Organic. These two different types are determined when the band is created and they determine the band members involvement in the work of the band.

Organic:

The term organic is used to describe bands where the music comes first, this implies that they write their own songs and money is not the only motive which encourages the groups members to perform. They always write the type of music that they want to write, as opposed to the type of music that will generate the largest amount of money, however, once they have written albums or singles in their preferred style they try to sell it to the right audience to make a profit from their work.

Given how organic bands often stick to the type of style they themselves find most preferable, they appeal only to a niche audience. However, they can appeal to a mass audience in certain cases as well.

A good example of an organic band is the beatles. They were a group of friends that would often get together just to write songs with no real initial idea that they would make it as big as they did. They played in Germany for one year, making little money, but they never let go of their defining style, when they came home to Liverpool they were signed by a middle class man who owned a record shop, he offered them pre-written songs that he believed would make it to #1 if the beatles performed them, but he was turned down because they wanted to stick to their own style, the music came first for them and this is what makes them an organic band.



Synthetic

Synthetic bands are bands that are created through a certain methodology, the record labels that sign these people control what happens with the band and the band members themselves often have little involvement when it comes to real performing, they are usually instructed and trained to mime along with pre-written and often pre-performed music.

The reason bands like this are created is to exploit an identified gap in the market. This allows songwriters and performers to create a specific type of music to fill that gap in order to generate massive profits, using selected individuals who they believe are suitable to be the front of the group. However, just because profit is the primary goal of these bands this does not mean they are bad and should not be supported, as in some cases they actually produce very good music which appeals to more than a niche audience.

As mentioned, the largest profit possible is the ultimate goal of these manufactured artists, A good example is One Direction. This was a group of individuals selected by Simon Cowell who probably did not know each other to begin with, they do not write their own songs, they likely mime when during their performances, they were created to appeal to a niche audience of younger females and the music does not come first, being successful at what they do and making money does.