Proposal: Extend 'Genre' hierarchy with 'Subgenre'

[jistme]

The larger my music collection is growing, the more I appreciate strolling around it by the use of genre qualifications.
Yet I find the current structure of 'Genre' and 'Genre category' often too rough for this.

My proposal and wish is if it could be possible to have the hierarchy extended with 'Subgenre'.

These are just a few examples were this would work very nicely:





edit:
Current proposed list:
download Genre-Subgenre sheet

[beeing good]

This would be good but I suspect virtual or custom tags could just be used?

[jistme]

It might, but I feel this is something rather essential and universal that MB could be a frontrunner in.

Also the option to manage this through the current Genre Grouping would keep it all in the same place with a good overview, and not needing everybody to invent the wheel on his/her own by creating their own tags and formulas.

Lastly (but I'm getting ahead now) I would hope we on this forum could help creating and maintaining a complete and agreeable as possible base file with most common Genre Category's, Genre's and Subgenre's filled in.
  
 

[psychoadept]

+1

[murve33]

+1
I've been wanting this, but I ask for too much stuff as it is. Glad someone else did.

[ThY]

You already are able to do that:

It's in the Tags (2) panel, in options, a button "categorize genres" or something (i have my app in french).

[redwing]

You already are able to do that:

It's in the Tags (2) panel, in options, a button "categorize genres" or something (i have my app in french).

You're right. But what's proposed here is to ADD sub-genre to that, making it a 3-steps hierarchy.

BTW +1 for the idea. I also like the idea of creating a base file. Probably the discussion itself would be quite helpful.

[Bee-liever]

+1
already using a custom subgenre tag 'Style' (as used in discogs) so further integration would be good

[jistme]

BTW +1 for the idea. I also like the idea of creating a base file. Probably the discussion itself would be quite helpful.

If this idea is achievable, and our Headbee is willing and able to implement this:

Maybe then it is an idea to have:

- a standard base file which will contain the most common genres and subgenres, which will keep 80% of MB users happy and is integrated in MB.

- an extended subgenre file for 'freaks like us' which be as complete and obscure as possible. This one could be an optional download/install, so not to clutter and overwhelm 'normal users'.

[Xyzzy]

I think it is superflous. Would be good if there would be tens of subgenres for, say, House music, and hundreds for Techno, but given the example it is just adding complexity for the sake of itself.

[jistme]

Of course I respect your opinion, but I object to "it is just adding complexity for the sake of itself"

Hierarchies are very useful if implemented correctly, and life would be much harder without them.

Country > City > Street
Animal > Cat > Siamese
Clothing > Underwear > Bra

My proposal is nothing more than factual, and when implemented correctly I can only see advantages.

But to add to the quality of this proposal, of course feel free to present factual drawbacks.
Terms as 'difficult' or 'complicating' would be too vague in my opinion.

Just compare these two examples. Same genres and subgenres.

I think it's hard to argue looking at those?




PS,

I would agree with you if the purpose was solely to play 'archiver' or 'stamp collector' with too much time on hand.
The purpose though is to find, discover and play the music that you want to hear much more easy. 

[VX]

+1 for jistme's suggestion

[HHM]

+1, I've been thinking about sth like this for a long time!

[Zak]

I can see why the hierarchy might be useful to people who want fine-grained genres, but I can't see why it can't already be implemented using a custom tag. 

I also can't see why "Britpop" isn't a subcategory of "Pop"? It's in the name!

[jistme]

I can see why the hierarchy might be useful to people who want fine-grained genres, but I can't see why it can't already be
implemented using a custom tag.  

See reply#2

I also can't see why "Britpop" isn't a subcategory of "Pop"? It's in the name!

Because it isn't.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britpop

Same as Jazz-rap is a subgenre of Hip-hop, not of Jazz.
Same as Lovers-rock is a subgenre of Reggae, not of Rock.
Same as Hip-hop soul is a subgenre of Contemporary R&B, not of Soul or Hip-hop.
etc.etc.

Since most reactions are quite positive I anticipated and started assembling a 'base list'.
Very interesting and I'm learning stuff I never new.

Yet it is a lot of work, since I haven't been able to find similar lists that I can easily copy&past from.
Wikipedia is a great source, but takes a lot of reading and researching to translate into a 'simple' list.

If anybody supportive of this idea has some links to sensible genre/subgenre lists please let me now!