From Psychedelia to Djent – Progressive Genres as a Paradox of Pop Culture

Abstract

Progressive rock has, as a popular music genre from the very beginning, separated itself from pop culture extensively. It wanted to be the elite, the modern, and the innovative in new forms of art. Ideas of “art rock” do not expire and with time gave rise to the new, transgressive trends: neo-progressive in the ‘80s, progressive metal and mathcore in the ‘90s, and, recently, djent. At the expense of greater commercial success, many bands still cut off from the rock-metal mainstream and operate independently, incessantly exceeding stylistic and aesthetical boundaries. Moreover, poetics of their music often reveal a tension between elitism and egalitarianism, intellect and corporeality, individuality and convention.

During the last few decades, classical music has also crossed the limits of the traditional, even modernistic aesthetics. If nowadays we were to consider music that is minimal, electronic, neoromantic or containing other postmodern trends as “classical”, how should we regard progressive genres? Can they be seen as synthesis of two worlds – classical and rock, or are they being created amidst a thick frontier between art and pop culture?