neutergenre

Neutergenre is a term used in music criticism to describe works that deliberately resist being categorized by conventional genre labels. The concept emphasizes neutrality toward established musical taxonomies and aims to present a sound that defies easy classification.

Characteristics of neutergenre include cross-genre blending, nontraditional or evolving tempo, ambiguous song structures, and a focus on texture or timbre rather than recognizable genre tropes. Production choices tend to de-emphasize overt genre cues, favoring atmosphere, mood, or conceptual aims over a fixed stylistic identity.

Origins and usage of the term emerged in online discourse during the late 2010s and early 2020s, in response to streaming platforms and recommendation systems that heavily annotated music by genre. Critics describe neutergenre as reflecting a post-genre sensibility that seeks to bypass rigid boundaries while still acknowledging hybridity.

Relation to related concepts such as genre-fluid, post-genre, and cross-genre is close, but neutergenre is typically framed as an explicit attempt to neutralize genre identity rather than merely blend influences. In practice, it serves as a descriptive label for works whose crossover elements do not point to a single defined tradition.

Reception is mixed. Some praise neutergenre as a framework for sonic experimentation and inclusivity, while others argue it can be vague or depersonalizing, potentially obscuring cultural contexts or artistic intent. There is no formal canon, and critics apply the term variably to contemporary releases across electronic, pop, and experimental scenes.