Explore
Genre strands
The study works with seven strands rather than raw genre tags. Each act's strand is computed from its genre list by positional weighting, in the analysis pipeline — so a strand means the same thing here, on a chart, and in the network graph.
Mainstream Rock
13 acts · 1972–2014Cites The Doors, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Mark Knopfler
Progressive Rock/Metal
2 acts · 1999–2006Cites Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Metallica, Sepultura
Heavy Metal
12 acts · 1984–2007Cites Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Pantera
Alternative/Indie
16 acts · 1996–2018Cites Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Pearl Jam
Pop
7 acts · 2002–2013Cites Karsh Kale
Hip-Hop/Rap
8 acts · 1993–2024Cites Tupac, Biggie, Eminem, Big L
Folk & Folk Fusion
5 acts · 1997–2016No named global act cited anywhere in this strand — only tradition labels.
Strand assignment is computed, not hand-curated: each raw genre token resolves to one strand, and an act’s strand is whichever scores highest with its first-listed genre weighted most. Two acts carry a documented override where the project’s own curated groupings disagreed — kept visible rather than tuned away. See the genre evolution map for how the strands emerged and transmitted to each other.