“In chemistry, Mendeleev didn’t invent the order of the elements — he discovered it.
It was already there: he even left empty boxes for elements nobody had found yet.
I did the same with music.
A hundred genres. Ten families. A system that explains
why certain sounds attract, certain sounds repel,
and certain ones — mixed the right way —
become something that changes how you feel.”
— DJ Alchemist Teta · Chapter 31 · Manifesto
A necessary premise, from me — DJ Teta.
This table was born subjectively. It doesn’t claim to be gospel, nor a definitive academic classification. It’s the fruit of over 40 years of passion for every kind of music — years of concerts, of travel for study, work and holidays, of evenings spent listening, of conversations with artists and young people from all over the world, of studying music in all its forms and latitudes.
I encountered these genres live, in clubs, at festivals, in the streets, in homes. I heard them being born, evolving, cross-pollinating. The artists I list in each category reflect my direct experience — not an algorithm, not an encyclopaedia, not academic consensus.
If you don’t agree with some of my choices — welcome to the laboratory. Discussion is part of the experience.
100 music genres classified as chemical elements. Each element has a 3-letter code, a function, a position in the table.
🧬
The Molecules
Artists are molecules — combinations of elements. Oasis = BTP + INR + HRK. The Beta Band = INR + PSY + AMB.
💊
The Vitamins
When the right molecules combine in the right proportions, they produce a Musical Vitamin. With effects the listener can truly feel.
🔬
The Reactions
Every element reacts with others in predictable ways. MED + AMB → Dark Ambient. BTP + INR → pure Britpop. The reactions are infinite.
The original table — hand-drawn by DJ Teta
The original table, hand-drawn by DJ Teta. 100 genres, 10 families, pencil colours — every element catalogued in the Alchemist’s system.
How to read the table: each row is a Family — 10 genres with shared chemical characteristics. Each column indicates a cross-cutting property (structure, harmony, rhythm, concept, emotion, collective energy, hybridisation, narrative function, atmosphere, transcendence). Click each family to expand its 10 elements with representative artists and musical reactions.
The 10 Families
Click each family to expand its 10 elements. Every element has a code, representative artists, and a single word that defines it.
🏰
NSF 1MED
Medieval
Origin
Anonymous 4 · Sequentia
🎼
NSF 2BAR
Baroque
Ornament
J.S. Bach · Handel
🏛️
NSF 3CLS
Classical
Balance
Mozart · Haydn
▫️
NSF 4MIN
Minimalism
Reduction
Steve Reich · Philip Glass
❤️
NSF 5ROM
Romantic
Emotion
Chopin · Tchaikovsky
👥
NSF 6CHO
Choral
Elevation
King’s Singers · Tallis Scholars
🕰️
NSF 7NEO
Neo-Classical
Renewal
Max Richter · Ólafur Arnalds
🎬
NSF 8FSC
Film Score
Narrative
John Williams · Hans Zimmer
🌌
NSF 9AMB
Ambient
Atmosphere
Brian Eno · Stars of the Lid
🌫️
NSF 10DRN
Drone
Suspension
Sunn O))) · Eliane Radigue
☘️
NSF 11CEL
Celtic Folk
Heritage
The Chieftains · Enya · Loreena McKennitt
🌾
NSF 12FLK
Folk
Roots
Bob Dylan · Nick Drake · Joan Baez
🥁
NSF 13AFR
Afro Music
Rhythm
Fela Kuti · Miriam Makeba · Youssou N’Dour
🎸
NSF 14BLU
Blues
Soul
Robert Johnson · B.B. King · Muddy Waters
🤠
NSF 15CNT
Country
Journey
Johnny Cash · Dolly Parton · Hank Williams
💃
NSF 16FLA
Flamenco
Passion
Paco de Lucía · Camarón de la Isla
🌞
NSF 17LAT
Latin Folk
Heat
Buena Vista Social Club · Celia Cruz
🌊
NSF 18REG
Reggae
Balance
Bob Marley · Peter Tosh · Jimmy Cliff
🔊
NSF 19DUB
Dub
Echo
Lee Scratch Perry · King Tubby
🌍
NSF 20WFB
World Fusion
Connection
Peter Gabriel · Ry Cooder · Deep Forest
🎷
NSF 21CJZ
Classic Jazz
Swing
Miles Davis · Duke Ellington · Louis Armstrong
💙
NSF 22SOL
Soul
Feeling
Marvin Gaye · Aretha Franklin · Otis Redding
🕺
NSF 23SWG
Swing
Motion
Benny Goodman · Glenn Miller · Ella Fitzgerald
🪩
NSF 24FNK
Funk
Groove
James Brown · Parliament · Sly & the Family Stone
🎤
NSF 25RNB
R&B
Smoothness
Ray Charles · Sam Cooke · Whitney Houston
🎺
NSF 26JAZ
Modern Jazz
Expression
John Coltrane · Bill Evans · Thelonious Monk
☕
NSF 27ACJ
Acid Jazz
Fusion
Jamiroquai · Brand New Heavies · Incognito
⚙️
NSF 28GOS
Groove Jazz
Flow
Groove Armada · GoGo Penguin · Nils Petter Molvær
🌀
NSF 29IFU
Free Jazz
Freedom
Ornette Coleman · Sun Ra · Albert Ayler
⚡
NSF 30FIM
Jazz Fusion
Blend
Weather Report · Mahavishnu Orchestra · Pat Metheny
🧠
NSF 31PRG
Progressive Rock
Complexity
Pink Floyd · Yes · King Crimson
🇬🇧
NSF 32BTP
Britpop
Identity
Oasis · Blur · Pulp
⚡
NSF 33INR
Indie Rock
Independence
The Smiths · R.E.M. · The Strokes
🎨
NSF 34ARK
Art Rock
Concept
David Bowie · Roxy Music · Talk Talk
🔥
NSF 35HRK
Hard Rock
Power
Led Zeppelin · Deep Purple · AC/DC
🌈
NSF 36PSY
Psychedelic Rock
Perception
The Beatles · Jimi Hendrix · The Doors
🎭
NSF 37ATR
Alternative Rock
Contrast
Radiohead · Sonic Youth · The National
🌌
NSF 38PSR
Post Rock
Expansion
Mogwai · Godspeed You! Black Emperor · Explosions in the Sky
🚗
NSF 39GRG
Garage Rock
Rawness
The Stooges · MC5 · The Sonics
📻
NSF 40NSR
Mainstream Rock
Reach
U2 · Coldplay · Foo Fighters
📐
NSF 41NWV
New Wave
Modernity
Talking Heads · Devo · The Cars
🖤
NSF 42EMO
Emo
Confession
My Chemical Romance · Dashboard Confessional · Sunny Day Real Estate
🎺
NSF 43SKP
Ska Punk
Momentum
The Specials · Madness · Rancid
⚡
NSF 44PNK
Punk
Rebellion
Sex Pistols · The Clash · Ramones
☁️
NSF 45GRN
Grunge
Disillusion
Nirvana · Pearl Jam · Soundgarden
🚨
NSF 46HCP
Hardcore Punk
Intensity
Black Flag · Minor Threat · Bad Brains
🕶️
NSF 47PSP
Post Punk
Tension
Joy Division · Wire · Gang of Four
🌒
NSF 48ALT
Dark Alternative
Depth
The Cure · Bauhaus · Siouxsie and the Banshees
🔀
NSF 49CRX
Crossover
Collision
Faith No More · Rage Against the Machine · RHCP
🧪
NSF 50XPK
Experimental Punk
Mutation
PIL · Fugazi · Dead Kennedys
⚔️
NSF 51PMT
Power Metal
Heroism
Helloween · Blind Guardian · Manowar
🤘
NSF 52HMT
Heavy Metal
Strength
Black Sabbath · Iron Maiden · Judas Priest
🔩
NSF 53NMT
Nu Metal
Impact
Linkin Park · Korn · System of a Down
⚡
NSF 54THR
Thrash Metal
Speed
Metallica · Slayer · Megadeth
⏳
NSF 55DOM
Doom Metal
Gravity
Candlemass · Paradise Lost · My Dying Bride
🪨
NSF 56SLG
Sludge Metal
Weight
Mastodon · Eyehategod · Neurosis
⚙️
NSF 57IHM
Industrial Metal
Machine
Nine Inch Nails · Ministry · Rammstein
🧠
NSF 58POM
Progressive Metal
Complexity
Tool · Dream Theater · Opeth
🌑
NSF 59BKM
Black Metal
Extremity
Mayhem · Darkthrone · Emperor
💀
NSF 60DTM
Death Metal
Finality
Death · Cannibal Corpse · Morbid Angel
💡
NSF 61SYP
Synth Pop
Modernity
Depeche Mode · New Order · Pet Shop Boys
🪩
NSF 62DNP
Dance Pop
Movement
Madonna · Kylie Minogue · Robbie Williams
🏠
NSF 63HSE
House
Pulse
Daft Punk · Frankie Knuckles · Larry Heard
⚡
NSF 64TEC
Techno
Drive
Kraftwerk · Jeff Mills · Underground Resistance
🌀
NSF 65TRN
Trance
Immersion
Tiësto · Paul van Dyk · Armin van Buuren
🥁
NSF 66DNB
Drum & Bass
Velocity
Goldie · LTJ Bukem · Roni Size
🧩
NSF 67IDM
IDM
Complexity
Aphex Twin · Autechre · Boards of Canada
🛋️
NSF 68DWT
Downtempo
Calm
Massive Attack · Portishead · Tricky
🔋
NSF 69VPW
Electro Wave
Texture
Gary Numan · OMD · John Foxx
🌊
NSF 70CLI
Chillwave
Drift
Washed Out · Toro y Moi · Neon Indian
🌙
NSF 71CHP
Chill Hop
Ease
Nujabes · J Dilla · Idealism
🎤
NSF 72RAP
Rap
Voice
Eminem · Jay-Z · Nas
🥁
NSF 73AFS
Afro Swing
Bounce
J Hus · Not3s · Kojo Funds
🧢
NSF 74HPH
Hip Hop
Flow
Public Enemy · A Tribe Called Quest · Wu-Tang Clan
💥
NSF 75TRP
Trap
Impact
Travis Scott · Future · Migos
⚫
NSF 76DRL
Drill
Pressure
Pop Smoke · Chief Keef · Headie One
🏙️
NSF 77GRM
Grime
Urgency
Dizzee Rascal · Skepta · Wiley
📻
NSF 78LOF
Lo-Fi Hip Hop
Focus
Lofi Girl · Jinsang · Kupla
🧠
NSF 79CLR
Conscious Rap
Awareness
Kendrick Lamar · Common · Mos Def
🧪
NSF 80EHP
Experimental Hip Hop
Fragmentation
Death Grips · clipping. · Tyler, the Creator
🍷
NSF 81SPP
Sophisti-Pop
Elegance
Sade · Everything But The Girl · Prefab Sprout
✨
NSF 82POP
Pop
Accessibility
Michael Jackson · ABBA · Elton John
⚡
NSF 83PWR
Power Pop
Energy
Cheap Trick · Big Star · Fountains of Wayne
💬
NSF 84INP
Indie Pop
Intimacy
Belle & Sebastian · The Postal Service · Camera Obscura
🌟
NSF 85TNP
Teen Pop
Youth
Britney Spears · Backstreet Boys · NSYNC
🎨
NSF 86ATP
Art Pop
Style
Kate Bush · Björk · St. Vincent
🔌
NSF 87ELP
Electro Pop
Shine
Robyn · La Roux · Charli XCX
🌠
NSF 88SYB
Synth Ballad
Romance
Yazoo · Erasure · Howard Jones
🚀
NSF 89KPP
Kinetic Pop
Momentum
Dua Lipa · Years & Years · Christine and the Queens
💥
NSF 90HPP
Hyper Pop
Acceleration
100 gecs · A. G. Cook · Dorian Electra
🔬
NSF 91MIC
Microgenre
Novelty
James Ferraro · PC Music · Oneohtrix Point Never
🧬
NSF 92HYB
Hybrid Music
Fusion
FKA twigs · Kelela · Rosalía
🌃
NSF 93CLB
Club Experimental
Reaction
Actress · Arca · Floating Points
✏️
NSF 94IND
Industrial
Craft
Throbbing Gristle · Einstürzende Neubauten · Coil
🔮
NSF 95AVG
Avant-Garde
Innovation
John Cage · Stockhausen · Meredith Monk
🚀
NSF 96FEX
Future Experimental
Exploration
SOPHIE · Lyra Pramuk · Jlin
🤖
NSF 97AIM
AI Music
Generation
Holly Herndon · Yacht · Dadabots
🎧
NSF 98SDA
Sound Art
Perception
Janet Cardiff · Alvin Lucier · Pauline Oliveros
📢
NSF 99NOI
Noise
Disruption
Merzbow · Wolf Eyes · Whitehouse
☄️
NSF 100PEX
Future Extreme
Evolution
Prurient · The Body · Pharmakon
From the Table to the Laboratory
Now that you know the elements, you can enter DJ Alchemist Teta’s Laboratory.
Discover the Musical Vitamins, create your own formula, and find out what you need today.