Today, songs and musicians tend to be put into pigeonholes based on the music they have produced. There are many different charts based on styles, and catalogues, and music shops are divided up along these lines.

The criteria for these categories are rarely explained, so we have put together a bank of definitions to pin down just why Jerry Lee Lewis is rock 'n' roll while Judas Priest is heavy rock.

Of course, musicians are not always bound to a particular musical type. They are free to write in whichever style the like, and many do. Still, most fall into a category that generally describes the music they create.

If you get to know the fundamentals of these styles it will give you a greater understanding of how music is created, and provide the starting point for turning your own song ideas into whichever style that you want.