The Man Who Named Music Genres

Simon Reynolds is the influential critic responsible for coining iconic music terms like post-rock and hauntology. His sharp observations transformed how we categorize the sonic landscape of modern history.

Beyond mere reviewing, Reynolds reshaped music theory by identifying emerging trends long before the mainstream caught on. He famously defined post-rock to describe bands that abandoned traditional vocals for experimental textures. His writing explores how culture recycles past sounds to create new movements. By documenting these shifts, he turned music journalism into a rigorous form of social analysis.