# "The King of -" various rock subgenres **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109 "2011-03-18T03:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/41 "2011-03-19T12:06:53Z")
Will Smith was the Fresh Prince, of course, though that’s long forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/42 "2011-03-19T13:11:05Z")
[King Beau Beau is the king of calypso](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaqITyU6nvE). Although his crown was recently taken by [Kaiso Brat](http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-news/3154-brat-defeats-beau-beau-for-calypso-king-crown.html). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/43 "2011-03-19T14:21:02Z")
There is apparently more than one Gypsy King, if I’m reading the intertoobs correctly. Also several [Latin Kings](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Kings_(gang)), but I don’t think they sing much. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/44 "2011-03-19T14:44:22Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > There is apparently more than one Gypsy King There’s only one [Gipsy Kings.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gipsy_Kings)😃 ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/45 "2011-03-19T14:59:11Z")
Another non-rock one: Benny Goodman was called the King of Swing. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/46 "2011-03-19T21:22:21Z")
We can just start listing genres and think of which act came to be the most definitive. I’ve heard Yes referred to as the Kings of Progressive Rock, and Lynyrd Skynyrd as the Kings of Southern Rock. I can’t recall if I’ve ever heard Bob Dylan called the King of Folk, but it’s arguably him. Could be Woody Guthrie tho, depending if we’re controlling for era. I would nominate Metallica as Kings of Heavy Metal, although Black Sabbath has some claim as the progenitor. Let the debate rage. The Kings of Alternative Rock? There are so many nominees that it’s hard to think of an obvious one. If U2 counts as alternative rock then I suppose it would be them. The Kings of Punk? Well, the Sex Pistols is usually the band that comes to mind, but they had such a short career that was more about headline-grabbing mayhem than music. So maybe it should be The Clash, although they stretched the definition of Punk Rock a bit IMO. Nirvana probably has a slightly better lock on Kings of Grunge, but Pearl Jam still might be a contender. For Kings of Hair Metal I think it’s a toss-up between Motley Crue, Poison, and Bon Jovi. Duran Duran are most probably the Kings of the New Romantics. If Nine Inch Nails are Kings of Industrial, maybe that should be “King of” in this case. Or maybe just say Trent Reznor is King of Industrial and be done with it. The Kings of Psychedelic Rock? I may have to meditate on that a bit. IIRC the Doors were once called the Kings of Acid Rock, but their legacy is more the Jim Morrison show and a handful of poppy radio numbers. As for the Grateful Dead, despite all the trappings, their music never really struck me as all that psychedelic. But they were the kings of whatever it was they were doing. Kings of Jam Bands, I guess. > [@JThunder](#): > > And Weird Al Yankovic is the [King of Suede](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFJNxuVmCoo). I think Weird Al qualifies as King of Pardoy Songs. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/47 "2011-03-19T21:38:07Z")
Apparently [this guy](http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7652091) is the Accordian King. But wait! There are [other contenders](http://www.amazingaccordionkings.com/)! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/48 "2011-03-20T23:45:04Z")
[Paul Whiteman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Whiteman) was the King of Jazz. The fact that a white man named Whiteman was given this title has often been remarked upon. Roy Rogers was King of the Coyboys (and was a singer), while his wife, Dale Evans (also a songer), was Queen of the West ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/49 "2011-03-21T00:00:46Z")
John Wayne was the Duke. Al Hirt was called the King of the Trumpet. [Frank Yankovic](http://www.polkas.com/yankovic/) was The Polka King. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/50 "2011-03-21T00:19:37Z")
I once heard Judas Priest referred to as the Grandfathers of Heavy Metal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109.md?page=2)