Bruno Mars is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and producer who has made his mark in the music industry with his mix of genres and styles.
He has established himself as a master of many music styles, with influences from kings of soul and pop.
He has crafted a unique blend of sounds that make him stand out amongst.
But what is now his music genre? Read on for the answer! Afterwards we explain how his music style developed.
Bruno Mars’ general music genre
Soul-pop
Bruno Mars is known for his soul-pop, which essentially is soulful pop music.
Bruno Mars’ style also borrows from classic artists like Michael Jackson and James Brown, blending genres like funk, hip-hop, and R&B.
He has borrowed influences from various time periods. From the early 60’s until the early 90’s
From the beat to the lyrics, his elements are varied, but one of Bruno’s main genre is soul-pop.
(90s) R&B
A lot of his later songs are influenced by R&B. As a child, Mars spent time impersonating Elvis Presley.
But, specifically the 90s R&B seemed to have a big impact on him.
90s R&B is a genre that combines soulful vocals with funky beats, often with a romantic or sexual theme. It brought a new sound to R&B music, with slower tempos and more introspective lyrics.
Think about Mariah Carey or Destiny’s Child.
How did Bruno Mars’ music style develop?
Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Bruno Mars first album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, was released in 2010.
His first album was a mixture of soul pop and 50’s/60’s music with influences of reggae.
The album includes the singles “Just the Way You Are”, “Grenade” and “The Lazy Song”.
Bruno Mars states that he wanted to “have records that women are going to relate to, and men are going to relate to. So Doo-Wops are for the girls, and Hooligans are for the guys.”
Unorthodox Jukebox
Released in 2012, Unorthodox Jukebox was Bruno Mars’s second album.
It featured a number of tracks that were similar to the music from his first album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, but the lyrics on these songs were stronger and more thought-out.
The most popular numbers are “Locked out of Heaven”, “Treasure” and “When I Was Your Man”.
What really made another difference was that the songs were beefed up with 80s rock production.
24K Magic
Bruno Mars’s album “24K Magic” is a throwback to the R&B of the late 80s and early 90s.
There is a big leap forward in Bruno’s production style, what you can hear in the pure details and perfectionism.
This album is know from “24K Magic” and “That’s What I Like”.
There is criticism against him is that he emulates too much instead of actually coming up with new things. But, if he’s a tribute act then he’s one of the best.
Conclusion
Bruno Mars is known for his soul-pop and R&B music genre. He blends various genres like funk, hip-hop, and disco effortlessly.
His music style has developed over time, with borrows influences from a variety of different time periods.