Harder Than Easy

Acoustic pop is a strain of pop music that foregrounds acoustic instruments—especially acoustic guitar and piano—while retaining the catchy melodies, verse–chorus structures, and hooks of mainstream pop.

Alternative rock is a broad umbrella for guitar-based rock that emerged from the independent and college-radio scenes as a counterpoint to mainstream, commercial rock.

Folk is a song-centered acoustic tradition rooted in community storytelling, everyday life, and social history. It emphasizes clear melodies, simple harmonies, and lyrics that foreground narrative, protest, and personal testimony.