Art Rock

A subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art (avant-garde and classical) music. Art rock was a form of music which wanted to "extend the limits of rock & roll", and opted for a more experimental and conceptual outlook on music. Art rock took influences from several genres, notably classical music, yet also jazz in later compositions. Art rock, due to its classical influences and experimental nature, has often been used synonymously with progressive rock; nevertheless, there are differences between the genres, with progressive putting a greater emphasis on symphony and melody, whilst the former tends to focus on avant-garde and "novel sonic structure". Common characteristics of art rock include album-oriented music divided into compositions rather than songs, with usually complicated and long instrumental sections, symphonic orchestration, and an experimental style. Art rock music was traditionally used within the context of concept records, and its lyrical themes tended to be "imaginative", philosophical, and politically oriented.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_rock