History Main / GenrePopularizer

* While not the first ever Isekai, ''LightNovel/MushokuTenseiJoblessReincarnation'' popularized self-published original stories like it in Japan, even in the face of other giants on the site it was published on, Shōsetsuka ni Narō, and the conventions it popularized would be copied endlessly.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda'' popularized the ActionAdventure and {{Action RPG}} genres (despite not being a true action [=RPG=]) as well as the WideOpenSandbox style.

* As for {{All CGI Cartoon}}s on TV, [[Creator/RainmakerEntertainment Mainframe's]] ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'' was the first popular CGI tv series (but not the first). ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', also by Mainframe, would prove to be even more popular and revive the ''Transformers'' franchise.

** ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' ended up popularizing an all-too-common trend of CGI movies that are [[WorldOfSnark full of snark]] with [[CelebrityVoiceActor celebrity voice actors]] out the wazoo and [[ParentalBonus modern pop cultural references]] everywhere. However, the genre developed a backlash and [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon Disney]] decided to lead the charge in reviving [[GenreThrowback 90's-style animated musicals]] with ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}''. That said, ''Tangled'' was [[NeverTrustATrailer advertised]] as a ''Shrek'' knock-off...

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' inspired a new slew of more serious western animation, much of which being updates of superhero comics. Besides the future shows produced by the same team for the Franchise/{{DCAU}}, among the more successful ones are ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries'', ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''. ''BTAS'' also made cartoony stylization respectable for Western action-adventure animation, rather than the uneven attempts at realism that had dominated the genre since ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest''.

* Music/PeterGabriel and Music/DavidByrne are credited with pulling this off twofold for WorldMusic: in 1980, Gabriel's ''Music/{{Melt}}'' and Music/TalkingHeads' ''Music/RemainInLight'' brought worldbeat to the mainstream forefront, while in 1989, Gabriel's ''Music/{{Passion}}'' and Byrne's solo album ''Rei Momo'' popularized unfiltered world music itself in the west after worldbeat's decline, both times breaking the novelty stigma that was associated with nonwestern musical styles.

* "Hyakugojyuichi" by Creator/NeilCicierega launched the WebAnimation/{{Animutation}} genre.

Basically, before these works came along, a genre either didn't exist, or was niche. After these works hit the scene, either the genre [[FollowTheLeader became popular]] (usually by being a GatewaySeries to the rest), or we got loads of ripoffs which may or may not have gone FromClonesToGenre later on.

* Once upon a time, we called them ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' ripoffs. [[FromClonesToGenre Now we call them]] {{Real Robot|Genre}} shows.

* First there was ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries''. Then there were imitators. Now TheAbridgedSeries is a genre unto itself. SturgeonsLaw still applies, but since there are so many, there are now plenty of gems to find. So Creator/LittleKuriboh has now gotten [[JustForFun/TheWarOfTheAbridgedSeriesCreators into a (joke) war with the other creators]].

* While there were popular Minecraft [=SMP=] servers on web video platforms prior to its debut, the genre was considered largely a thing of the past before LetsPlay/SMPLive's debut in 2019. It exploded in popularity, direectly leading to the success of its spiritual successor WebVideo/SMPEarth, and the WebVideo/DreamSMP, which it shares many of its cast members with, and would go on to have its popularity greatly overshadow that of its predecessor.

->''"''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' is equivalent to the Big Bang of our gaming universe. If it were not for this blindingly spectacular creation, digital entertainment as we know it today would not exist."''

-->-- '''Creator/HideoKojima''', ''Magazine/NintendoPower, Nov 2010''

* While there were popular Minecraft [=SMP=] servers on web video platforms prior to its debut, the genre was considered largely a thing of the past before LetsPlay/SMPLive's debut in 2019. It exploded in popularity, direectly leading to the success of its spiritual successor WebOriginal/SMPEarth, and the WebVideo/DreamSMP, which it shares many of its cast members with, and would go on to have its popularity greatly overshadow that of its predecessor.

* While there were popular Minecraft [=SMP=] servers on web video platforms prior to its debut, the genre was considered largely a thing of the past before LetsPlay/SMPLive's debut in 2019. It exploded in popularity, direectly leading to the success for its spiritual successor WebOriginal/SMPEarth and the WebVideo/DreamSMP, which it shares many of its cast members with.

* Even though ''VideoGame/SweetHome'' and, to a greater extent, ''VideoGame/AloneInTheDark'', were the first to use the classic gameplay model, it was ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' that launched the SurvivalHorror genre and gave it a name. Similarly ''System Shock'' for the... uh... "other SurvivalHorror genre".

* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' proved that HighFantasy could successfully and seriously be adapted for the big screen, despite severe doubts.

* ''VideoGame/{{Rogue}}'' spawned the {{Roguelike}} genre, which had very little influence on mainstream [=RPG=]s until ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena Arena]]''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' was not the first sandbox cube building game, it was the first to make it big and inspire numerous clones and 'clones'.

* ''Machinima/FreemansMind'' launched the "X's Mind" genre, showing what {{Heroic Mime}}s are really thinking.

* Despite groups like Music/LedZeppelin and Music/IronButterfly laying the groundwork for it a few years prior, Music/BlackSabbath is usually credited as the band that established the genre of HeavyMetal as we know it.

* ''VideoGame/{{Diablo2}}'' wasn't the first, even in its own series, but is one of the most popular "Action [=RPGs=]" ever made (one of the most popular games full stop for that matter) and is the game still copied by the genre today. As with ''Doom'', the genre was even referred to as "Diablo clones" before its popularity and evolution ended up giving us the more neutral name.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' inspired a new slew of more serious western animation, much of which being updates of superhero comics. Besides the future shows produced by the same team for the Franchise/{{DCAU}}, among the more successful ones are ''WesternAnimation/XMen'', ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''. ''BTAS'' also made cartoony stylization respectable for Western action-adventure animation, rather than the uneven attempts at realism that had dominated the genre since ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest''.

* ''VideoGame/TombRaider'' was the game that kicked off the 3D ActionAdventure genre.

* Music/TheRollingStones did it for BluesRock in the 1960s. You could even make an argument that they invented and popularized HardRock, though Music/{{ACDC}}, who emerged in the 70s, is also a worthy candidate there.

* ''Franchise/DragonBall'' popularized the FightingSeries and the {{Shonen}} genre as we recognize it, focused on developing as a fighter and the triumph of JapaneseSpirit. Both ''Franchise/OnePiece'' and ''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'' pay homage to ''Dragon Ball'' with their [[StockShonenHero main characters]].

* The ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' ushered in the modern era if comic book film as mainstream, effects-heavy blockbusters.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'' was the first [[AllCGICartoon All CGI film]], and was far more popular than Disney's film released the same year, ''WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}}''. This shifted film studios' preference to [=3D=] animation and, by less than a decade later, made [=2D=] theatrical animation nearly extinct.

* British band Music/{{Skyclad}} began adding folk elements to their otherwise rather ordinary ThrashMetal, creating FolkMetal in the process.