Post-rock is a music genre characterized by the use of musical instruments commonly associated with rock music, but utilizing rhythms, harmonies, melodies, timbre, and chord progressions that are not found in rock tradition. Simply put, it is the use of 'rock instrumentation' for non-rock purposes. Practitioners of the genre's style typically produce instrumental music.

As with many musical genres, the term is arguably inadequate as a concise descriptor: for example, Don Caballero and Mogwai were among the more prominent bands of the 1990s described as post rock, but the two bands' music has very little in common besides the fact that they are both largely instrumental. As such, the term has been the subject of backlash from listeners and artists alike.

The post-rock sound incorporates characteristics from a variety of musical genres, including ambient, jazz, electronica, and experimental.[3] Early post-rock groups also often exhibited strong influence from the krautrock of the '70s, particularly borrowing elements of "motorik", the characteristic krautrock rhythm.

Post-rock compositions often make use of repetition of musical motifs and subtle changes with an extremely wide range of dynamics. In some respects, this is similar to the music of Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and Brian Eno, pioneers of minimalism.[24] Typically, post-rock pieces are lengthy and instrumental, containing repetitive build-ups of timbre, dynamics and texture.

Some bands, such as Rachel's and Clogs, combine post-rock with classical music, while others such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor are so far removed from popular music in their sparseness of arrangement and use of repetition, that they are frequently compared to minimalism.

Wider experimentation and blending of other genres have recently taken hold in the post-rock scene. Isis and Pelican, among others, have fused metal with post-rock styles. The resulting sound has been termed post-metal.

Today, despite criticism of the term, post-rock has maintained its prominence and the genre has been subject to no shortage of groups claiming the title. Post-rock outfits Explosions in the Sky, Pelican and Mono have risen in popularity, showing the longevity of the disputed genre.

This is Explosion in the Sky with their performance in Seattle, in 2007 - "The birth and death of the day"