'''Basic Trope''': A hard rock or heavy metal band records a soft song.
* '''Straight''': A hard rock band records a power ballad.
* '''Exaggerated''': A grindcore band records a lullaby.
* '''Downplayed''': A heavy metal band records a song that's more melodic than their usual fare, but is still heavy.
* '''Justified''':
** Many rock/metal bands choose to experiment with different styles.
** [[CelebrityElegy It's a tribute to a recently deceased musician]] [[InTheStyleOf in his own style]], DueToTheDead everyone.
** [[SoMyKidsCanWatch So My Kids Can Listen]].
** Their usual fare isn't suited for [[GriefSong expressing the grief]] one (or more) of them is experiencing.
** The more of [[ShowWithinAShow the movie's soundtrack]] they do themselves, [[MoneyDearBoy the greater their cut of the pie]].
* '''Inverted''': A soft rock band records a headbanging song.
* '''Subverted''': The song starts out being a ballad, and then [[SongStyleShift shifts to the band's usual heavy fare]].
* '''Double Subverted''': The band then records a full ballad version of that song.
* '''Parodied''': ???
* '''Zig Zagged''': A band changes their signature style so many times, it's hard to determine if a song is softer or harder than their usual fare.
* '''Averted''': A hard rock band doesn't record any ballads.
* '''Enforced''': A hard rock band is pressured by their record company to record a ballad under the belief that it will attract more female fans.
* '''Lampshaded''': The song contains lyrics about it being softer than the band's usual fare.
* '''Invoked''': ???
* '''Exploited''': ???
* '''Defied''': "We're a hard rock band. We ain't gonna record no stinkin' ballads. Ya wanna hear ballads? Then go listen to a soft rock band!"
* '''Discussed''': "So, mate, what do you think? Should we record a ballad? I know we're a hard rock band, but it's almost an unspoken rule that all hard rock bands record the obligatory power ballad."
* '''Conversed''': Alice says, "This is my favorite band, but I don't understand why they think they need to record ballads. Contrary to popular belief, not all women listen to hard rock bands for their ballads. If I wanted to hear a ballad, I'd listen to a soft rock band."
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%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
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%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???