diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index fcf9b37c2..9f6eeacf1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -25,3 +25,4 @@ doc/
 Gemfile.lock
 .sass-cache
 log/development.log.age
+log/test.log.age
diff --git a/app/controllers/api_genres_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api_genres_controller.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..74de97234
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/controllers/api_genres_controller.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+class ApiGenresController < ApplicationController
+
+  # have to be signed in currently to see this screen
+  before_filter :signed_in_user
+
+  #respond_to :json, :xml
+  respond_to :html
+
+  def index
+    @genres = Genre.find(:all)
+  end
+
+  def show
+    @genre = Genre.find(params[:id])
+    gon.genre_id = @genre.id
+    gon.description = @genre.description
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/app/views/api_genres/index.rabl b/app/views/api_genres/index.rabl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6fbde2f77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/api_genres/index.rabl
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+object @genres
+
+extends "api_genres/show"
diff --git a/app/views/api_genres/show.rabl b/app/views/api_genres/show.rabl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bfd9107b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/api_genres/show.rabl
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+object @genre
+
+attributes :id, :description
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 2b4a66d46..a8b6bc9de 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ SampleApp::Application.routes.draw do
     match '/sessions' => 'api_music_sessions#index', :via => :get
     match '/sessions' => 'api_music_sessions#create', :via => :post
 
+    # genres
+    match '/genres' => 'api_genres#index', :via => :get
+
     # users
     match '/users' => 'api_users#index', :via => :get
     match '/users/:id' => 'api_users#show', :via => :get, :as => 'api_user_detail'