diff --git a/plugins/career/passports.json b/plugins/career/passports.json
index 4e55d424..d2a44e47 100644
--- a/plugins/career/passports.json
+++ b/plugins/career/passports.json
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
         "songs": 5,
         "min_stars": 2
     },
+    "families": [
+        { "key": "metal", "match": ["metal", "djent", "grindcore", "thrash", "doom"] },
+        { "key": "blues", "match": ["blues"] },
+        { "key": "jazz", "match": ["jazz", "bebop", "swing", "bossa"] },
+        { "key": "funk", "match": ["funk", "disco"] },
+        { "key": "rock", "match": ["rock", "punk", "grunge", "shoegaze"] }
+    ],
     "genres": {
         "blues": { "virtuoso_nodes": { "guitar": ["blues_shuffle"] } },
         "rock": { "virtuoso_nodes": { "guitar": ["rock_power_backbeat"] } },
diff --git a/plugins/career/routes.py b/plugins/career/routes.py
index fd52c808..3eed518d 100644
--- a/plugins/career/routes.py
+++ b/plugins/career/routes.py
@@ -276,12 +276,33 @@ def _library_genres():
                   key=lambda r: (-r["songs_in_library"], r["genre_key"]))
 
 
+def _genre_family(gkey):
+    """First family whose keyword appears in the genre key (substring — MB's
+    vocabulary is open: 'metalcore' must hit the 'metal' family without an
+    exact alias). List order decides ambiguity: families are checked top to
+    bottom, so 'blues rock' lands on whichever of blues/rock is listed first."""
+    for fam in _state["passports_content"].get("families") or []:
+        if not isinstance(fam, dict):
+            continue
+        for kw in fam.get("match") or []:
+            if isinstance(kw, str) and kw and kw in gkey:
+                return fam.get("key")
+    return None
+
+
 def _badge_requirement(gkey, instrument="guitar"):
     cfg = _state["passports_content"]
     req = dict(cfg.get("badge_requirement") or {})
     req.setdefault("songs", 5)
     req.setdefault("min_stars", 2)
-    override = (cfg.get("genres") or {}).get(gkey)
+    # Exact per-genre override wins; otherwise the genre inherits its FAMILY's
+    # requirement — so 'death metal' / 'metalcore' passports carry the metal
+    # drill without curating every MB sub-genre by hand.
+    genres_cfg = cfg.get("genres") or {}
+    override = genres_cfg.get(gkey)
+    if not isinstance(override, dict):
+        family = _genre_family(gkey)
+        override = genres_cfg.get(family) if family else None
     if isinstance(override, dict):
         req.update(override)
     # virtuoso_nodes: {instrument: [node_ids]} — a passport only carries its
diff --git a/tests/plugins/career/test_passports.py b/tests/plugins/career/test_passports.py
index 0e2c9b88..27decf05 100644
--- a/tests/plugins/career/test_passports.py
+++ b/tests/plugins/career/test_passports.py
@@ -208,3 +208,40 @@ def test_drill_state_merge_is_gained_only(client, meta_db):
     p = _passport(client)
     assert p["drills"]["cleared"] == ["blues_shuffle"]
     assert p["badge"] == "earned"
+
+
+def test_genre_families_inherit_drills(client, meta_db):
+    # 'death metal' has no exact entry — it inherits the metal family's drill.
+    for i in range(5):
+        meta_db.add(f"dm{i}.feedpak", 0, 0.9, genre="Death Metal", arrangements=LEAD)
+    _open(client, "guitar", "Death Metal")
+    p = _passport(client, "guitar", "death metal")
+    assert p["drills"]["required"] == ["melodic_metal_gallop"]
+    assert p["badge"] == "in_progress"
+    # 'metalcore' (single word) matches by substring, no alias needed.
+    _open(client, "guitar", "Metalcore")
+    assert _passport(client, "guitar", "metalcore")["drills"]["required"] == \
+        ["melodic_metal_gallop"]
+    # 'blues rock' resolves by family LIST ORDER: blues comes before rock.
+    _open(client, "guitar", "Blues Rock")
+    assert _passport(client, "guitar", "blues rock")["drills"]["required"] == \
+        ["blues_shuffle"]
+    # A genre outside every family stays songs-only.
+    _open(client, "guitar", "Reggae")
+    assert _passport(client, "guitar", "reggae")["drills"]["required"] == []
+    # Exact per-genre entries still beat the family (the shipped 'metal' entry
+    # IS the exact entry for genre key 'metal').
+    _open(client, "guitar", "Metal")
+    assert _passport(client, "guitar", "metal")["drills"]["required"] == \
+        ["melodic_metal_gallop"]
+
+
+def test_family_drills_stay_per_instrument(client, meta_db):
+    # Family inheritance must not leak guitar drills onto other instruments.
+    keys_arr = [{"type": "lead", "name": "Keys"}]
+    for i in range(5):
+        meta_db.add(f"kdm{i}.feedpak", 0, 0.9, genre="Death Metal", arrangements=keys_arr)
+    _open(client, "keys", "Death Metal")
+    p = _passport(client, "keys", "death metal")
+    assert p["drills"]["required"] == []
+    assert p["badge"] == "earned"