A History of Pop Music: The Timeline

A history of pop music wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the timeline. Here’s a look at some of the most important moments in pop music history.

Pre-1900s

Popular music as we know it today can be traced back to the late 19th century. Prior to that, there was classical and folk music. Around the turn of the century, a new type of music called Tin Pan Alley emerged. This was a more commercialized type of music and it was the precursor to pop music.

Early American music

The first American pop music charts appeared in the early 20th century. Sheet music publishers sold millions of copies of songs like “After the Ball” and “In the Good Old Summertime.” The popularity of these songs helped to spread American pop music around the world.

In the early 1900s, most Americans lived in rural areas and did not have access to radios or records. Instead, they got their music from live performances and sheet music.

Many early American songs were based on folk tunes or popular Broadway show tunes. These songs were often simple and easy to sing. They were also short, so people could sing them over and over again without getting bored.

One of the most popular genres of early American pop music was Tin Pan Alley songwriting. This type of songwriting was named after a street in New York City where many music publishers had their offices. The best Tin Pan Alley songwriters were able to create catchy, memorable melodies that people would want to sing again and again.

Some of the most famous Tin Pan Alley songwriters include Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin. Their songs are still popular today, more than 100 years after they were written!

European classical music

From the Renaissance to the fall of Napoleon, pre-1900s European classical music offers some of the most well-known, well-loved works in the Western musical canon. While this period saw tremendous changes in both instrumentation and composition, one constant was the popularity of opera. Other enduring pieces from this era include Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Brandenburg Concertos,” Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” and Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9.”