Muh3025 – Popular Music in the USA: From Ragtime to Hip

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Introduction

This course is an introduction to popular music in the United States from the 1890s to the present. We will explore how various forms of popular music reflect the social, economic, and cultural experiences of different groups of Americans. We will also examine the ways in which popular music has been used to shape American identity and culture.

What is popular music?

Popular music is a genre of music that is enjoyed by a wide range of people. It is typically characterized by a catchy melody, simple harmony, and a strong rhythm. Popular music has its roots in folk music, but it has also been influenced by a variety of other genres, including classical, jazz, rock, and hip-hop.

There are many different types of popular music, but some of the most popular genres include pop, rock, country, and hip-hop. Popular music is often created with the intention of being commercially successful. This means that it is designed to appeal to a wide audience, and it is typically released on a major label.

Some popular musicians have managed to achieve mainstream success, while others have remained niche artists. Regardless of their level of success, all popular musicians share one thing in common: they have created music that people enjoy listening to.

The history of popular music in the USA

Popular music in the United States has had a long and rich history, spanning back to the country’s early days as a British colony. American popular music has been shaped and influenced by many different genres and cultures, including blues, jazz, country, rock ‘n’ roll, and hip hop.

Each of these genres has contributed something unique to the American musical landscape, and the result is a rich tapestry of sound that is distinctly American. In this course, we will trace the history of popular music in the United States from its earliest beginnings to the present day. We will explore how different genres have developed and evolved over time, and we will also consider the social and cultural context in which they emerged.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy as we journey through the history of popular music in the United States!

Ragtime

Ragtime is a musical style that was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Ragtime was characterized by its syncopated, or “ragged,” rhythm. This type of music was often played on the piano and was used in vaudeville, or popular theater, performances. Some of the most popular ragtime tunes were “The Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer.”

What is Ragtime?

Ragtime is a musical style characterized by a distinctive rhythm section consisting of piano, percussion, and sometimes guitar or banjo. The unique syncopated (or “ragged”) rhythms found in ragtime were often created by combining various popular music genres of the day, such as march music, polka, waltz, and even African-American spirituals and work songs.

Ragtime first gained popularity in the early 1900s, particularly in the United States. Some of the most famous ragtime composers include Scott Joplin, James Scott, Ernest Hogan, and Jelly Roll Morton. Ragtime quickly spread beyond the United States to Europe, where it influenced such composers as Sergei Prokofiev and Erik Satie.

While ragtime fell out of fashion in the 1920s with the rise of jazz, it has experienced something of a revival in recent years thanks to its incorporation into films such as The Sting and The Princess and the Frog.

The origins of Ragtime

Ragtime is a style of music that was popular in the early 1900s. It is often described as a mix of African and European musical traditions. The term “ragtime” comes from the fact that this type of music was often played on the rag, or discarded fabric, of a piano.

Ragtime was one of the first truly American styles of music. It developed in the late 1800s, in the cities of New York and Philadelphia. At this time, many African Americans were living in these cities, and they brought their own musical traditions with them. These traditions mixed with the European musical traditions that were already present in America, to create something new and unique.

Ragtime was usually played on piano, and it had a very distinctive sound. The rhythm was very syncopated, or “off-beat.” This means that the emphasis was placed on beats that were not normally stressed, such as the second and fourth beats of a measure. This gave ragtime its characteristic “ragged,” or uneven, sound.

Ragtime was originally dance music, and it was often played in nightclubs and bars. As it became more popular, it began to be recorded and sold as sheet music. Some of the most famous ragtime tunes were “The Entertainer,” by Scott Joplin, and ” Maple Leaf Rag,” by Jelly Roll Morton.

Ragtime began to decline in popularity in the 1920s, as newer styles of music became popular. However, it has remained an important part of American musical history, and has influenced many other genres of music

The influence of Ragtime

Ragtime was one of the most popular music styles of the early 1900s. It originated in African American communities in the southern United States and was quickly adopted by white composers and performers. Ragtime music was characterized by its syncopated, or “ragged,” rhythms. These off-beat rhythms were created by accenting the weak beats in a measure, typically beats 2 and 4 in 4/4 time. Ragtime was usually played on pianos, and its most well-known form is the ragtime piano solo. Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” is perhaps the most famous example of this type of composition.

Ragtime music quickly spread beyond its African American and southern roots. It became extremely popular in cities like Chicago and New York, where it influenced other genres of music, including jazz and blues. Ragtime also had a significant impact on popular culture outside of music. For example, the first feature-length cartoon, Winsor McCay’s Gertie the Dinosaur (1914), was accompanying by a ragtime score

Jazz

Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States. It has its roots in the African musical traditions of the slave population brought to the area. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz developed in the early 20th century, with roots in the blues and ragtime.

What is Jazz?

Jazz is a music genre that originated in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is characterized by improvisation, syncopated rhythms, and a distinctive swing. Jazz developed from a combination of African American musical traditions, including blues and ragtime, and European musical traditions, including brass band music and military band music.

Jazz became popular in the 1920s, but its roots go back much further. Jazz has been influenced by many different styles of music, including classical, folk, and rock. The term “jazz” can refer to a wide range of different styles of music, from the earliest ragtime to the latest developments in jazz fusion.

The origins of Jazz

Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States. It developed from roots in blues and ragtime. Jazz is seen by many as “America’s classical music”. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression. It then emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African-American and European-American musical parentage with a performance orientation.

The influence of Jazz

Jazz has had a profound effect on popular music in the United States. Its roots can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when African American musicians began incorporating blues and ragtime into their own musical styles.

Jazz soon spread beyond its initial home in the African American community, and by the 1920s it was being performed by white musicians as well. The popularity of jazz continued to grow throughout the 1930s and 1940s, and by the 1950s it had become one of America’s most popular genres.

Today, jazz is enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Its influence can be heard in a wide range of popular music styles, from rock and pop to country and even hip-hop.

Blues

The origins of the blues are deeply rooted in the African-American experience in the American South. field hollers, work songs, shouts, and chants were a part of everyday life for African Americans, and the blues grew out of this rich musical tradition. The early blues were a direct expression of the difficulties and hardships of daily life, and the music was a way for African Americans to express their feelings and experiences.

What is the Blues?

The blues is a style of music that originated in the African-American community in the Deep South of the United States around the end of the 19th century. It is a style of music that is characterized by a sad or melancholy feeling, and it often uses a 12-bar chord progression. The blues has been a major influence on many other genres of music, including jazz, rock and roll, and country music.

The origins of the Blues

The origins of the Blues are not definitely known, but they are thought to be originally an African American oral tradition that began sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century in the southern United States. The first appearance of the Blues in print was in 1912, when Hart Wand published “Dallas Blues”, one of the first blues songs ever written down. The term “blues” itself may have come from “blue notes”, which are notes that are sung or played at a lower pitch than usual. These blue notes were originally used in Spirituals and work songs, and eventually made their way into the Blues.

The typical structure of a Blues song is verse-chorus form, with each verse usually containing three eight-bar phrases. The first two phrases typically set up the third phrase, which is the main point of the verse (the “turnaround”). The chorus (or “refrain”) is usually eight bars as well, and often consists of a single line that is repeated multiple times. This verse-chorus form would go on to become one of the most important elements in popular music.

The instrumentation of early Blues bands was quite simple, typically consisting of just guitars, harmonicas, and drums. As the genre developed, however, more and more instruments were added, including pianos, banjos, saxophones, and trumpets. The use of electric instruments became increasingly common as well, particularly electric guitars and keyboards.

The influence of the Blues

The blues are a style of music that originated in the African American communities in the American South in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The genre developed from the folk music traditions of the region, including work songs, spirituals, and ballads. The blues is characterized by improvisation, call-and-response vocals, and a distinctive 12-bar chord progression. The earliest known recordings of blues music were made in the 1920s.

The blues have been a major influence on subsequent genres of music, including jazz, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and country music. The blues ar

Rock and Roll

It is generally accepted that rock and roll was born in the United States in the mid-1950s. The specific date and place of its birth are hotly debated, but most historians agree that rock and roll began to take shape in the years following World War II.

What is Rock and Roll?

Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated in the United States in the 1950s. It is characterized by a heavy use of electric guitars, drums, and bass, as well as vocal styles that range from shouting to crooning.

The origins of rock and roll are highly contested. Some people trace it back to earlier genres like blues and country, while others believe it emerged independently as a new form of music. Regardless of its exact origins, though, there is no doubt that rock and roll revolutionized popular music in the United States and had a profound impact on subsequent generations of musicians.

The origins of Rock and Roll

Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s from a combination of African-American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music. While elements of what was to become rock and roll can be traced back to the blues record labels of the 1920s like that of Mamie Smith’s “Crazy Blues”, the genre did not acquire its name until 1954.

According to Greg Kot, “rock and roll” refers to a style of popular music originating in the U.S. in the mid-1950s, potentially earlier. The phrase “rocking and rolling” originally described the motion of a ship on the ocean, but was used by 1927 to describe the musical style. By 1951, when Jacksonville disc jockey Alan Freed began playing this music style on his radio station WJBT, the term “rock and roll” had been used by people who were black as well as white to describe their music. Kot cites as examples Walter Winchell’s column “On Broadway” for April 13 1952 which includes a passage reading “… there’s a new sound out there called rock’n roll’ … It’s based on electric blues but there seems to be something more … I don’t know how you’d classify it exactly but it seems to have taken hold.”

In July 1953, Billboard magazine published Harry Fox’s analysis of trends in music listening which included data showing that while some adults were concerts or classical music, other adults were instead listening to rhythm and blues. In October 1955 an article in Billboard commented on how little attention was being paid by rockabilly artists compared with rhythm and blues artists: “Except for Elvis Presley’s debut record on Sun [‘Blue Moon’] … practically no notice has been taken of development in this field”. By March 1955 James Petrillo, head of the American Federation of Musicians, was inquiring whether disc jockeys should be banned from playing records at all because they promoted “immoral” danceable rocked-up rhythms.

The influence of Rock and Roll

Rock and roll is a form of popular music that emerged in the United States in the late 1940s. The term “rock and roll” was originally used to describe the musical style of a number of different genres, including rhythm and blues, country, and pop. Over time, rock and roll came to be associated with a specific sound and style of music.

The sound of rock and roll was shaped by a number of factors, including the electric guitar, the bass guitar, and the drums. The electric guitar was particularly influential in shaping the sound of rock and roll. The use of distortion and feedback created a new sound that was different from anything that had been heard before. The bass guitar also played an important role in shaping the sound of rock and roll. The bass provided a foundation for the other instruments and helped to drive the rhythm forward. The drums were also important in shaping the sound of rock and roll. The use of cymbals, tom-toms, and snare drums helped to create a distinctive sound that was different from anything that had been heard before.

The style of rock and roll was also shaped by a number of factors, including fashion, dance, and film. Rock and roll fashion was influenced by a number of different sources, including Hollywood films, African American popular culture, and British youth culture. Rock and roll fashion often consisted of tightfitting clothes, tattoos, brightly colored hair,and heavy makeup. Rock and roll dancers often danced alone or in small groups. They often used exaggerated motions to convey their energy and excitement. Film played an important role in shaping the style of rock and roll. A number of Hollywood films featured young people who listened to rock music and danced to its rhythms. These films helped to popularize rock music among young people around the world.

Hip Hop

At the close of the 20th century, Hip Hop was America’s most popular music form. It emerged from the Bronx, New York City, in the 1970s and became a worldwide phenomenon by the early 21st century. Hip Hop is characterized by four key stylistic elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching, breaking/dancing, and graffiti writing.

What is Hip Hop?

Hip hop is a subcultural movement that emerged in the 1970s from inner-city African American, Latino, and Caribbean youth in New York City. It is characterized by four key stylistic elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching, break dancing, and graffiti writing. Hip hop music first emerged with block party DJs creating rhythms by looping breaks (smooth transitions) of popular songs using two turntables and a DJ mixer. This style was later taken up worldwide within hip hop culture.

The origins of Hip Hop

Hip hop was born in the Bronx, New York City, in the late 1970s. Afrika Bambaataa, a DJ from the South Bronx, is credited with first using the term “hip hop” to describe the culture in which he was a part. The four elements of hip hop are MCing, DJing, graffiti writing, and break dancing.

The influence of Hip Hop

The 1970s witnessed the birth of hip hop in the South Bronx, New York. Young people created a new form of music and dance, rooted in African American culture, that would soon sweep the globe. Hip hop would go on to become one of the most popular and influential musical genres of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

In its earliest form, hip hop was a way for African American youth to express their frustrations and triumphs through music and dance. The genre quickly gained popularity in inner-city communities across the United States, as well as in countries around the world. Hip hop would come to be associated with elements like rap music, break dancing, graffiti art, and fashion.

While hip hop initially developed as a form of African American expression, it has since been taken up by people of all races and cultures. Hip hop has been used as a platform to address social issues such as racism, violence, poverty, and inequality. It has also been a source of inspiration and pride for many young people who identify with the hip hop culture.

Conclusion

The course has been a great success. Through this course, we have been able to understand the development of popular music in the United States of America. We have also understood the influence of various cultures on the music of USA. The course has helped us gain knowledge about the music of various genres and periods.

The future of popular music in the USA

It is safe to say that popular music in the USA has undergone a major transformation in recent years. With the rise of streaming services and the popularity of social media, the music industry has had to adapt to a new landscape. So, what does the future hold for popular music in the USA?

It is likely that we will see a continued rise in streaming services, as they offer a convenient and affordable way to listen to music. This could lead to a decline in sales of physical formats such as CDs and vinyl records. Social media will also continue to play a significant role in promoting and discovering new music. We may also see a increase in live streaming of concerts and festivals, as more and more people opt to watch events online.

Of course, it is impossible to say exactly what the future will hold for popular music in the USA. However, one thing is for sure – it will be fascinating to watch it unfold.