American Music: A Timeline of America's Genres and The Most Iconic Performers

AMERICAN MUSIC
A timeline of America’s genres and the

most iconic performers
Brief History of American Music
 American music is a reflection of its culturally and
ethnically diverse population.
 The USA has the world’s largest music industry.
 Much of today’s modern popular music can trace its
roots to African American blues and gospel music
from the 1920s.
We begin with
the…
The Blues
Blues is a genre that began in
the American “Deep South” in
African American communities.
Blues is known as being very

soulful music and the words
usually express the sadness
that life can bring.
Blues is the foundation of jazz,

rhythm and blues (R&B), rock
and roll, and country music.
The King
of Blues B.B. King
Now let’s listen to B.B. King
and Eric Clapton play “Ten
Long Years”.
When most Americans hear the

word “blues”, they think of
guitarist, singer, and songwriter
B.B. King.
In his youth, he played on

street corners for dimes.
King calls every one of his

guitars “Lucille”.
B.B. King and Clapton

Blues heavily
influenced our
next genre… Jazz
Jazz is the combination of all
the musical cultures that were
happening in the city of New
Orleans in the 1900s;
traditional African drumming,
church music, classical music,
the blues, and more.
Jazz’s most unique quality is

improvisation.
A jazz ensemble can have many

different instruments, but the
traditional jazz quartet includes
piano, bass, drums, and either
saxophone or trumpet.
Jazz is called America’s only

original art form.
The Father
of Jazz
Louis Armstrong
Armstrong influenced jazz in
many ways, both with his
incredible trumpet playing and
his singing.
Renowned for his charismatic

stage presence as much for his
musical virtuosity.
In a racially divided America,

Armstrong was popular with
both races, being the first
“cross-over” artist.
When the Saints Go Marching I

n
“Country music is
three chords and the
truth”
Country music
Country music is a popular
American music style that
began in the rural South in the
1920s.
It takes its roots from Western

cowboy and folk music.
Country music tends to have

simple forms and harmonies,
and is most often accompanied
by string instruments (banjoes,
guitars, and fiddles).
The Queen of
Country Dolly Parton
Music
Dolly Parton is one of the most
successful female country
artists of all time, with more #1
hits than any other musician in
this genre.
Parton is now rich and famous,

but grew up, in her words,
“dirty poor”. Her family lived in
a one room, broken down cabin
in rural Tennessee.
Joshua
Our next
genre is… Rock and Roll
Rock and roll originated in the
US during the late 1940s and
early 1950s.
It is a combination of blues,
country, jazz, and gospel
music.
Rock and roll influenced much

of the music that came after it.
Tutti Frutti
The King of Rock and
Roll Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley is one of
America’s cultural icons and is
widely known only as Elvis.
Elvis was one of the originators

of rock and roll.
Elvis had hits in many different

genres: country, pop ballads,
gospel and blues.
Jailhouse Rock
And now to
something Rhythm and Blues
different…
Rhythm and blues is a genre that
originated in African American
communities in the 1940s.
The term was originally used by record

companies to describe recordings
marketed predominantly to urban
African Americans.
The term "rhythm and blues" has

undergone a number of shifts in
meaning. In the early 1950s, it was
frequently applied to blues records.
Starting in the mid-1950s, after this style
of music contributed to the development
of rock and roll, the term "R&B" became
used to refer to music styles that
developed from and incorporated electric
blues, as well as gospel and soul music.
In the late 1980s, a newer style of R&B

developed, becoming known as
"contemporary R&B". It combines
rhythm and blues with elements of pop,
soul, funk, disco, hip hop, and electronic
music.
The legendary
record label… Motown
Motown is one of America’s
most influential record labels.
Motown was based in the city

of Detroit.
The Jackson 5 were on the

Motown record label and their
singer was a very young
Michael Jackson!
Motown was important in the

racial integration of popular
music because of its cross
cultural success.
You Can't Hurry Love

“Sorrow is so easy to
express and yet so hard
to tell” – Joni Mitchell Folk
American folk music was
revived as a popular genre in
the 1940s.
From the beginning, folk music

songs were written to protest
various inequalities in American
society.
The sound of folk music tends

to be softer, with acoustic
guitars and melodic vocals.
Famous Folk Artists: Joni

Mitchell, Bob Dylan
All Along the Watchtower

And now
something
completely Funk
different…
Funk began in the mid-1960s

when African American
musicians combined soul, jazz,
and R&B music into a
danceable form of music.
The bass line is the central part

of every funk song.
One of the
founding fathers James Brown
of funk…
James Brown is one of the most

influential figures in all of
America’s musical history.
James Brown is the world’s

most “sampled “ artist; this
means that different musicians
and producers have taken
pieces of his songs, and created
their own songs from them.
He influenced the development

of many different musical
genres.
James Brown - Get Up Offa Tha

t Thing
James Brown
influenced our
next genre… Rap
The roots of rap can be traced
back to West African
storytellers; they would deliver
stories rhythmically, over a
drum beat.
Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s

Delight” was released in 1979
and is the first rap single to be a
Top 40 hit.
The most influential Rap

formation of the 80’s was Run
DMC
Run DMC - Its Like That
All of this
brings us to our
next genre… Pop
The word “pop” stands for
popular music.
Today’s pop music is a blend of

all the different genres we
talked about today.
The first real pop stars were

Michael Jackson and Madonna
in the 80’s but since then a lot
of real pop icons emerged from
Beyoncé to Lady Gaga
Beyoncé - Crazy In Love

Finally the Hard Rock, Grunge,
heavier stuff… Heavy Metal
Hard Rock started to emerge in
the 70s, utilizing heavy guitar
riffs, fast paced drumming and in
many cases thought-provoking
lyrics. This later led to even
heavier genres like heavy metal
and trash.
Metallica is one of the most

iconic metal bands ever.
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Grunge originated from the city

of Seattle in the early 90s. Some
of the local young people were
fed up with the music industry
and the hair-bands of the 80s and
started playing their own, punk-
influenced music. The most
famous grunge band ever was
Nirvana.
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
The End

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AMERICAN MUSIC

A timeline of America’s genres and the

Blues is known as being very

Blues is the foundation of jazz,

When most Americans hear the

In his youth, he played on

King calls every one of his

B.B. King and Clapton

Jazz’s most unique quality is

A jazz ensemble can have many

Jazz is called America’s only

Renowned for his charismatic

In a racially divided America,

When the Saints Go Marching I

It takes its roots from Western

Country music tends to have

Parton is now rich and famous,

Rock and roll influenced much

Elvis was one of the originators

Elvis had hits in many different

The term was originally used by record

The term "rhythm and blues" has

In the late 1980s, a newer style of R&B

Motown was based in the city

The Jackson 5 were on the

Motown was important in the

You Can't Hurry Love

From the beginning, folk music

The sound of folk music tends

Famous Folk Artists: Joni

All Along the Watchtower

Funk began in the mid-1960s

The bass line is the central part

James Brown is one of the most

James Brown is the world’s

He influenced the development

James Brown - Get Up Offa Tha

Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s

The most influential Rap

Today’s pop music is a blend of

The first real pop stars were

Beyoncé - Crazy In Love

Metallica is one of the most

Grunge originated from the city

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