Musical Genres: From Blues to Rock, Jazz, and Beyond

A History of Popular Music Genres

The Birth of Work Songs

A large part of the Black population worked on cotton plantations in the Mississippi Delta in the southern part of the United States. There, enslaved people would sing songs to make the long workdays more bearable. That is where work songs originated. The characteristics of these songs were a marked beat and a call-and-response pattern typical of African music.

The Rise of Jazz in New Orleans

Jazz music first appeared in New Orleans at the beginning of the 20th century and was inspired by European military marches and the polka. In this style, the main melody could be modified to the performer's liking. The main characteristics of jazz music are:

• Marked rhythm
• Frequent use of syncopation
• Instrumental improvisation
• A very expressive soloist

Country Music's Folk Roots

Country is the evolution of folk music from the Caucasian population. Its songs have simple melodies and harmonies, and its lyrics are narratives, telling stories about trains, cowboys, miners, love, etc. The main instruments used to play country music are the guitar, bass, violin, and the banjo.

The Electric Blues Era

In urban environments, blues music adopted electric instruments. Groups were created using the drums, bass, piano, electric guitar, harmonica, and occasionally, the saxophone. This was how the standard of blues was developed. These groups would play in nightclubs.

Swing, Bebop, and Cool Jazz

In the 1930s, swing music emerged. It was a type of danceable jazz performed by big bands, large bands made up of ten to twenty members. The main instruments played were the saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, double bass, drums, and guitar. In the 1940s, a new revolutionary style emerged: be-bop, a type of complex jazz. In the 1950s, cool jazz originated with Miles Davis. Then came free jazz, characterized by rupture. At the end of the 1960s, jazz rock and jazz fusion emerged.

Rock and Roll's Explosive Arrival

Rock and roll emerged in 1954 after the launch of a new version of the song "Rock Around the Clock," an old rhythm and blues hit, performed by Bill Haley and the Comets. This new style arose from the fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. The star of rock and roll music was Elvis Presley.

The British Beat Invasion

Starting in Liverpool, beat was a style characterized by strongly emphasized beat compositions. The group The Beatles was the leading example of this style. Their style evolved from rock and roll and pop in their first records to the imaginative and profound styles of their later records.

Other Notable Genres and Artists

Reggae - Bob Marley; Punk - The Ramones; New Wave - The Police; Funk music - Earth, Wind & Fire; Disco music - Bee Gees; Electronic music - house, acid house, and techno music; Alternative music - Nirvana.