Music History

Giulia Seabra

Southern States University

MUS 305

Week 6

02/19/22

Music Evolution in America

Music like time and people is not static, it changes. Now in America, alone music genres have changed so much that it is difficult to distinguish the current genre of music from their predecessors. The first reason why genres of Music have changed is the Hybridization or the intermingling of people from other cultures. Take for example a genre of music like Jazz. The Jazz of today has evolved so much that if the Jazz as it was played in the early 20th century was to be played it would be unrecognizable. This is because Jazz evolved from classical music mixed with the blues that African-Americans sang.

It is said that when Africans first landed on American soil as slaves they sang their music which had a more pronounced rhythm than the European music that they found. ( Shapiro,1955). The fusion of the two gave birth to Jazz. Jazz since then has evolved. With the migration of other cultures such as Latin Americans, Asians, and many other cultures. These cultures created a fusion of their genre of Music with existing genres in America and these gave birth to new genres. Hybridization is not only made possible by migration but it has been easier by Technology. The internet which has made the world a global village as is often said has made it easier for cultures to interact without necessary meeting.

Secondly, Musical genres have evolved because people evolve. The nature of man is to change from time to time. The reason why new Music is New is that it is different from the music that the people are used to. With the coming of a new generation, comes a new genre of music. For example, Pop Music that evolved in the 1950s sought to combine all the music genres that were available at that time together with the beats that were popular to create popular music, the music that appealed to the masses. This was a generation trying to compose and sing simple music about human experiences that were relatable to the masses. It is no secret that at one point in history, music along with other fine arts belonged to the elites and higher classes in society. The lower classes had their folk music. The attempt to bridge the gap gave birth to popular music.

Music is a vehicle of culture. The musicians that are associated with a particular genre often dress, eat, behave in a particular way. Sometimes these musicians live in particular places and drive certain cars. In all these Musicians are influencers. They mostly determine how the younger generations behave. Music, therefore, is not only a product of a certain culture but it the driver of change. Businesses often benefit when Musicians advertise the goods and products indirectly. People and most especially people of a younger generation are keen to adopt the lifestyles of musicians. When a popular musician is spotted with a particular brand of a bag or shoe, more often than not the price of the item goes up. The businesses then benefit.

The downside to all these is that music genres often change and as they change, the businesses do not change as fast. The businesses then lose with the rapid change. For businesses to grow, it needs consistent sales over a certain period. The music industry in itself is a business. Back in the day when a song was launched, there had to be promoters, publishers, and many other people benefiting from the music. With the change in the genre of music and how it is presented. The music industry is slowly declining. With the advent of the internet, Music lovers can download music from the comfort of their homes with little or no revenue to the musicians. The opera houses and concert halls owners are slowly losing out because people no longer pay money to go to a concert. This is because, with the ever-changing genres, people have come to devalue music. Even when there is a concert it does not attract a huge crowd of people.

With the ever-changing genres of Music in America today, what businesses need to do is to diversify. Meaning, it should aim to reach members of the society that appreciate different genres of music and attend to their needs. Truth be told, even if the genres of music in America are rapidly changing, some older generations still prefer certain types of Music. For example, there are still Jazz lovers to date, and Jazz festivals are still organized. Businesses, therefore, need to leverage that. As for the music industry, they need to venture out into digital marketing. With the prospect of delivering music physically dwindling, the internet provides a platform where musicians can market their music and possibly earn from it. Secondly, Musicians should aim at advertising for brands actively and not passively. (Gamal, 2012)

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