History of American Music

• Today's popular Hip Hop music has origins in African Tribal rhythms.disc-jockey image by iMAGINE from Fotolia.com
  
  Music has been inspiring Americans since the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock and sang the hymns and psalms that would see them through rough times. Additionally, the tribal music of African Americans not only brought spirituality to music, but also illuminated the daily struggles of life. African American tribal music celebrated religion, sexual fertility, war, hunting and agriculture. Modern day themes of these struggles are present in every genre of today’s American music culture. Hip Hop music finds its origins in African Tribal rhythms and has become widely popular within American society, especially teens.
  
  

Latin American Influence

• Salsa dancing is for everyone.let's dance. image by Iourii from Fotolia.com
  
  Latin American music includes styles from all Latin American countries and has inspired everything from Caribbean drum rhythms to the Colombian music made popular by fitness dancing and salsa. According to Piero Scaruffi’s History of Popular Music, the sound came to America during the 1890s with the rhythm of the tango drums. Latin American music is widely played on American mainstream radio stations and has become the music of choice for those who want to be a part of the exuberant music through dancing.
  
  

Country Music

• Country music celebrates America's spirit of adventure.folk guitar image by Bruce MacQueen from Fotolia.com
  
  Country music has come a long way since the folk music days of the deep south. Country music is a staple of American culture featuring lyrics that address the heart of human emotions. Country music singer, Alan Jackson describes country music as “the spirit of America”. From the pioneering era of the American Frontier, country music has been the inspiration for the American spirit of adventure since 1845. Today’s country music has not strayed too far from its original intentions of soothing the American soul through lyrics that speak directly to the heart.
  
  

Jazz

• Jazz is a staple of American music genresTrumpet 3 image by Chad Perry from Fotolia.com
  
  Somewhere between the black music that was being made after the Civil War and black musical theater of the 1890s, jazz was born. From New Orleans style to the fusion style of modern day jazz, there exists no musical genre as deeply rooted as jazz in American culture. Segregation and the Jim Crow era saw blacks sticking together out of necessity. They shared music styles and combined different original elements that are unparalleled in American history. According to Gerald Early, Professor of English and Afro-American Studies at Washington University in St. Louis Missouri, segregation accelerated the development of jazz because a large number of talented young men and women went into it, who might have, if society had been less racially restrictive, either played some other form of music or none at all. Today’s American jazz clubs are among the most popular venues in the world for discovering new talent.
  
  

America's Appetite for Music

• America's love for music is in the heart of its people.one room schoolhouse image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
  
  America has always been known as the melting pot, and its variety of musical flavors is no exception. The impact of music on American culture is ever changing as America continues to evolve politically, socially and economically. These are the changes that ignite the imagination for creating the music American's love.