Music In The 1920's

A popular, marketable time in America were the 1920’s, also known as the “roaring twenties,” with a number of notable events remembered in history. World War 1 had just ended and drastic changes would occur in the US. Although music was existing far before the twenties, music in the twenties was the start of a new decade that completely changed the way music was viewed. Genres like jazz, dance bands, and blues were the center of music in the twenties, all of which became national sensations. In the 1920’s, Jazz, along with ragtime became immensely popular. Jazz first started in the early nineteen hundreds in New Orleans by African American communities. A predominate, well-known African American artist, Louis Armstrong, greatly influenced this genre. Jazz broke many “racial barrier” with the help of Armstrong and his participation in mixed-race bands. Phonograph records and radios were selling Jazz playlists by the billions, showing that music was really becoming a major hit and it sought the attention of many. Drinking was illegal during this time but prohibition was very much ignored. People spent their money on dancing and drinking and since Jazz had just roared, Americans went crazy, dancing …show more content…
Basically, dance bands, or dance music, were a mix of jazz and ragtime jazz, though this kind of genre had a twist to it, incorporating all kinds of “danceable music.” Dancing became a ‘cultural necessity’ and was important to Americans during this time period because it allowed them to let loose and be carefree as Americans tried to recover from a terrifying phase in history. Dance bands had an influence on the fashion styles of the time. This is where “flapper” style dresses popularized and overall, looser fitting clothes and sportswear style clothes became widespread. These styles were ideal for the vibrant, and exuberant form of music and dances that came about from dance