African American Music

African American music includes music genres that were largely developed by African Americans. The clip above shows how the music originated out of historical condition known as slavery. The lives of African Americans at this point in history was hard and the music demonstrated that hardness but strength as well.

Music of the blues and old ragtime were developed during the late 19th century The music coming out of Europe with styles that hosted a diatonic harmony and later an equal temperament hosted an African originality as well. Funk and soul music would follow suit offering the taste of the African style of music to tell stories as well. From this style of music hip hop, house and techno music would appear during the 20th century.

Black Americans would find employment following the civil war as musicians playing European music in military bands. Ragtime music that would evolve into jazz would offer those in the dance and folk music world a chance to show off as well.

Jazz and blues recordings showed off in the 1920s

African American musicians brought out Rhythm and Blues in 1940s

Soul musicians would share their influence in the world around the 1960s

Black musicians would develop funk and perform it during the 1960s and 1970s in jazz rock fusion

Hip Hop became a major style of music for black artists in 1970s and 1980s 

The 1980s would see a form of disco dance music known as house music appear on the scene

During the 2000s hip hop gained popularity 

All of these musical styles have heavily influenced previous and present African American music genres

Folk spirituals originated among Southern slaves. Many slaves would be converted to Christianity and sang the spirituals in groups as they worked the plantation fields. Dances known as the "shout" were added to the spirituals and were forms of body movements. The white music would be sped up and refrains would be repeated. The most common style of folk spiritual was call and response and repetive choruses 

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