The history of music is a long and brilliant one, ranging in all sorts of different styles. Classical and rap, opera and reggae, jazz and disco, pop and punk have all easily transitioned from one to another in some form. A musician from the 1930s could be just as popular as a musician from the 1990s because music is something that flows with the times. According to the online article titled “A History of Music: From Big Band to Reggaeton,” music changes with society.

In the 1920s, the music industry as we know it was just beginning. Music was upbeat and positive. Popular genres of music included jazz, blues, dance, broadway, and ragtime. Some popular singers from that time were Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ma Rainey, Sophie Tucker, Eddie Cantor, Paul Whiteman, and Bessie Smith. A few hits from the 1920s were Say it With Music by Paul Whiteman, Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, and Bye, Bye Blackbird by Gene Austin.

Music from the 1930s was heavily influenced by the Great Depression. Music both shared hardships that people faced, such as jazz and blues, while other music kept an upbeat feeling in the air with swing and big band. That being said, swing, jazz, country, traditional pop, crooners, and big band were the favored styles of music from the decade. The most famous musicians from that time included Rudy Vallee, Cab Calloway, Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Gene Autry, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Kate Smith, and Tommy Dorsey. Some hits from the 1930s were You’re Getting to Be a Habit by Bing Crosby, A-Tisket A-Tasket by Ella Fitzgerald, and Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland.

World War II seemed to dominate the 1940s. The style of music during that time period reflected that, yet also tried to keep a positive feeling in the air. Jazz, big band, swing, country, and bebop were the most prominent genres of music during that time. Popular artists from that time included Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, Artie McShaw, Count Basie, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Dorsey Brothers, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, and Ella Fitzgerald. A few hits from the 1940s were White Christmas by Bing Crosby, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah by James Baskett, and Five Minutes More by Frank Sinatra.

The 1950s was a time for changes. Jazz made way for Rock ‘n’ Roll and R&B. Elvis Presley is probably the most famous singer of all time, and the ‘50s was the decade that he rose to power. The favored genres of music were traditional pop, rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm & blues, country, jazz, blues, calypso, and vocal jazz. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Patti Page, Doris Day, Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Pat Boone, Gene Autry, Patsy Cline, Same Cooke, Hank Williams, Teresa Brewer, Ritchie Valens, Harry Belafonte, and Ray Charles were other popular musicians from the ‘50s. Hits from that time included Hey There by Rosemary Clooney, Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley & the Comets, and Hound Dog by Elvis Presley.

Instead of the style of the music in the 1960s, the artists/bands might be better known. Legendary bands such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones are from this time period, as is Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin. It is said that many musicians from this time walked the line between commercialism and musical innovation. The popular styles of music were folk, surf rock, psychedelic rock, blues-rock, progressive rock, garage rock, pop, soul, R&B, country, British invasion, Latin rock, and protest/music with a message. Other popular artists were The Monkees, The Supremes, Simon & Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin, The Beach Boys, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Moody Blues, Neil Seddaka, Chubby Checker, The Mamas & The Papas, Cream, The Temptations, and James Brown. Famous songs from the ‘60s were Oh, Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones, I’m a Believer by The Monkees, and Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles.

Music from the 1970s can be defined in one word: disco. It took over, and many musicians, even rockers like Blondie and Rod Stewart, wrote disco songs just to keep up with the times. Other popular genres of music were progressive rock, punk, new wave, funk, soul, glam rock, soft rock, folk, southern rock/country rock, country pop, and power pop. Popular artists from the time period included The Doors, The Who, The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Gloria Gaynor, The Bees Gees, The Ramones, Sex Pistols, Electric Light Orchestra, Patti Smith, The Cars, Kool & The Gang, Parliament-Funkadelic, Earth Wind & Fire, Kansas, ABBA, Donna Summer, Queen, Grand Funk Railroad, Blondie, The Carpenters, Elton John, and Billy Joel. Some of the most popular songs from the ‘70s were Crocodile Rock by Elton John, Dancing Queen by ABBA, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, Imagine by John Lennon, Hotel California by The Eagles, and Y.M.C.A. by The Village People.

MTV (Music Television) dramatically changed music in the 1980s. Music videos became a must for musicians in order for them to gain popularity. Michael Jackson became extremely popular with his Thriller music video, which set standards for all music videos. Favorite genres from the ‘80s were new wave, synth-pop, hair metal, hip-hop, gothic rock, heavy metal, pop, alternative rock, hardcore punk, contemporary R&B, and country. Famous artists included Dolly Parton, Lionel Ritchie, Olivia Newton-John, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Duran Duran, The Police, U2, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Poison, Twisted Sister, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Phil Collins, Cyndi Lauper, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Motley Crue, Prince, Paula Abdul, The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Go-Gos, The Bangles, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, MC Hammer, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Bobby Brown, New Kids on the Block, Janet Jackson, Tom Petty, Journey, and Tina Turner. Some of the top hits from the 1980s were Funkytown by Lipps Inc, Physical by Olivia Newton-John, Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper, I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston, and Like a Prayer by Madonna.

Grunge bands and gangster rappers were just as popular as studio manufactured pop groups in the 1990s. Powerful singers, such as Mariah Carey and Celine Dion, also topped the charts. Favored genres from this time period included grunge, alternative/college rock, technotronic, hip-hop, gangster rap, bubblegum pop, boy bands/girl groups, pop-punk, metal, ska, contemporary R&B, country-pop, Britpop, new Jack swing, hard rock, and happy rock. Famous musicians from the 90s were Nirvana, Pearl Jam, MC Hammer, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, N’Sync, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Salt ‘n Peppa, Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Whitney Houston, The Offspring, Green Day, No Doubt, Ricky Martin, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Boyz II Men, Janet Jackson, R.E.M., Weezer, Guns & Roses, Hootie & The Blowfish, Christina Aguilera, Alanis Morisette, Jewel, Oasis, Mariah Carey, Natalie Merchant,  Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Dave Matthews Band, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Cypress Hill, Foo Fighters, and The Smashing Pumpkins. Top songs from the 90s were Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, The Sign by Ace of Base, Don’t Speak by No Doubt, Baby One More Time by Britney Spears, and I Want It That Way by Backstreet Boys.

Many of the same bands and musicians popular in the ‘90s were also popular in the 2000s. However, there was still a variety of genres represented. The most popular genres of music during this time period were dance-pop, Indie rock, emo, pop-punk, contemporary R&B, hip-hop, reggaeton, electronica, hard rock, alternative metal, new wave revival, teen pop, boy bands, Internet stars, Disney artists, adult contemporary, country, country-pop, British soul, and Latin pop. Popular artists from the 2000s included Eminem, Sean Paul, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Kelly Clarkson, Linkin Park, The Killers, Maroon 5, Alicia Keys, Outkast, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Carrie Underwood, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Norah Jones, Coldplay, Shakira, Modest Mouse, The White Stripes, Death Cab for Cutie, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Panic! At the Disco, Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, Toby Keith, Kid Rock, Dixie Chicks, Destiny’s Child, Leona Lewis, Flo Rida, The Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, The Shins, Blink-182, Staind, System of a Down, and Korn. The top hits were This Love by Maroon 5, Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani, and Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys.

Music has always had an impact on people. It has become a part of us; it consumes us. Music helps people study and brings people together. Music represents love and death and everything in-between. As Plato once said, “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”