An Insight Into The History Of The Music Industry (Unfinished)

An Insight Into The History Of The Music Industry.

Blues: 

"The Blues" originated in the US in the late 19th century. It's basic principles were of 3 chord progressions in a 12/8 bar format. The Blues "scene" is predominantly considered an African-American sub-culture and threw a lot of African-American artists into the limelight of mainstream media. Notable artists could include Robert Johnson and Ray Charles.

Robert Johnson had little recognition for his works during his lifetimes, playing on street corner bars and at small social dances. It was only after his death that he came to prominence in the media. Although Johnson's life was poorly documented; his death at 27 was a revelation at the time, however, due to his relatively low profile during his lifetime, his cause of death was widely disputed, as it still is today. The media started to join in the speculation as to what caused this mysterious death to someone so young and early on in their career and one story states that Johnson, in fact, sold his soul at a cross roads to obtain the talent that he is now remembered for. Robert Johnson was the first musician to enter "The 27 club" a club of very high profile musicians that have died aged 27, a brain child of the media.

Ray Charles cam to prominence in 1947 and his style of music was seen as very controversial at the time. The world was still enjoying the "ground-breaking" new styles of music introduced to America, and subsequently the world, by the black community and the likes of Roger Johnson. Jazz, Swing and, of course, Blues were still relatively new forms of music in comparison to the several years of dominance of the genre we now know to be "classical" music. The black community was taking it's place in western society after the abolition of the slave trade and was fighting it's way towards equal civil-rights with the assistance of the black input to music. However Ray Charles' music was the next new thing to hit the world and, in some cases, can be seen as the most influential artist in making the link between Blues and Rock n Roll. However while Ray Charles was coming to prominance in the late forties and enjoying great success in the 1950's; so where others of a different genre...

Swing/ Big Band: