A huge amount of the music we listen to today is inspired by none other than Black creators. Many genres that exist now were inspired by blues, jazz, RnB and more.

According to a website about the history of Black music, “The transition of folk spirituals into folk blues began in the post-Civil War era. Due to the terrorizing threats of racism, folk blues were created partially for communication, but they were also created for entertainment as well. This style consisted of harmonica, bass, and guitar, which are instruments that are still used to this day. Some attributes of blues music have been used throughout the history of country music” (scope.uiowa.edu).

In 1890, the first African American to record his music commercially was George W. Johnson, according to the Library of Congress. The writer of “The Laughing Song” is a bit of a mystery. Johnson himself was credited with the words and music when the song was published as sheet music in 1894, with the well known Pianist Frank Banta. Johnson was a former slave, and was discovered singing on the streets of Washington, D.C.. Through blues, people preserved musical traditions from their culture and resisted violence, according to the Library of Congress (loc.gov).

The rise of jazz in the 1920s also brought an art form that is enjoyed by people of all origins. Artists Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday are some that pushed social and cultural boundaries with their jazz music (loc.gov).

As time has passed, a variety of Black creators have revolutionized the music industry. Blue Magic is a band that has been popular since 1972 and is known for its Blues genre; Ted Mills was the leader of this group. Blue Magic released eight albums between 1974 to 1989 (discogs.com).

Another creative Black artist that has left a mark on the music industry is none other than Reggae Star Bob Marley. He was a Jamaican singer and songwriter. He is known to be one of the most popular influences in the reggae genre. According to the Hello Music website, he sold more than 20 million records throughout his career (hellomusictheory.com).

Who can forget the amazing Aretha Franklin. According to Culture Trip, “Aretha Franklin also known as the ‘Queen of Soul’ is known for her energy and ability to sing multiple genres. Known for ‘Respect’, her presence is all over the world and has influenced stars globally” (theculturetrip.com).

Despite having a strong impact on music, studies show that Black people tend to be underrepresented in the music industry. They make up about 13 percent of artists and musicians in the industry, and the higher up in the industry one goes, the less representation there is (vincedixonportfolio.com).

In reality, much of the music we listen to today in the twenty-first century came from the roots of many Black artists. Black music artists have made such an impact in the music industry that many artists create covers of their most popular songs so that a larger audience can enjoy the music even more.