Which is your favorite music genre?
American music would not be the same without these 10 sonic pioneers
Image: Eugene Bolshem
Very rarely have musical genres been entirely created by a single individual. More often than not, when you trace the origins and environment of a musical pioneer, you will get a sense of where this person drew his or her influence from. America is rich soil for music, and the following ten artists have spearheaded genres that continue to grow and inspire to this day. Did you know any of them?
1
Ragtime - Scott Joplin
Image: Darius
The first entry on the list showcases the inventor of probably the most popular waiting-call tunes in history, Scott Joplin, the "King of Ragtime" himself. He composed over 40 ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas. One of his first and most popular pieces, the "Maple Leaf Rag," became the genre's first and most influential hit, later recognized as the quintessential rag.
Joplin considered ragtime to be a form of classical music meant to be played in concert halls and largely disdained the performance of ragtime as honky-tonk music, most common in saloons.
2
Blues - W.C. Handy
Image: Kelly Sikkema
Blues music can’t be traced to a single individual, but William Christopher Handy can definitely be identified as a founding figure in the genre. He was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the "Father of the Blues."
One of many musicians who played the blues, Handy did not create the blues genre but was one of the first to publish music in the blues form , thereby taking the blues from a regional music style (Delta blues) with a limited audience to a new level of popularity.
3
Jazz - Buddy Bolden
Image: Laura Rivera
Charles Joseph "Buddy" Bolden was an American cornetist who was regarded by contemporaries as a key figure in the development of a New Orleans style of "jass," which later came to be known as jazz. Bolden was known as "King" Bolden, and he was known for his loud sound and improvisational skills, and his style had an impact on younger musicians.
Many early jazz musicians credited Bolden and his bandmates with having originated what came to be known as jazz , although the term was not in common musical use until after Bolden was musically active. At least one writer has labeled Bolden as the father of jazz.
4
Country - Jimmie Rodgers
Image: Katherine Hanlon
Widely regarded as the "Father of Country Music," James Charles Rodgers was an American singer-songwriter and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. He is best known for his distinctive yodeling , which is a singing style imported from the Alps.
He has been cited as an inspiration by many artists and he has been inducted into multiple halls of fame. By 1927, he stopped working for the railroad due to health issues and decided to focus on his music career.
5
Soul - Sam Cooke
Image: Mick Haupt
Considered one of the most influential soul artists of all time, Sam Cooke is commonly referred to as the "King of Soul" for his distinctive vocals, pioneering contributions to the genre, and significance in popular music.
During his brief eight-year career, Cooke released 29 singles that charted in the Top 40 of the Billboard Pop Singles chart, along with 20 singles in the Top Ten of Billboard's Black Singles chart.
6
Rhythm & Blues - Louis Jordan
Image: Austin Neill
Known as "the King of the Jukebox," Louis Thomas Jordan was an American saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s.
Jordan blueprinted the map of classic R&B, urban blues , and early rock-and-roll genres with a series of highly influential 78-rpm discs released by Decca Records. These recordings presaged many styles of Black popular music in the late 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s and exerted a strong influence on numerous leading performers in these genres.
7
Rock n Roll - Chuck Berry
Image: Provincial Archives of Alberta
Best known as "Chuck," Charles Edward Anderson Berry was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll music. Nicknamed the "Father of Rock and Roll," he refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive , writing lyrics that focused on teen life and consumerism and developing a musical style that included guitar solos and showmanship.
He recorded "Maybellene"—Berry's adaptation of the country song "Ida Red"—which sold over a million copies and reached number one on Billboard magazine's rhythm and blues chart.
8
Funk - James Brown
Image: iggii
"The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business," "Minister of New Super Heavy Funk," "Godfather of Soul," "Mr. Dynamite," and "Soul Brother No. 1," Mr. James Brown himself, was an American singer, dancer, and musician and the founder of funk music , as well as a major figure in 20th-century music.
In a career that lasted more than 50 years, he influenced the development of several music genres. Brown was one of the first ten inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 23, 1986. His music has been heavily sampled by hip-hop musicians and other artists.
9
Disco - Donna Summer
Image: Bas Peperzak
Disco music was becoming increasingly popular in the early 1970s, but according to many historians, it was Donna Summer’s "Love to Love You Baby" that became the first "official" disco release .
The song did not have an immediate American release; it started its life with moderate success in Europe before finally gaining traction and being launched in the U.S., where it became her first number-one hit on the Hot Dance Club Play Chart.
10
Rap - DJ Kool Herc
Image: Matthew Moloney
While this name might not be as instantly recognizable as those from the previous entries, it certainly deserves to appear and close the list, as it is often cited as responsible for the birth of an extremely popular music genre. Clive Campbell, better known by his stage name DJ Kool Herc , is a Jamaican American DJ credited with being one of the f ounders of rap music in New York City in 1973.
Nicknamed the "Father of Hip-Hop," Campbell began playing hard funk records typified by James Brown. He isolated the instrumental portions of the records, emphasizing the drum beat—the "break"—and transitioned from one break to another. Campbell's announcements helped lead to the syncopated, rhythmically spoken accompaniment now known as rapping.
