Music of the United States facts for kids

The music of the United States reflects the country's pluri-ethnic population through a diverse array of styles. It is a mixture of music influenced by the music of the United Kingdom, West Africa, Ireland, Latin America, and mainland Europe, among other places. The country's most internationally renowned genres are traditional pop, jazz, blues, country, bluegrass, rock, rock and roll, R&B, pop, hip hop, soul, funk, gospel, disco, house, techno, ragtime, doo-wop, folk music, americana, boogaloo, tejano, reggaeton, surf, and salsa. American music is heard around the world. Since the beginning of the 20th century, some forms of American popular music have gained a near global audience.

Native Americans were the earliest inhabitants of the land that is today known as the United States and played its first music. Beginning in the 17th century, immigrants from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Germany, and France began arriving in large numbers, bringing with them new styles and instruments. Slaves from West Africa brought their musical traditions, and each subsequent wave of immigrants contributed to a melting pot.

There are also some African-American influence in the music tradition of the European-American settlers, such as jazz, blues, rock, country and bluegrass. The United States has also seen documented folk music and recorded popular music produced in the ethnic styles of the Ukrainian, Irish, Scottish, Polish, Hispanic, and Jewish communities, among others.

Many American cities and towns have vibrant music scenes which, in turn, support a number of regional musical styles. With musical centers such as Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland, New York, San Francisco, New Orleans, Detroit, Memphis, Houston, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Miami, Atlanta, San Juan, Nashville, Austin, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and smaller cities such as Asbury Park, New Jersey, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Asheville, North Carolina, Louisville, Oakland, Honolulu, the Research Triangle, Boulder, Colorado, Madison, Wisconsin, Tupelo, Mississippi, and Burlington, Vermont have all have produced and contributed to the many distinctive styles of music from the country. The Cajun and Creole traditions in Louisiana music, the folk and popular styles of Hawaiian music, and the bluegrass and old time music of the Southeastern states are a few examples of diversity in American music.

Images for kids

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  Singer Elvis Presley was one of the most successful music artists of the 20th century, he is often referred to as "the King of Rock and Roll", or simply, "the King".

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  Aaron Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Composers".

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  Raymond Carlos Nakai is an American Indian of Navajo/Ute heritage. His Earth Spirit and Canyon Trilogy albums are the only Native American albums to be certified gold and platinum, respectively, by the RIAA.

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  The entrance of the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live

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  Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "the Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band"

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  Alison Krauss is the most awarded singer and the most awarded female artist in Grammy history.

See also

In Spanish: Música de los Estados Unidos para niños