• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / History / What types of music were people listening to during the Harlem Renaissance?

What types of music were people listening to during the Harlem Renaissance?

February 24, 2020 by Karen Hill

Jazz was the most popular music of this period, and it played an enormous role in the vital cultural scene in Harlem. Some say that jazz is the most unique form of creative expression of our times.

By the 1920s, jazz had spread throughout the country and the world. Many jazz performers came to Harlem, where they performed for black and white audiences. Affluent whites came from downtown New York City to Harlem clubs, where they heard such star musicians as Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong (1901-1971), Edward “Duke” Ellington (1899-1974), and Fletcher Henderson (18971952).

For many people, jazz expressed a breaking away from tradition. Listeners felt liberated by the fresh, exciting sounds of jazz.

Another style of music that became popular in the 1920s was blues. The blues has a long, rich history. It probably evolved from work songs, spirituals, and the call-and-response style of performance. The blues expressed profound sadness and mostly told stories of poverty and loneliness.

In the 1920s, several singers brought blues the recognition it so deserved. Bessie Smith (1894-1937) is probably the best female singer of the blues. Her recording of “Down-Hearted Blues” for Columbia records sold over a million copies.

Related Facts

  • Top 25 Inventions That Changed the World
  • What was happening in popular music in the 1960s and 1970s and Who were the African American musicians of the time?
  • Who were some of the best poets of the Harlem Renaissance period?
  • Who were famous Writers, Artists, and Musicians of the Harlem Renaissance?
  • Top 25 Inventions That Changed Our Lives Forever
  • Who was Louis Armstrong and Why was Louis Armstrong an important influence in Jazz and Popular Music?

Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Who was Zora Neale Hurston and What other books did she write besides Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937)?
Next Post: Where did African Americans go after Reconstruction? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy