Explore musical genres, their history and origins including African, Blues, Classical/Orchestral, Country/Bluegrass, Cuban/Latin/Salsa, Gospel, Hymns and Spirituals, Gullah Music: Evolution of African Music, Hip-Hop/Rap, Jazz, Musical Theater, Opera, Pop and Soul, Rhythm and Blues, and Rock and Roll. Be sure to view the individual assets that stand alone, just below the Topics, and have not been included in a specific topic or genre.
Also explore our Musical Instruments and Musicians and Music History sections. We also have a section on Holiday Music.
Audio
Enslaved Africans sang songs as they worked to help keep the pace of the task they were doing. A leader called out a verse or yell and others responded. This is the call-and-response singing tradition...
Audio
African call-and-response patterns and improvisation survived the Middle Passage and became two of the basic elements of one of today’s most popular forms of music. In the 1970s, rap music began in...
Audio
European slave traders brought Africans to the New World on ships as early as the 1400s. These voyages across the Atlantic Ocean are called the Middle Passage. It was a terrible experience for the...
