How well do you know American music?
From country to hip-hop, American music has shaped sounds around the world. Six questions, from easy to hard, with the stories behind them.
Did you know?
- Sun Studio in Memphis, sometimes called the 'Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll', recorded early songs by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. It still operates as a studio and museum.
- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened in Cleveland in 1995. Its glass pyramid building was designed by architect I. M. Pei, who also designed the glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris.
- The Woodstock festival in 1969 was actually held on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York, about 60 miles from the town of Woodstock that gave it its name.
The sound of a nation
American music grew from many roots: African rhythms and spirituals, European folk songs, Latin American dances and Native American traditions. Over the 20th century, these influences blended into blues, jazz, country, rock and roll, soul and hip-hop. Recorded music, radio and later television carried these sounds around the world, making American music one of the country's most powerful cultural exports.
Country music
Country music developed in the rural South from folk songs, fiddle tunes and gospel. Early radio shows such as the Grand Ole Opry brought it to national audiences, and Nashville became its business center. Today country music ranges from traditional ballads to pop-influenced hits that fill stadiums across the country.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll emerged in the 1950s, combining rhythm and blues with country influences. Artists such as Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Elvis Presley became stars, and young audiences embraced the energetic new sound. Rock later split into many styles, from surf rock to heavy metal and punk.
The Motown sound
Motown Records in Detroit produced hit after hit in the 1960s with polished songs, catchy melodies and tight arrangements. Its artists, including the Supremes, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations, crossed racial barriers on radio and television and influenced pop music for decades.
Hip-hop
Hip-hop began at block parties in the Bronx, combining DJing, rapping, breakdancing and graffiti art. By the 1980s and 1990s it had spread nationwide, and today it is one of the most listened-to genres in the world, shaping fashion, language and culture.
Festivals and landmarks
Music festivals and landmarks attract fans from everywhere. The 1969 Woodstock festival in New York drew around 400,000 people and became a symbol of its era. Sites such as Sun Studio in Memphis, where Elvis recorded early songs, and the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville celebrate this musical heritage.