# American music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 5, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228 "2013-06-05T18:15:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![the\_O](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@the\_O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/1 "2013-06-05T18:15:48Z")
As a nation, us 'Merkans are pretty clever when it comes to having fun. How many distinct idioms of music have Americans invented in just a little over 200 years? I mean, besides the obvious Bluegrass? (Mods: Feel free to move this to Cafe.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/2 "2013-06-05T18:18:31Z")
Jazz ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/3 "2013-06-05T18:20:28Z")
Both of them, Country and Western. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/4 "2013-06-05T18:22:44Z")
Also Blues, Gospel, Zydeco, early Rock N Roll, Boogie Woogie, Rap and Hip-Hop. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/5 "2013-06-05T18:50:20Z")
Moved from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/6 "2013-06-05T18:59:57Z")
Elevator music. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/7 "2013-06-05T19:52:20Z")
Ragtime, spirituals. It is worth noting that just about every one was actually invented by _African_ Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/8 "2013-06-05T19:58:16Z")
Rockabilly. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/9 "2013-06-05T20:01:41Z")
Soul. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/10 "2013-06-05T20:02:15Z")
I like American music best. Baby. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/11 "2013-06-05T20:03:00Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I like American music best. Baby. Acoustic punk. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/12 "2013-06-05T20:04:59Z")
Punk. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/13 "2013-06-05T20:11:28Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Ragtime, spirituals. > > It is worth noting that just about every one was actually invented by _African_ Americans. Not all of them but it is true that most were. The roots to many of the most major forms of music (Jazz, Blues, Gospel, and Rock N Roll) have their deepest that come from a common and relatively small geographical area in the South. They were invented by American blacks or directly derived from it in the case of Rock N roll. Country music has a number of influences and it was influenced by American blacks but wasn’t invented by them. Its deep roots go back to Appalachian populations that redeveloped Old World (primarily Irish and Scottish) folk music into the new style. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/14 "2013-06-05T20:59:17Z")
Arm-pit farting. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/15 "2013-06-05T21:12:02Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I like American music best. Baby. I like all kinds of music. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/16 "2013-06-08T03:25:33Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > I like all kinds of music. Do you like American music? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/17 "2013-06-08T03:49:10Z")
Rock and / or Roll ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/18 "2013-06-08T04:45:27Z")
Broadway. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/19 "2013-06-08T05:46:34Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > It is worth noting that just about every one was actually invented by _African_ Americans. In fact, American music was invented by _Americans_, black and white, influencing and learning from each other. The idea that all American music comes from blacks or from whites ripping them off is racist bullshit. The fact that traditional African music styles are very far from modern American styles should be a pretty big hint. Yes, modern American music wouldn’t have happened without African influences, but it also wouldn’t have happened without European influences. My cite is that it _didn’t_ happen in Africa, it happened in America. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228/20 "2013-06-08T05:57:01Z")
Jugband. Texas Swing. Big Band. Boogie Woogie. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-music/660228.md?page=2)