Music and human transformation are completely intertwined. Music was born when the first humans walked the face of planet Earth, and like the human race, it has evolved. From the 1920s, where jazz and blues were all the rage, to the 2020s, where hip hop and rap is the go-to beat, music has changed significantly over the years.

The 1920s was full of renowned artists such as jazz musician Louis Armstrong. Armstrong was, and still is, one of the most influential artists in the jazz genre. The genesis of jazz began in the African American areas of New Orleans, and it eventually spread globally. Armstrong’s songs (such as “What a Wonderful World”), remained on hit lists for decades, and his style and incomparable trumpet skills left audiences in awe for decades to come.

Swinging into the 1930s, jazz prospered, and big bands formed around the country. Billie Holiday, a swing jazz musician, who grew into popularity around 1933, changed the genre forever with her unique musical style, full of passion and emotion.This decade was also when the radio became more accessible to Americans all over the country, allowing the musicians to reach a wider audience.

As World War II dominated the 1940s and rock and roll spun into the ‘50s, many artists made their musical breakthroughs. This was when the great Frank Sinatra stole the spotlight. He grew popular in the 1930s, singing in big bands, but broke away from them to start a solo career, and came out with his debut album, “The Voice of Frank Sinatra”. Following Sinatra, in the ‘50s, Elvis Presley was one of the most successful and well known musicians of the decade. He had over 100 Top 40 hit songs, including 18 number one songs. His presence was enjoyed by many, and his music was presented to audiences in a way that had never been done before. He can be considered one of the fathers of the genre of rock and roll since he made it the most popular genre of music during the 1950s.

As we rolled into the 1960s and ‘70s, The Beatles and Stevie Wonder rose to popularity. While the 60s were full of soul music and progressive rock, the ‘70s brought a new spin to the art of melody. The decade is best known for funk music, and it was when hard rock and heavy metal bands such as AC/DC and Led Zeppelin took to the stage. While the ‘60s and ‘70s consisted of incredible musical changes, karaoke and disco became popular and remain to be the memory we hold today of the ‘70s.

The ‘80s, the decade that is named one of the best music decades in history, was when disco fell out of fashion and rock music continued to prosper throughout the decade. Loved musicians Michael Jackson, Madonna, Guns N Roses, Bon Jovi, and so many more, grew famous and gave this decade its reputation. The 1980s are remembered for the neon colors and amazing music, without which, the decade would certainly not be such a memorable and distinguished time period.

With new technology and new music, the 1990s was a changing point for music history. Mariah Carey came out with one of the most loved Christmas songs, “All I Want for Christmas is You”, and began her impressively successful career. The movie “Titanic” also came out in the late ‘90s, making Celine Dion and her song “My Heart Will Go On” famous. Although the ‘90s are certainly not remembered for music today, the decade’s culture of music was loved by many.

Finally, the 2000s and 2010s brought contemporary R&B and pop into popularity. Brittany Spears and Beyonce ruled the 2000s with their hit songs, which are still loved today. This decade was also when hip hop became popular and many artists began producing this genre of music. The 2010s, however, was when hip hop really rose to the top of billboard charts and today is one of the most popular genres of music. Many loved bands such as One Direction formed, and pop singers Katy Perry, Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande reached the height of their fame. The 2000s and 2010s were the two decades in which famous musicians of today began their musical careers and became very popular.

The past century has changed music remarkably. Music genres have come and gone, and hundreds of thousands of musicians have taken to the stage and drawn in millions of listeners worldwide. As we begin our journey through the 2020s, we will begin to see musical trends come back, and some go away. We will embark on this musical journey together, and as of right now, music is already changing within the past year. From jazz and blues, to the current style of hip hop and rap, our music will continue to evolve with us, and we will always continue to see new trends in musical genres and styles.