As Black History Month approaches, it is important to recognize that there have been a multitude of people of color who have used their creativity and talent to pave the way for so many others, inspiring numerous people around the world. Among all of the great contributions of Black Americans, one of the most influential is the impact on music.

   Of significance, in American music, is blues, some of the earliest of music dated back to African Americans. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, blues is very influenced by gospel (church music) and personal experiences; however, the sound itself was also influenced by work songs as well as the folk and popular music of the time. Early blues was largely played by southern Black men, most of whom came from the environment of agricultural workers (britannica.com). 

   A singer who arose from this genre that is worth mentioning would be Billie Holiday, an icon for the blues genre, born April 15, 1915. According to the official Billie Holiday website, “She first rose to prominence in the 1930s with a unique style that reinvented the conventions of modern singing and performance” (billieholiday.com). Holiday had an extraordinary voice that captivated many. With her lower range and beautiful lyrics, she made a name for herself and her art. One of her most popular songs is “Strange Fruit” which, according to the Biography website, stemmed from a poem written by activist Abel Meeropol. Although she didn’t write the song, she covered the song because, she said, it resonated with her and what she was going through (biography.com). 

   In the ‘70s, Rock and Rhythm and Blues (R&B) music began to gain more popularity, introducing many artists that defined this decade. Some very influential Black artists of the decade included Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner, and Jimi Hendrix. Marvin Gaye, born April 2, 1939 was a Motown artist who impacted R&B. According to Variety Magazine, “Inspired by social unrest in the U.S. and his brother’s three-year stint fighting in Vietnam, ‘What’s Going On’— whose title is a pointed statement, not a question — wasn’t just a smooth soul crooner arbitrarily taking a sharp left turn into social consciousnes” (variety.com). Gaye, like many others, sang about what was going on in the world around him.

   Jimi Hendrix was a rock and roll pioneer and was able to establish a name for himself in the industry. According to the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), “Widely recognized as one of the most creative and influential musicians of the Twentieth century, Jimi Hendrix pioneered the explosive possibilities of the electric guitar. Hendrix’s innovative style of combining fuzz, feedback and controlled distortion created a new musical form.”  Additionally, Hendrix was inspired by many blues legends, which he said led him to teach himself how to read and write music (pbs.org). Senior Miguel Aless said, “Jimi Hendrix is one of the most influential musicians within the rock genre, experimenting with his sound and style, making him stand out from other musicians, and to me his style is mesmerizing and you can hear the influences of numerous other genres such as blues and motown”

   In the ‘80s, pop music began to gain more popularity and Black musicians were among those who thrived, one of which was the legendary icon Micheal Jackson. He began his journey with the Jackson 5, a band made up of himself and his siblings. The Encyclopedia Bristannica states, “In one of the most acclaimed musical families of the rock era, Michael Jackson was the youngest. Their father, Joseph, shaped [them] into a dazzling group of child stars known as the Jackson 5” (britannica.com). Later, after the group disbanded, Jackson went on to create a name for himself and remains as one of the most influential Black musicians in the world. Jackson transformed popular music in the 1980s, earning himself the title the “King of Pop.” 

   All in all, one thing that these artists have in common is that they shattered barriers that were placed around them, and undoubtedly influenced many others. This led to more creativity, influencing those creating music today along with many others along the way.