Examples Of How Music Has Shaped America

Devin Dew
Frisch
ELA 10 Honors
27 March 2023

How Music has Shaped America
In the United States a person listens to approximately 20 hours of music per week. Music plays a large role in most people's daily lives. It can change a person's mood, keep people focused, and be a good conversation topic. What most people don't realize is that music has played an important role in shaping America. Different types of music, like Jazz, Country, and Rap/Hip-Hop, have had different impacts on people, but all music has given people opportunities to connect with each other, and express themselves.
Jazz music has the reputation of letting people be themselves, living out their dreams, and finding peace. This was a common theme back during the 1920s when jazz became popular, with the western expansion and people setting out to start families and finding their purpose. In the video “Jazz as Freedom | From the Film: Jazz” it states, “When you talk about jazz and freedom, see, everybody in the United States was looking for that.” (Jazz as

Today, country music is very prideful, romantic, and tends to tell stories. Country music is more popular in rural areas, or the countryside, hence its name - Country music. Country music is calming and has the ability to make people feel at peace. When things in America started to pick up in the 20’s country music helped people connect during change. In an article titled “The Rise Of Country Music In The 1920s' ', Kerlinger states, “ As people grapple with the new realities of the modern world, many found comfort in the simple, old-fashioned sound of country music. In a time of great upheaval, country music provided a much-needed sense of stability and familiarity.” (Kerlinger). Country music was able to help and connect people during a complicated and new time where people were figuring out what they were going to do in life, and still has a similar impact