Timeline Rock History

  • Star Spangled Banner

    Star Spangled Banner
    Francis Scott Key writes his poem "Star Spangled Banner" to the tune of John Stafford Smith "To Anacreon in Heaven." The original title of the poem by Key was "The Defense of Fort McHenry" and it was first published in several Baltimore newspapers a short time after it was written on September 16, 1814
  • Conductor's Baton

    Conductor's Baton
    Louis Spohr introduced the conductor's baton. A baton, which is the French word for "stick," ​is used by conductors primarily to enlarge and enhance the manual and bodily movements associated with directing an ensemble of musicians. Prior to its invention, conductors would often use a violin bow
  • Amazing Grace

    Amazing Grace
    Amazing Grace was produced and sung by Jesse Allison, Vera Hall, and Dock Reed. This song was a huge hit and was played by many people.
  • The Romantic Period

    The Romantic Period
    Romantic music sought to express emotion,both negative and positive, through music. Orchestras became more popular during this period. Romantic music brought people together and set a tone for the atmosphere.
  • Thomas Edison creates sound recording

    Thomas Edison creates sound recording
    Edison earned his nickname "The Wizard of Menlo Park" in November 1877 when he invented the world's first method of recording and playing back sound.
  • Ragtime

    Ragtime
    Genre of music sang in a lively manner. It was opposite blues, expressing joyfulness and and cheer.
  • Orchestras

    Orchestras
    European sympathy operas and orchestras were being assembled mostly in boston and chicago. Devoted to bring European music to American Audiences.
  • Happy Birthday

    Happy Birthday
    The song "Happy Birthday to You" was created in 1893 by Preston Ware Orem, R. R. forman. The melody of the song comes from "Good Morning to All."
  • Jazz Music

    Jazz Music
    The genre is mainly performed by African Americans. The Dixieland Jass Band becomes the first to record jazz music. Jazz spread to dance halls, marching bands, and was popular on the radio. Some popular jazz artists were Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, and Red Hot Poppers.
  • Louis Armstrong

    Louis Armstrong
    Born in 1901 and changed the world forever with Jazz music spreading it throughout the world.
  • Records

    Records
    The first 12 inch diameter records were released on the Monarch label. HMV Italiana released Verdi's Ernani on 40 single sided discs.
  • Victrola Model

    Victrola Model
    The Victrola Model was invented by RCA Victor. Records at the time were being produced in all variations, the turntable had various speeds for the different types of records.
  • Futurism

    Futurism
    Invented by Italian composers named Francesco Balilla Pratella and Luigi Russolo. It was an attempt to recreate everyday sounds and put them in a futurist context.
  • Beginning of Country Music

    Beginning of Country Music
    Very popular in the southern states. Jimmie Rodgers discovered the country genre and it made a huge hit everywhere especially having its origin in the appalachian mountains.
  • Broadway

    Broadway
    Broadways prime years, where it really began to boom and bring more money. People would pay up to $3.50 for seat. Before the creation of talking films, musicals were originated in the theatrical Broadway area of New York City. George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin were very successful composers and a lot of their work was turned into the first musical films.
  • Music Industry Upset

    Music Industry Upset
    The record business was becoming seriously depressed by the growing popularity of radio. The radio was taking away the recording business.
  • Greenleaf and Trumpets

    Greenleaf and Trumpets
    Greenleaf created the first national band contest in Chicago, along with the Conn National School of Music.
  • Folk

    Folk
    Folk songs can be about different subjects like war, work, civil rights, economic hardship, nonsense, satire, and love songs. Folk music predates many genres, and songs were brought over from people immigrating to America from countries such as England, as well as songs sung by the African American slaves.
  • West Coast Blues

    West Coast Blues
    Aaron Thibeaux Walker began recording in California under his own name, using electric guitar. He used guitar with jazz horns to create a Blues style that has lasted to this day. The other major player who developed from West Coast Blues was the legendary B.B. King
  • Guitars

    Guitars
    Leo Fender and Doc Kauffman started the K and F Company. They produced steel guitars and amplifiers.