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| Music of the United States
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| History (Timeline)
| Ethnicities
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| Before 1900
| African American
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| 1900-1940
| Native American (Inuit and Hawaiian)
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| 40s and 50s
| Latin (Tejano and Puerto Rican)
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| 60s and 70s
| Cajun and Creole
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| 80s to the present
| Other immigrants (Jewish, European, South and East Asian, modern African and Middle-Eastern)
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| Genres (Samples): Classical - Hip hop - Rock - Pop - Folk
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| Awards
| Grammy Awards, Country Music Awards
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| Charts
| Billboard Music Chart
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| Festivals
| New Orleans Jazz Festival, Lollapalooza, Lilith Fair, Ozz Fest, Woodstock Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival
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| Media
| Spin, Rolling Stone, Vibe, Downbeat, Source, MTV, VH-1
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| National anthem
| "The Star-Spangled Banner" and forty-nine state songs
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| Local music
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| AK - AL - AR - AS - AZ - CA - CO - CT - DC - DE - FL - GA - GU - HI - IA - ID - IL - IN - KS - KY - LA - MA - MD - ME - MI - MN - MO - MP - MS - MT - NC - ND - NE - NH - NM - NV - NJ - NY - OH - OK - OR - PA - PR - RI - SC - SD - TN - TX - UT - VA - VI - VT - WA - WI - WV - WY
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Roots music
- Download sample of Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night"
- Download sample of Robert Johnson's "Crossroads Blues"
- Download recording - Pues vuestros santos favores a cappella alabado hymn sung at vigils in honor of St. Anthony from the Library of Congress' Juan B. Rael Collection of culture from the Northern Rio Grande; performed by Mr. Romero, age 50, of Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico
- Download recording - courtship song of the Omaha Native Americans, from the Library of Congress' Omaha Indian Music Collection; performed by George Miller in 1897, collected by Alice Cunningham Fletcher and Francis La Flesche
- Download recording - "My Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes" barbershop quartet song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Ray Wood on April 13, 1939 in Houston, Texas
- Download recording - "Lost Train Blues" fiddle and guitar song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Fred Perry (fiddle) and Glenn Carver (guitar) on June 6, 1939 at the State Penitentiary in Raiford, Florida
- Download recording - Dont You Grieve blues mourning song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Aunt Mollie McDonald on May 27, 1939 at her family home near Livingston, Alabama
- Download recording - Camino de San Antonio a corrido from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Jose Ararjo on April 27, 1939 at his school near Brownsville, Texas
- Download recording - "Cotton-Eyed Joe" a fiddle tune from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Elmo Newcomer on May 3, 1939 at his ranch home near Pipe Creek, Texas
- Download recording - La canción de bebiendo a mescal drinking song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by José Suarez on April 26, 1939 at the home of J.K. Wells near Brownsville, Texas
- Download recording Yo cuando era niño - mi padre querido habañeras song of vagrant Mexican cotton-pickers from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Jose Ararjo on April 26, 1939 at the home of J.K. Wells near Brownsville, Texas
- Download recording - Dollar Mamie work song for hoeing from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Judge "Bootmouth" Tucker and Alexander "Neighborhood" Williams on May 23, 1939 at a State Penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi
- Download recording Amazing Grace long-meter hymn from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Mr. and Mrs. N.V. Braley on May 5, 1939 at the home of Beal D. Taylor near Medina, Texas
- Download recording - "Clemens Rag" instrumental blues guitar song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Ace Johnson and L.W. Gooden on AApril 15, 1939 at Clemens State Farm near Brazoria, Texas
- Download recording - "Train" instrumental blues harmonica song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Ace Johnson on April 16, 1939 at Clemens State Farm near Brazoria, Texas
- Download recording - Marine military march, instrumental piano from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Kate W. Jones on April 10, 1939 at her home in Houston, Texas
- Download recording - "Mabel" schottisch from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Elmo Newcomer (fiddle) on May 3, 1939 at his ranch home near Pipe Creek, Texas
- Download recording "My Good Lord Done Been Here" spiritual song from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Aunt Florida Hampton on May 29, 1939 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. P.W. Tartt in Livingston, Alabama
- Download recording "Versos del Mojado" Mexican border ballad (corrido-waltz) from the Library of Congress' John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip; performed by Homero López and Manuel Salinas on April 29, 1939 at López's Cash Store in Sarita, Texas
- Download recording Ghost Dance and gambling song from the Piute and Arapaho Native Americans from the Library of Congress' Emile Berliner and the Birth of the Recording Industry Collection; performed by James Mooney (possibly along with Charles Mooney; neither are believed to be Native Americans) on July 5, 1894
- Download recording - Kiowa mescal daylight song from the Library of Congress' Emile Berliner and the Birth of the Recording Industry Collection; performed by James Mooney (possibly along with Charles Mooney; neither are believed to be Native Americans) on July 5, 1894
- Download recording - "Aa kjore vatten, aa kjore ve" a cappella Norwegian folk song from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Alf Nilssen on February 18, 1939 in Carmel, California
- Download recording - "Kicsi fulemule dalol" a cappella Hungarian folk music from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Mary Gaidos on January 3, 1940 in Oakland, California
- Download recording - "Jenny Lind" polka from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by John Selleck (violin) on October 2, 1939 in Camino, California
- Download recording Hornpipe and fiddle tune from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by John Selleck on October 2, 1939 in Camino, California
- Download recording - Irish harmonica tune from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Aaron Morgan (harmonica) on July 17, 1939 in Columbia, California
- Download recording Mazurka - Mazurka from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Aaron Morgan on July 17, 1939 in Columbia, California
- Download recording - "Macleods reel" from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Aaron Morgan on July 17, 1939 in Columbia, California
- Download recording - "Erivan bachem arer" Armenian folk music from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed a cappella by Ruben J. Baboyan on April 16, 1939 in Fresno, California
- Download recording - "Lili bat ikhusi dut" Basque folk music from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Francisco and Matias Etcheverry on September 11, 1940 in Fresno, California
- Download recording - Gusle solo (Croatian folk music) from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Peter Boro on December 20, 1939 in Fresno, California
- Download recording - "Vaka vanha Vainamoinen" Finnish poetry from the Kalevala from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by John Soininen on November 5, 1939 in Berkeley, California
- Download recording - Rimur (Icelandic folk music) from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Sigurd Bardarson on April 29, 1940 in Carmel, California
- Download recording - "Addio, mamma" Italian folk music from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed a cappella by Louis Brangone on May 7, 1939 in Woodside, California
- Download recording - "Olivi, salati" Sicilian folk music from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Francisco Sanfilippo on February 11, 1939 in Martinez, California
- Download recording "Le estrella del Oriente" aguinaldo (Puerto Rican Christmas Carol) from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Cruz Losada on April 10, 1939 in Oakland, California
- Download recording - "Na cuperean" Scottish folk music from Nova Scotia from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Mary A. McDonald on April 11, 1939 in Berkeley, California
- Download recording - "Venid pastores" Spanish folk Christmas song from the Library of Congress' California Gold: Northern California Folk Music from the Thirties Collection; performed by Aurora Calderon on April 10, 1939 in Oakland, California
- Download recording - "Roll the Old Chariot Along" spiritual and sea shanty from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAbandA1.html#rolltheoldchariotalong); performed by unknown persons in the Bay Area of California in the early 1920s
- Download recording - "Haul the Woodpile Down" Minstrel song and sea shanty from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAbandA1.html#haulthewoodpiledown); performed by unknown persons in the Bay Area of California in the early 1920s
- Download recording - The Old Grey Mare Appalachian folk music from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAbandA3.html#oldgraymare); performed by Bascam Lamar Lunsford in the Asheville, North Carolina area on October 19, 1925
- Download recording Hesitation Blues blues song from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAbandA3.html#hesitationblues); performed by Bascam Lamar Lunsford in the Asheville, North Carolina area on October 19, 1925
- Download recording - Sally Goodin fiddle tune from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAbandA5.html#sallygoodin); performed by John W. Dillon in the Asheville, North Carolina area on October 22, 1925
- Download recording - "Prisoners Song" country music from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideAband8.html); performed by Ernest Hilton with banjo accompaniment in Biltmore, North Carolina on November 20, 1925
- Download recording - "The Wagon" ragtime from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideBbandB4.html); performed by Ben Harney in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on about September 9, 1925
- Download recording - "Deep Down in My Heart" - Spiritual from the Library of Congress' Gordon Collection (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Gordon/sideBbandB1.html); performed by W. M. Givens in Darien, Georgia on about March 19, 1926
- Download recording - "Po Gal" East Coast blues from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Zora Neale Hurston on June 18, 1939 in Jacksonville, Florida
- Download recording - "Drive the Nail aRight, Boys" Bahamanian conch song from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Naomi Nelson on January 15, 1940 in Riviera, Florida
- Download recording - "On the Old Kissimmee Prairie" British tune from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Bob Hall, Walter van Bass, Ned Hugh Bass and J. C. King with banjos, guitars and violin in Juli, 1940 in Kenansville, Florida
- Download recording - "Tece voda, tece" Czech tune from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Michael and Elizabeth Prácher on August 28, 1939 in Masaryktown, Florida
- Download recording - "Amaxas" Greek song from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Charles M. Brown, Louis Peronis (fiddle), Charylaos Perris (santouri) and George Kafezio (mandola) on August 26, 1939 in Tarpon Springs, Florida
- Download recording - "Alfonso Doce" Minorcan song from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Maria Hugas de Aceval on September 26, 1939 in St. Augustine, Florida
- Download recording - "Steal Partner" Seminole song from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Richard Osceola, Naha Tiger, John Josh and Morgan Smith in July 1940 in Cow Creek, Florida
- Download recording "Ej lúcka, lúcka siroká" Slovak song from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Lillian Jakubcin and Emily Mertán on July 31, 1939 in Slavia, Florida
- Download recording "Ughniyah li al-Atfal" Syrian lullaby from the Library of Congress' Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections; performed by Nicholas Debs on March 10, 1940 in Jacksonville, Florida
- Download sample of "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Aint't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington, an early hit from one of the giants of American popular song
- Download sample of The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie", a hit song that was originally a Jamaican ballad; The Kingsmen's version, originally a rival with Paul Revere & the Raiders' nearly-simultaneously released take, launched a national debate over the lyric's supposed sexual content. After an investigation, the FBI concluded that the words (in The Kingsmen's version) were incomprehensible.
- Download sample of Gil Scott-Heron's "Small Talk at 125th and Lennox" from Small Talk at 125th and Lennox; this song is a form of spoken poetry with simple percussion accomaniment, and is considered a precursor to the rapping vocals of hip hop. Heron was associated with the Black Power movement, and was especially known for criticizing the leaders of the African American community, as well as those blacks who gave only tepid or no support to the cause, as in this track
- Download sample of Grateful Dead's "Box of Rain" from American Beauty; for a band known more for live performances than studio releases, American Beauty and its album opener, "Box of Rain", are both among the most well-known and widely-respected recordings by the Grateful Dead. The song is a mixture of influences ranging from bluegrass and country to rock and roll and psychedelic rock
- Download sample of Don McLean's "American Pie"; this song was a major hit and has come to represent the singer-songwriter tradition in the minds of many listeners, though McLean's popular career never lasted as long as other luminaries in the field like James Taylor or Carol King. "American Pie" is a guitar-based ballad filled with cryptic lyrics which describe the musical events of McLean's life, from the rock and roll boom in the 1950s to the social turmoil of the later 60s.
- Download sample of Marvin Gaye's "Whats Going On" from What's Going On, a seminal soul album led by the hit title track, What's Going On transformed the genre from single-led pop to cohesive albums with socio-political lyrical content. "What's Going On", recorded despite condemnation from Gaye's record label, became a hit and has since become one of the most well-known anti-Vietnam protest songs
- Download sample of MC5's "Sister Ann" from High Time, a song from past the band's creative peak, "Sister Ann" remains the most well-known MC5 song, and a characteristic example of the group's proto-punk rock sound
- Download sample of Clint Black's "Killin' Time" from Killin Time, a song that won more awards than almost any other, including six different categories of the Country Music Awards
- Download sample of Alison Krauss' "Down to the River to Pray" from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, a surprise hit album of traditionally-styled Appalachian folk music
- Download sample of Bright Eyes' "The Calendar Hung Itself" from Fevers and Mirrors; Bright Eyes is the well-known individual to come out of the Omaha Sound of emo
- Download sample of D'Angelo's "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" from Voodoo; accompanied by a controversial video featuring nothing but the nude singer, D'Angelo, who is one of the most renowned male artists of the hip hop/soul fusion nu soul
- Download sample of Goldfinger's "Margaret Ann" from Stomping Ground, a well-regarded example of American ska punk, a genre which has been finding limited mainstream success since the mid-1990s
- Download sample of Phish's "Farmhouse" from Farmhouse; Phish is undoubtedly the most well-known band of the 90s jam band phenomenon, and are known for their epic jams. "Farmhouse" represents the band at their most pop-oriented
- Download sample of Eminem's "Kill You" from The Marshall Mathers LP, an extremely controversial album full of violent lyrics concerning misogyny, rape and drug abuse; "Kill You" is among the most notorious of the songs on the album, and is also highly regarded for its inventive lyrical flow
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