Blues music originated in African American communities and as time went on, the influence of blues led to the creation of R&B before morphing into rock ‘n roll.
Through tweaks and changes throughout time, music evolves and changes but one thing remains true: all genres of music are tangled up in a web spun by Black artists.
Just like many other aspects of American history, the contributions made by African Americans in the music industry are consistently overlooked.
Throughout history, many Black trends and creations have had a white counterpart steal them only to receive all the recognition, even if the attempt is mediocre.
One of the most famous examples of this is Elvis Presley. Hailed as the “King of Rock and Roll,” Elvis gained popularity for his musicality and stage presence. However, everything Presley did was done by Black people years before he even picked up a microphone.
Many aspects of history have gone untold or been altered because of racism in America. Elvis was able to reach his level of success due to the color of his skin.
As time goes on, the music industry continues to ignore the contributions made by Black artists.
Beyonce is one of the most successful musicians in the world. She holds the record for the most Grammy wins by any artist ever, yet, as Jay-Z has pointed out, she still has yet to win an Album of the Year Grammy.
Even if the Grammys can’t acknowledge their biases, artists do. When Adele won Album of the Year, she stated Beyonce’s “Lemonade” album deserved the award and pointed out how much it meant to her Black friends.
We can also reflect on Macklemore beating Kendrick Lamar for Best Rap Album in 2014 or SZA’s “SOS” losing Album of the Year to Taylor Swift’s “Midnights.”
This is not meant to say other musicians are not deserving of their rewards, but after decades of mistreatment, it is time to look deeper into why these artists are not receiving enough recognition.
Times are changing but the music industry is not evolving fast enough. Genres started by Black people must return to their roots and allow diversity to thrive again.
Country music has historically lacked diversity compared to when it began. As a society, people need to take it upon themselves to research where things began and learn how they became to be what they are today.
People must start acknowledging where the music they listen to comes from. Black artists have written many of today’s most popular songs.
For instance, “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande was co-written by Victoria Monet. Try listening to Victoria’s music and see what you think. Her album “Jaguar” just won a Grammy for best R&B album.
Whether it’s pop, country, rock or EDM, the next time you listen to a song, give appreciation to those who made it possible for you to listen to it.