#IMBHM: The Bestselling Black Royalty of the American Community

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Kings and Queens of music can often be found in the Black community in the U.S.A. From the nineteenth century to today, we look at just a few artists who have impacted popular music.

Scott Joplin: The King of Ragtime

A pioneer of music royalty, Scott Joplin was granted the prevailing title of the ‘King of Ragtime’ by his contemporaries. He is credited with a sizeable contribution to the invention and subsequent popularity of the genre. Furthermore, it was Joplin’s blend of European and Black musical characteristics that cemented its popularity in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth centuries before a resurgence in the 1970s.

With ragtime cemented as a precursor to jazz, Joplin’s compositions have become a key repertoire for musicians today. Particularly, this includes the likes of ‘The Entertainer‘ and ‘Maple Leaf Rag‘. The latter is known as the genre’s first and most influential piece to come to the attention of mainstream audiences. The steady bass and rhythm offset by syncopated melodic lines brought Black music to a European audience.

Florence Price: The First Lady of Symphony

In 1887 a baby was born that would help set the stage for Black composers to come, Florence Beatrice Price. Educated at the New England Conservatory for Music, she took influence from such classical composers as Coleridge-Taylor. Moreover, she blended these traditional European themes with African-American spirituals and folk tunes. The result? Instrumental masterpieces with all the grandeur of the classics, and the authentic emotions of the popular.

Of Price’s portfolio perhaps the most famous is ‘Symphony No. 1‘, premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as first prize in the Rodman Wanamaker Prize. Alongside compositions so heartfelt they sweep you away into another world, Price’s legacy is one of boundary-defying social development to become the first African-American woman to be recognised as a symphonic composer.

Louis Armstrong: The King of Jazz

Heralded as one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, Louis Armstrong was a foundational influence in establishing the genre as a mainstream success. From the brass bands and riverboats of his youth to joining King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band and becoming a band leader in his own right; it was clear from early on that Armstrong had an incredible talent. This included the trumpet, a distinct voice, and the ability to capture an audience to this day.

Among his many achievements, Armstrong was a national icon by the 1950s. He was one of the first Black artists to become popular with mainstream and international audiences. Appearing in films and collaborations with performers such as Ella Fitzgerald, he treated music as essential as breathing. As a result, he performed almost up until his death in 1971. 

So great was Louis Armstrong’s influence that many of his songs have become jazz standards. History credits the evolution of jazz from random improvisation to a popular fine art, with him.

Ella Fitzgerald: The Queen of Jazz

Ella Fitzgerald, known as the ‘First Lady of Song’ and the ‘Queen of Jazz’, saw a career establishing her as the most popular female jazz artist in the USA for over half a century. Facing backlash from a young age due to her race and personal circumstances, Fitzgerald was noted for her incredible voice and scat singing. It’s a genre she discovered a talent for with the increasing popularity of bebop music. 

Despite her shy nature, the singer became a civil rights activist. She, alongside her colleagues, were pushing for equality in both sex and race in their performances. Her confidence on stage combined with her ageless voice cemented her as one of the leading live jazz performers. Eventually selling over 40 million albums, winning awards for her efforts to progress civil rights, setting up charitable organisations, and placing 45th in Rolling Stone’s list of 200 greatest singers of all time (2023), Fitzgerald has gone down in history as a household name.

Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul

Born in 1942 to a gospel-singing, piano-playing mother and a nationally influential minister of a father, then factoring in a multi-octave range of vocals, it is easy to see how Aretha Franklin would become the Queen of Soul. She recorded her first gospel album at age 14. But, it would be 1966 before Atlantic Records and producer Jerry Wexler allowed her to return to her gospel-blues roots. This was influential in sculpting her musical identity in gospel and R&B. 

Franklin would use her platform to promote feminism and civil rights with songs like ‘Respect‘ and ‘Think‘. Both reached number 1 on the US R’n’B charts. Winning multiple awards and honours, including becoming the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, she crafted a legacy that would inspire artists such as Madonna and Beyoncé. This set the stage for the pop stars of today.

Beyoncé: Queen Bey

Finally, the current music monarch, ‘Queen Bey’ is a multiplatinum pop superstar and businesswoman. The Houston artist first flew to fame in the late 1990s. Beyoncé’s powerful voice and pioneering music have made her a cultural icon. Knowles-Carter is the first woman to reach number 1 on the Billboard Top 200 with her first five albums. Alongside this, she delves into alternative forms of musical content with visual albums and a variety of genres.

The singer has broken the record for most Grammys won by an artist in 2023, standing at 32 of the trophies. Lately, she opened conversation regarding country music and its Black roots with her latest album ‘Cowboy Carter‘. Between these achievements, her empowering songs, and her advocacy for civil rights, Beyoncé is credited with not only music fame but a legacy of equality and a lasting impression on the social consciousness.

As we can see, there is a very rich history of black composers, musicians, and artists. If you want to support these and the newest generation of incredible performers, there are plenty of resources and organisations available to do so. These are including, but not limited to, the Black Music History Library, The Black Music History Project, and the Chineke! Foundation.

You can find more pieces where we celebrate Black History Month or read other articles here.

About The Author