University of Illinois
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Experimental Music Studios
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's electronic music facility. This site includes a pictorial tour and information on admissions.
Library of Congress
Loc: Dolly Parton and the Roots of Country Music
Explore the roots of country music through a timeline of Parton's life and a timeline of country music. Excellent information on Appalachian and Bluegrass music is also provided.
PBS
Pbs: American Roots Music: Lesson Three: Gospel Music Meets a Wide Audience
The third lesson deals with the emergence of gospel as a form of popular music among a general public. Gospel is a musical genre with roots in the African American church, particularly in the South. Between the 1940s and the 1960s,...
Other
Federal Focus Jazz Band: Traditional Jazz Style Guide
A stylistic breakdown and analysis of traditional jazz. Distinguishes between the different types of this unique genre.
BBC
Bbc Radio2: Sold on Song
If you love classic pop and rock songs and performers, you'll want to visit this site. Includes background information and audio, a glossary, a guide to songwriting styles, songwriting tips, music quizzes, interviews, and so much more....
Other
Classical Music Navigator: Forms and Styles
This alphabetized list of musical forms and styles briefly defines and describes the types of musical sounds and genres created throughout history.
Other
Alien Travel Guide: Musical Styles
A descriptive site on the many styles of music. There is information on everything from chamber music to rap.
San Diego State University
Sd State: Elements of Music: Media, Genre, Form Texture
One of the elements of music is "Texture." This site gives the definition, which basically is the relationship between melodic and harmonic.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 36: Cross Genre Comparisons in Hip Hop
From being viewed as a fad, hip-hop's commercial success has allowed it to permeate virtually all aspects of popular culture. By critically analyzing hip-hop music and comparing it with established music forms, the cultural relevance,...
Internet History Sourcebooks Project
Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: Music and Nationalism
Fordham University provides college-level reading on how the Nationalism of the 19th Century affected the music of the 20th, especially Classical music. These composers lived most of their lives in the 1800's, but are often classified...
Other
Maryl Neff: Definition of Folk Music
This resource provides an excellent introduction to the folk music genre and its elements.
University of Illinois
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Learning Musical Elements Through Listening
This is a site created for teaching children the art of listening to music. Includes sections on the elements of music, composers, and genres with more under construction.
South Carolina Educational Television
Etv: Artopia: Media Studio: Movie Soundtrack
Understand the impact of movie soundtracks. Watch a movie clip of Charade and sample nine different music genres to see how they affect the meaning of the story. [1:03]
Digital Public Library of America
Dpla: Rock 'N' Roll: Beginnings to Woodstock
The resources in this set highlight the artists and sounds that were central to the rock 'n' roll musical genre that contributed to social and cultural change in America beginning in the 1950s.
Other
Kansas State Univ.: Music and Race in 20th C. America
Short but interesting combination of music and race and its influence on American culture from the Kansas State University. Provides most important songs, artists, and lyrics. Unusual page.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Catherine Schmidt Jones: Musical Travels for Children
A series of lesson plans geared toward elementary learners. These lessons explore various musical cultures such as Germanic music, Korean songs, Ugandan music and Mexican music. You can use all of the lessons or simply choose which ones...
Library of Congress
Loc: Musical Revue
A detailed explanation of the musical revue, a form of variety theatre popularized at the turn of the century and through the 1920s and 30s. Most famous of the genre were The Ziegfeld Follies.
Other
Vocalist
A general site for anyone interested in singing. Contains free online singing lessons and articles for vocalists related to singing plus other useful information. Resources for everyone-even kids online music games.
Library of Congress
Loc: History of Ragtime
This article from Library of Congress' Performing Arts Encyclopedia gives an extensive explanation of the history of ragtime. Trace the development of the genre from the 1850s through the 1970s.
PBS
Pbs Kids Go: Chuck Vanderchuck "Something Something" Explosion!
Interactive site that teaches kids about jazz, jazz instruments, and writing jazz music. Includes games,videos, and lots of great sounds.
Other
Pop and Rock Music in the 60s: A Brief History
This site has an web-article of the origins of 60s rock. Sections include "The Roots of Rock 'n' Roll," "The 1960's Begin," "The British Invade," and "1968 & 1969: The Unraveling." Also includes a bibliography section called...
Leaf Group
E How: How to Learn About Classical Music?
This resource explains how to learn about classical music, and covers the evolution, styles, and vocabulary of this important musical genre.
Other
Wesleyan University: Learning Objects Studio: Virtual Instrument Museum
Access the world musical instrument collection of the Music Department of Wesleyan University through this virtual museum interface. Search for and learn about instruments by type, geographic location, instrument material, and genre....
Other
Folk Lib Index: A Library of Folk Music Links
Contains many links to information relating to folk music. The links go to artists pages, music genres, articles and folk music venues.