The Influence of the Past on Music

Floyd Garcia

SHAPE American High School - Department of Defense

Introduction

Music is in everyone’s life. There is almost no instance where one doesn’t hear music at

least once in a day, from movies to the radio or even music at the supermarket. However, with

time, music has adapted as other things in society have as well. Humans learn from past

experiences, and music is no exception. Music builds upon itself to transform into newer sounds.

For example, hip hop, one of the biggest, if not the biggest genre currently in music has

undergone some of the most change. Andrew Kerr, an associate professor of law at Peking

University School of Transnational Law, explained, “ ...especially in the new paradigm of a rap

world where sound is prioritized over meaning.” His argument is composed regarding the First

Amendment and music; however, what he saying is very true. Rap music used to have soul and

meaning much more back then than now. The reason for these changes is the addition of new

technologies and the rapid change of society. For many, music is an outlet to express their

feelings, and with that comes innovation and change. Hip hop, is not the only style of music that

evolves; all music genres are built upon transforming traditional and cultural influences. Society

looks upon the “greats” in music as they brought the most influence to the music today. Names

like Michael Jackson, Louis Armstrong, and Elvis Presley, to name a few, were global superstars

as they gave listeners things they had never heard before. Xiaotong Duan, a student at the school

of music in Baylor University, comments on this idea: “From the rise of modernism to the

emergence of electronic music, and from the flourishing of jazz to the impacts of globalization,

this era witnessed profound changes in musical expression and practice”. His point directly

relates to the thought that music builds upon each other, and without the works of previous

artists, there would be no advancements regarding the sound of music. Additionally, as

mentioned earlier, the use of older works isn’t limited to the new generation. From the

beginnings of published music, artists have always found inspiration in each other. Music has

evolved due to historical influences, with eras’ social movements, technological advancements,

and cultural shifts shaping the sounds, styles and purposes of modern music.

Discussion

The Influence of Classical Music

Classical music is a genre of music that dates from the Baroque era to the early 20th

century (Li). Although music had long existed before classical music was considered a term, it

marks the beginning of published music. In Western culture, classical music is the foundation of

almost every song or piece of work released today. (Li) Classical music was known for its large

symphonies and exotic melodies. Stephen Johnson a writer for the BBC Music Magazine,

explains that melodies unfold a journey of excitement. The creation of writing music brought

those melodies as mentioned above, they are the pinnacle of all music today. Catchy tunes or

phrases originate under melodies and harmonies. However, without the creation of music

notation, or the act of writing music, there wouldn’t be such a thing as passing down music. It

mentions in the Moldenhaur Archives that “The notational signs which were to prove of the most

lasting influence...” Moldenhaur’s argument is true, as all music today is written in one way or

another. Guido d’Arrezdo (Britannica) created the staff, which was the basis for sharing music.

The staff allowed composers to share their work in ways other than live performance. Music

Notation was the start of music theory and its complexities, like the utilization of motifs and

dynamic contrasts. (Serenade Magazine) Genres like Pop and Rock use classical chord

progressions and classical orchestral instruments to provide depth and sophistication. For

example, “Let it Be” by The Beatles makes great use of chord progressions, and it isn’t just that

song, almost every song by The Beatles and similar artist reuse classical chord progressions to

elevate their music. Composers were more than artists; they were individuals who had a large

amount of influence and impact. Classical music has a strong impact on modern works, in terms

of influencing how composers, producers, and performers across all genres today.

The Adaptation of Culture within Jazz and Blues

As classical music created the foundation of contemporary music, the upbringing of blues

and jazz paved the way for modern music today. Both the blues and jazz come from African

American descent, as explained by Lamont Pearly Sr the founder of the African American

Folklorist, “the blues was the expression of freed African Americans.” Likewise, for Jazz, it is

rooted from African culture (Squinobol). These styles offered new improvisation, rhythm, and

emotive storytelling that differed from the formalistic character of classical music. Blues music

was leaned towards depicting the struggles and experiences of African Americans through raw

vocals and soulful guitar riffs to create a deep connection with the audience. Jazz added intricate

harmonies and improvisation, giving artists the freedom to create and recreate music in the

moment. Vijay Iyer, a tenured professor at Harvard University incharge of the Department of

Music and the Department of African and African American Studies, states “The story that an

improviser tells does not unfold merely in the overall form of a 'coherent' solo... but also in the

microscopic musical details, as well as in the inherent structure of the performance itself.”(Iyer)

This free form style was an amazing force of expression, every performance potentially being

entirely different. Jazz legends such as Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald popularized jazz,

integrating technical skill with narrative emotion. Theirs and countless others opened the way for

styles such as R&B, Funk, and Hip Hop, that continue to draw on the rich musical vocabulary of

jazz.

Moreover, the fusion between jazz and the blues started developing as genres like

hip-hop and R&B started to emerge. As mentioned earlier, jazz and blues laid the groundwork

for these genres and others, as explained by Giovanni Russonello (will add credibility) “The

blues has become the basis for nearly every form of American popular music over the past 100

years”. Besides the use of chord progressions followed by both classical and blues and jazz

music, the use of sampling has become a staple in popular music today. R&B, Hip-hop, Pop, and

other mainstream genres use sampling as a way for an artist to express themself. Dongju and

Juyoung Park both explain “ has since become a foundational element of popular music by

encouraging artists to transcend traditional musical boundaries via the free adoption of an

extensive array of sounds and cultural references.” In other words, artists sample songs to distort

that sound to their liking. This thought process applies to almost everything. Johan Noberg,

author of “False Nostalgia”, elaborates on this phenomenon on the account of building structures

that seem old. The text states, “They built shattered castles and crumbling abbeys to

commemorate their real or imagined past.” Noberg’s point was on how nostalgia influences a

false narrative that the past was better than it was. Furthermore, in his example, it demonstrates

that people will try to relive the past, in ways to “force” nostalgia in a way. This applies to how

artists use sampling in ways to replicate an older sound, or an alternate version as an outlet to

express themselves. Artist Kanye West, a notorious and controversial rapper and producer, was

known for his heavy use of sampling soul and old Motown songs to create a reimagined product,

similarly to how Europeans in the 18th century built structures to reminisce about the past.

(Noberg)

Despite advancements in technology and the use of the past, music adopts ideas from

current world events. Similarly to traditional protest, artist use their voice to portray a message

that they think is worth fighting for, and this isn’t a new idea. Some of the earliest accounts of

protest music were in the 1930s with songs like David McCarn's "Cotton Mill Colic" and the

Dixon Brothers' "Weave Room Blues" (Zieger). In the 60s, protest music was very common and

mainstream due to the many injustices that were faced. The Vietnam War, civil rights, and

women’s rights were just some of the social movements that were prominent at the time. Given

the circumstances, protest music flooded the radio, and equated to mass social change and

gathering. (Haycock) This gave music more power and an additional sense of purpose. As

Deborah Paradez explores in Selenidad: Selena, Latinos, and the Performance of Memory,

cultural memory is preserved and reimagined through performances that revive not just the artist

but the values they represent. In Selena’s case, after her death, it brought together the Latinx

community. It illustrates how the performance of memory can become a powerful acts of cultural

resistance, just as protest songs create a sense of a community when dealing with a certain social

injustice.

Conclusion

While music undeniably has roots in historical genres, some argue that today’s music

evolves more from pop culture or modern technology rather than tradition. The rise of streaming

services like Spotify and platforms like TikTok has changed how music is created, distributed,

and consumed. Songs are now often made with viral potential in mind, favoring short, catchy

hooks and high replay value. In an article from The Atlantic, music critic Spencer Kornhaber

explains that “the chase for virality reshapes not only how music sounds but how it’s made, with

many songs written specifically to fit short-form video trends.” Kornhaber suggests that rather

building upon genres, much more of today’s music is shaped by consumerism and the act of

optimizing streams or such. However, even in a digital music industry, the past continues to

shape the foundation of today’s sound. While modern songs are often created with the potential

of going viral, they are still reliant on traditional structures, harmonies, and chord progressions to

list a few. As mentioned above, contemporary music genres such as R&B , Hip-Hop, or Pop, all

drive from the use of genres like the blues, or even classical music. (Russonello)

Music is always changing, however, it always comes back to its traditional roots. From

classical music laying down the groundwork, jazz and blues integrating both classical elements

and new ways to express emotion, or even protest songs that united communities, and pushed for

change. Every style of music builds off what came before it. Paradez demonstrates that music

can carry identity and cultural memory, keeping artist and their messages alive long after they are

gone, like how genres live long after they originated from. Not only that, Nobergs' point of how

people sometimes look back at the past with a version that isn’t entirely real connects directly to

the use of sampling, twisting versions of old songs, to create an image that meets the artist's

needs. Moreover, music has innovated itself, with its surroundings, whether it’s social injustice,

or even itself. Music is shaped by the past and continues to evolve because of it.

References

Duan, Xiaotong. “The Diversity and Transformation of 20th Century Music.” International Journal of Education and Humanities, vol. 15, no. 2, July 2024, pp. 321–3,

https://doi.org/10.54097/403jhf56.

Haycock, John. “Protest Music as Adult Education and Learning for Social Change: A Theorisation of a Public Pedagogy of Protest Music.” Australian Journal of

Adult Learning, vol. 55, no. 3, Nov. 2015, pp. 423+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A459422020/AONE?u=shaphs&sid=bookmark-

AONE&xid=21708b67. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Iyer, Vijay. “Exploding the Narrative in Jazz Improvisation.” Uptown Conversation, 31 Dec. 2004, pp. 393–403, https://doi.org/10.7312/omea12350-020.

Johnson, Stephen. “What Is a Melody? And How Has It Developed Through History?” Classical Music, 8 May 2024, www.classical-music.com/features/musical-

terms/what-is-a-melody. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kerr, Andrew Jensen. “Art Threats and First Amendment Disruption.” Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy, vol. 16, annual 2021, pp. 173+. Gale

Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A698713061/AONE?u=shaphs&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=fc4ee712. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

Kornhaber, Spencer. “TikTok and the Fall of the Music Industry.” The Atlantic, 7 June 2022, www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2022/06/tiktok-music-

industry-labels-halsey/661286/. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Li, A. “The Historical Evolution of the Popularization of Classical Music and the Development of the Fusion of Multiple Musical Styles.” Herança, vol. 7, no. 1, Dec.

2023, pp. 113–25, doi:10.52152/heranca.v7i1.810.

“Music History from Primary Sources: A Guide to the Moldenhauer Archives.” Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/collections/moldenhauer-archives/articles-

and-essays/guide-to-archives/music-history/#1-note1. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Norberg, Johan. False Nostalgia. Reason Magazine, 2022.

Paredez, Deborah. Selenidad: Selena, Latinos, and the Performance of Memory. AP Seminar Performance Task 2: Individual Research-Based Essay and

Presentation, compiled by College Board, 2025, pp. 31–37. Excerpt originally published by Duke University Press, August 2009.

Park, Dongju, and Juyong Park. “Evolution of Sample-Based Music Authorship Network.” EPJ Data Science, vol. 14, no. 1, Dec. 2025. Gale Academic OneFile,

dx.doi.org/10.1140/epjds/s13688-025-00524-2. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Pearley Sr., Lamont. “The Historical Roots of Blues Music.” African American Intellectual History Society, 9 May 2018, www.aaihs.org/the-historical-roots-of-

blues-music/. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Russonello, Giovanni. “The Enduring Influence of the Blues.” Strathmore, www.strathmore.org/community-education/public-education/shades-of-blues/the-

enduring-influence-of-the-blues/. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Serenade Team. “Classical Music’s Influence on Modern Music Genres: A Timeless Connection.” Serenade Magazine, 30 Apr. 2023, serenademagazine.com/

classical-musics-influence-on-modern-music-genres-a-timeless-connection/. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Squinobal, Jason. “An Investigation of the Life, Influences, and Music of Randy Weston.” Journal of Pan African Studies, vol. 12, no. 6, 30 Nov. 2018, pp. 168+. Gale

Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A573095708/AONEu=shaphs&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=32627651. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Staff.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Feb. 2018, https://www.britannica.com/art/staff. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

Valiquet, Patrick. “Contemporary Music and Its Futures.” 2020, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07494467.2020.1806624.

Zieger, Robert H. “Vincent J. Roscigno and William F. Danaher, The Voice of Southern Labor: Radio, Music, and Textile Strikes, 1929–1934, Vol. 19 of Social

Movements, Protest and Contention.” Labour/Le Travail, vol. 56, Fall 2005, pp. 332+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A141213239/

AONEu=shaphs&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=9b427b22. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.