Black Music Month: The Facts You Should Know

Black artists shaped the sound of American music, and the world took notice, often without giving credit. This Black Music Month, we’re honoring the innovators, the barrier-breakers, and the truth-tellers whose impact runs deeper than the charts. From the overlooked to the iconic, we’re spotlighting the stories behind the songs.

1. Rock ‘n’ Roll was birthed by a Black woman.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe — a gospel singer who shredded on the electric guitar — was doing it long before Elvis was ever in the conversation. She mixed church with soul, blues with boldness, and paved the way for everyone from Chuck Berry to Johnny Cash. Her name should be right there at the top when we talk about the roots of rock. And if you’ve never heard of her, that’s not an accident.

Elvis Presley's Biggest Hits Came From the Work Black Artists

Elvis Presley’s biggest hits were covers of songs originally written and recorded by Black artists. “Hound Dog” was originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1952, but Presley's 1956 rendition became a massive commercial hit, overshadowing the work of a Black artist. Presley's "That's All Right" and "Mystery Train" were also pulled from Black artists. The "King of Rock of Roll" gained fame and fortune from music that Black creators pioneered due to segregation and industry bias.

The First Blues Vocals Came From A Black Woman

The first published blues song came from a Black woman. W.C. Handy may be called the "Father of the Blues," but Mamie Smith was the first to record a blues vocal in 1920. Smith's hit "Crazy Blues" reportedly sold over a million copies within a year. The record's success marked the beginning of blues being recognized as a distinct genre and helped pave the way for other Black female blues artists, including Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, and Alberta Hunter.

George W. Johnson Made History As The First African-American To Record Commercially

George W. Johnson was the first African-American to record commercially. (1890). Johnson's songs were recorded on wax cylinders, an early format used by companies such as the Edison Phonograph Company and Berliner Gramophone. Artists weren't able to duplicate their records through this type of early technology, so Johnson had to repeatedly perform his songs live to produce multiple copies. Johnson's record "The Laughing Song" was one of the first bestsellers in the music industry.

Tommy Edwards Made History Topping The Charts

Tommy Edwards was the first Black artist to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (1958) with his song "It's All in the Game." The Hot 100 Chart launched just months before Edwards' history-making achievement as the new industry standard singles chart. Popular music was previously tracked through multiple charts like Best Sellers in Stores, Most Played by Jockeys, and Most Played in Jukeboxes. Nat King Cole earned the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s “Most Played by Jockeys” chart in 1948 with “Nature Boy."

Ella Fitzgerald Was The First Black Artist To Win A Grammy

Ella Fitzgerald was the first Black artist to win a Grammy. At the 1959 ceremony, Fitzgerald actually took home two trophies for Best Female Vocal Performance and Best Individual Jazz Performance. Fitzgerald went on to earn 13 Grammys during her career and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1967. The singer was a pioneer for Black artists being celebrated by the music industry.

The U.S. Military Used Jazz As Propaganda But Discriminated Against Those Who Created It

The U.S. military tried to use jazz as propaganda during WWII, while still discriminating against the Black artists who created it. The military used programs like Voice of America (VOA) and the Office of War Information (OWI) to counter Nazi propaganda and promote American values abroad. Jazz was featured in the broadcasts to symbolize American creativity, freedom, and modernity. Still, Black musicians faced systemic racism, segregation, and exclusion at home.

James Brown Was "Too Radical" For Radio Stations

James Brown’s “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” was released just months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — and some radio stations refused to play it, calling it “too radical.” But that didn’t stop it from becoming a national anthem for Black pride and power during the Civil Rights era. The song became one of Brown’s biggest hits, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 10 on the Hot 100 — a powerful show of support from Black listeners across the country. Even in the face of resistance, its message was loud, clear, and impossible to ignore — and it’s remained a rallying cry for generations.

Teddy Wilson Starred In The First Known Interracial Jazz Group

Teddy Wilson was a pioneering figure in jazz who was a part of one of the first racially integrated jazz ensembles. In 1935, he joined the Benny Goodman Trio, which included Goodman on clarinet and Gene Krupa on drums. This trio is widely recognized as the first interracial band to perform publicly in the United States, marking a significant moment in music history and the civil rights movement. However, Wilson faced racial discrimination, often having to stay in “colored” hotels while touring.

Marian Anderson Made Opera History

Marian Anderson made history on January 7, 1955, by becoming the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. At the age of 57, she sang the role of Ulrica, the fortune-teller, in Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball). Prior to this, Black artists had been excluded from performing at the Met, often relegated to roles as dancers or chorus members.

Charley Pride Was First Black Artist To Win CMA's Top Award

Charley Pride made history in 1971 by becoming the first Black artist to win the Country Music Association's (CMA) Entertainer of the Year award. That same year, he also won Male Vocalist of the Year, making him the first non-white artist to win both categories in the same year. Pride would go on to become the first Black artist to co-host the CMA Awards in 1975. He still remains the only Black artist to have won the CMA's Entertainer of the Year award.

Isaac Hayes Broke Barriers For Black Artists At The Oscars

Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft" wins the Academy Award for Best Original Song (the soundtrack was nominated for Best Original Score); Hayes is the first black artist to win an Oscar in a non-acting category and the first winner who wrote and recorded the award-winning song.

Chuck Berry Pioneered The Sound & Look Of Rock Stardom

Chuck Berry created the sound (and look) of rock stardom. His guitar riffs, stage presence, and songwriting were foundational — but he was often overshadowed in white media.

Disco Backlash In The 70s Was Rooted In Racism & Homophobia

The disco backlash of the late '70s was rooted in racism and homophobia. Disco was created by Black, Latin, and queer communities.

Prince's Battle For Artistic Control Changed The Industry Forever

Prince's battle with Warner Bros. over artistic control and masters changed the industry forever. In the early 1990s, Prince became increasingly frustrated with the label for controlling his master recordings and limiting how much music he could release. In protest, Prince changed his name in 1993 to an unpronounceable symbol (now known as the "Love Symbol") and was frequently referred to as "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince." He also wrote “slave” on his face during performances and public appearances to protest how the industry treated artists.

Jazz Was Born In New Orleans' Black Neighborhoods

Jazz was born in Black neighborhoods of New Orleans. It fused African rhythms with blues and ragtime — and was originally dismissed as “low-class” until white musicians popularized it.

Kendrick Lamar Is A Historic Pulitzer Prize Winner

In 2018, Kendrick Lamar made history when he won the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his album DAMN. He was the first non-classical or jazz artist to receive this prestigious honor, breaking a tradition that had stood for over 75 years. The Pulitzer Board praised the album as: “A virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.”

Lil Nas Broke Barriers In Country Music

Lil Nas X made history at the 2019 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards by becoming the first openly gay artist to win a CMA Award. He and Billy Ray Cyrus received the Musical Event of the Year award for their remix of "Old Town Road," which had previously been removed from Billboard's country charts, sparking controversy and discussions about genre boundaries. Lil Nas X's win at the CMAs was part of a series of groundbreaking moments in his career, including becoming the first openly gay artist to win the MTV Video Music Award for Song of the Year for "Old Town Road" in 2019.

The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill Was First Hip-Hop Album To Nab Album Of The Year

Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill made history at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards in 1999 by becoming the first hip-hop album to win the prestigious Album of the Year award. In addition to Album of the Year, Hill won five Grammy Awards that night, including Best New Artist, Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song, and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Doo Wop (That Thing)”. Her five wins in a single ceremony set a record for a female artist at the time.

Childish Gambino's "This Is America" Made Grammy History

In 2019, Childish Gambino made history at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards when his powerful single “This Is America” became the first rap song to win both Record of the Year and Song of the Year — two of the Grammys' most prestigious general categories. These wins marked a historic moment for hip-hop at the Grammys, which had long been criticized for overlooking rap and Black artistry in major categories.

Francis Johnson Made History As 1st African American To Become Published Music Composer

Francis Johnson holds the distinction of being the first African American composer to have his music published as sheet music. In 1818, he released A Collection of New Cotillions, marking a significant milestone in American music history.

Funk, Techno, & House All Came From Black Communities

Funk, techno, and house all came from Black communities. In the late 1960s, funk was born from Soul and Rhythm in the Black communities of Cincinnati, Detroit, and New Orleans. Techno originated from working-class Black youth in Detroit in the early 1980s. Chicago was the birthplace of House music in the 80s, particularly in Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ clubs like the Warehouse.

The First Rap Grammy Went Untelevised

The Best Rap Performance category was added after years of rap gaining mainstream attention in the 1980s. When it came time for the 1989 Grammy Awards, CBS and the Recording Academy chose not to broadcast the rap category on TV. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, along with other major nominees like Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy, boycotted the ceremony in protest.

The First U.S. Hit Song Was Written By A Black Man

The first American hit song was written by a Black man — and stolen. In 1853, Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, a blind enslaved piano prodigy, wrote music that was later sold and published under white names for profit. He performed for presidents but died without a penny to his name.

Before Michael Jackson, MTV Refused To Play Black Artists

MTV refused to play Black artists until Michael Jackson forced their hand. The network didn’t air Billie Jean until CBS Records threatened to pull all their artists. MTV launched in 1981, but its programming was overwhelmingly focused on white rock acts, largely ignoring Black artists, even those who were massively successful. MTV executives at the time argued they were a “rock channel,” but this was widely criticized as a cover for racial bias.

Aretha Franklin Was First African-American Woman Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

Aretha Franklin was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, achieving this milestone in 1987. Her induction was a significant moment in music history, as she was also the first African American woman to be honored in this way. This recognition highlighted her profound impact on soul, R&B, and popular music.

Natalie Cole Made History as First African-American Woman To Win Grammy's Album Of The Year

Natalie Cole made history in 1992 by winning Album of the Year for her album Unforgettable... with Love. This achievement was particularly significant as it marked the first time a Black woman had won this prestigious award. In total, Unforgettable... with Love earned seven Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for the title track.

A Black Man Invented House Music

Frankie Knuckles, often called the "Godfather of House Music," was a Black DJ and producer who played a pivotal role in creating and popularizing the genre. Knuckles was originally from New York and brought his disco and soul roots with him to Chicago. He experimented with mixing disco, soul, and new electronic beats, using drum machines like the Roland TR-808 and TR-909. Early house tracks like “Your Love” (Frankie Knuckles & Jamie Principle) helped define the genre’s emotional, hypnotic sound.

The Government Spied On Black Musicians

The U.S. government spied on Black musicians, particularly during the 20th century, often under the guise of “national security” or concerns about political activism. Many iconic artists were monitored by agencies like the FBI and CIA because of their influence, activism, or simply for being prominent Black voices during turbulent social and political times. FBI files exist on artists like Paul Robeson, Nina Simone, and even Bob Marley, whose activism through music was viewed as a national threat.

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