Tin Pan Alley History

Imagine several pianos playing different music pieces at the same time. Would sound weird right? Well to be honest, it sounds like several tin utensils banging against each other, in a completely, unmelodious manner. This is exactly how the tin pan alley got its name. After the civil war ended, in the 1860's people began to play pianos, grand and upright were becoming quite common. At the same time, classical, jazz,blues and folk music was slowly blooming in several regions throughout the United States. The Americans in those days did love music so much so that people began to demand more and more sheet music from publication companies. The rising pub and tavern culture in several port cities further increased the need for good music and also for good sheet music. There were several publication companies and musicians who capitalized on this movement. If you take a walk down West 28th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue in New York then yes sir, here is where you would have found the tin pan alley, an area full of music shops, musicians and musical instruments. The tin pan alley history lays right here in this music filled area.

Tin Pan Alley History: Early Years

The early years of the tin pan alley history are centered around the publishing houses of New York which where situated in Manhattan and regularly published sheet music. Now the 1860's to the early 1920's was a time when fantastic music was booming across the United States and the time is considered to be a revolutionary time in the Jazz, Celtic, Blues, Country and . The publication houses of New York that published sheet music, capitalized well on the growth of the increasing popularity of music. Whenever a tune, song or melody would go famous in music abodes, such as Chicago, New Orleans, St. Louis, and Boston, the publishers would purchase the rights from a smaller music publisher and would mass produce lyrics and sheet music. This mass produced sheet music was then sold off either in New York or other parts of the country. You may also refer to for further inputs.

Tin Pan Alley History: Later Years

In the history of tin pan alley the business of publication became more and more commercial in the years following the 1890's when the player piano and better, cheaper upright pianos were introduced. Some popular compositions that were made specifically by tin pan alley publishers, include, 'After the ball' by Charles K. Harris in 1892. 'The little lost child' by Marks & Stern in 1894, and 'On the banks of the wabash, far away' by Paul Dresser in 1897. The sales of sheet music and music related books was further boosted by the Vaudeville and Broadway booms in the early 1900's. With the fast rising popularity of such musical pieces, the modern music industry began to take form. Publishers began sponsoring musicians to write music and almost all publication houses is the tin pan alley began to have a regular piano player, giving the place its name. With the rise in popularity of the music, the demand for musical instruments began to grow, which gave way to several music shops in the alley.

Organization of concerts and shows by the publishers and instrument manufacturers was also seen quite commonly in this time period. On June 11, 1895 Music Publishers Association of the United States was formed by the publishers in tin pan alley to lobby for the Treloar Copyright Bill which increased the number of years that were applicable for the copyright. This time period of peace and prosperity was followed by the World War 1 and the Great Depression. Following these two disasters, the focus of sheet music shifted to the gramophone and eventually the radio.

Though the tin pan alley history extends to only about half a century, it is often credited to be the birthplace of American music industry. The publishers and songwriters of the tin pan alley had effectively started an entire new line of business. That was some food for thought, until we meet again. Wish you well.