Tin Pan Alley: The Musical History Of 28Th Street

Tin Pan Alley is the name given to a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was originally located on West 28th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in the Flower District of Manhattan. The name is thought to refer to the constant sound of pianos being played in the area, which some compared to the banging of tin pans.

Tin Pan Alley is a place on West 28th Street in Manhattan, New York City

Tin Pan Alley was originally a specific location on West 28th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in the Flower District of Manhattan. The area is now a New York City landmark, with several buildings protected as designated landmarks. The section of 28th Street from Fifth to Sixth Avenue is also officially co-named Tin Pan Alley.

The era of Tin Pan Alley is generally considered to have begun around 1885, when several music publishers set up shop in the same district of Manhattan. The Witmark publishing house, which focused on popular music, moved to 28th Street from Manhattan's entertainment district near Union Square. By 1900, West 28th Street was home to the largest concentration of popular music publishers of any street at the time.

The end date of the Tin Pan Alley era is less clear. Some date it to the start of the Great Depression in the 1930s, when sheet music was supplanted by other forms of media as the driving force of American popular music. Others consider Tin Pan Alley to have continued into the 1950s, when earlier styles of music were upstaged by the rise of rock and roll.

Tin Pan Alley was not just a physical place but also a cultural construct. It represented a creative and commercial energy that helped shape the music business in America. The concentration of publishers in one location created a hub of songwriting activity, with composers working alongside those who promoted and sold their music. The area was also part of a larger early 20th-century entertainment district, which included bars, cafes, theatres, and the like.

The name is a reference to the sound of banging on tin pans, reminiscent of the sound of multiple pianos playing

Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The name is said to refer to the sound of banging on tin pans, reminiscent of the sound of multiple pianos playing. There are several stories about the origin of the name.

One account holds that it was originally a derogatory reference made by Monroe H. Rosenfeld in the New York Herald, comparing the collective sound of many "cheap upright pianos" all playing different tunes to the banging of tin pans in an alleyway. Simon Napier-Bell quotes a similar story in a 1930 book about the music business, in which a journalist tells the popular songwriter Harry von Tilzer that his piano "sounds exactly like a tin can". According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, "tin pan" was also slang for "a decrepit piano" as early as 1882.

Another story suggests that the name was coined by a journalist who, upon hearing the modified piano of Harry von Tilzer, said, "Your Kindler & Collins sounds exactly like a tin can. I'll call the article 'Tin Pan Alley'".

Whatever the exact origin of the name, it is clear that the sound of furiously pounded pianos played a significant role in shaping the musical landscape of Tin Pan Alley. The "song pluggers", who demonstrated tunes to publishers, contributed to the cacophony of sounds that earned the street its nickname. The phrase "tin pan" in "Tin Pan Alley" thus referred to the distinctive, percussive sound that came to define the genre of American popular music that arose from this street.

The era began in 1885 and ended between the 1930s and 1950s

Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The era, which began in 1885, ended between the 1930s and 1950s.

The end date of the Tin Pan Alley era is ambiguous, but it is generally believed that it came to a close sometime between the 1930s and the 1950s. Some date the end of the era to the start of the Great Depression in the 1930s, when the phonograph, radio, and motion pictures overtook sheet music as the primary drivers of American popular music. Others argue that Tin Pan Alley continued into the 1950s, when the rise of rock and roll, centred on the Brill Building, upstaged earlier styles of music.

The Tin Pan Alley era, which began around 1885, was a transformative period in American music. It was during this time that popular music publishers and songwriters collaborated to create a steady stream of ballads, dance music, and vaudeville tunes that captured the hearts of Americans. The commercial music that emerged from Tin Pan Alley became synonymous with American popular music as a whole.

During the Tin Pan Alley era, sheet music for home consumption was the most profitable commercial product. Songwriters, lyricists, and popular performers worked tirelessly to meet the demand for new music. The growth of film, audio recording, radio, and television created an increased demand for a diverse range of music. This led to the rise of new music-publishing centres, signalling the end of the Tin Pan Alley era.

The influence of Tin Pan Alley extended beyond its time frame, shaping the music business in America. The era saw the development of innovative marketing strategies, such as "song plugging," which involved performing songs in public settings to generate interest. The concentration of publishers in central areas also allowed them to unite and advocate for their business interests, influencing US politics.

It was the birthplace of American popular music and the modern music industry

Tin Pan Alley was the birthplace of American popular music and the modern music industry. Located on West 28th Street in Manhattan, New York City, it was the centre of the American song-publishing industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The name 'Tin Pan Alley' is thought to refer to the sound of multiple pianos being played at once, which some likened to the banging of tin pans. This sound was created by the so-called ''song pluggers'—songwriters who furiously played and promoted their tunes to publishers.

The era began around 1885 when Willis Witmark, founder of one of the first publishing houses to focus on popular music, moved to 28th Street from Manhattan's entertainment district. Witmark was the first of many music publishers to set up shop on the block, which soon became a hub of songwriting activity.

At this time, sheet music was the most profitable commercial product of the music industry, and songwriters, lyricists, and performers worked to meet the demand of amateur home musicians. Tin Pan Alley publishers capitalised on the post-Civil War upsurge in amateur music-making, investing in songs from minstrel shows, which incorporated musical influences from African slaves, as well as Scottish, Irish, Italian, and Jewish immigrant cultures.

The concentration of publishers in one area allowed for deals to be struck quickly and fostered a potent atmosphere of creativity. Songwriters would bang on the doors of Tin Pan Alley businesses to sell their new material. The publishing houses of Tin Pan Alley also employed 'song pluggers' to perform their latest songs in public settings, creating a familiarity that evolved into demand.

At its height, Tin Pan Alley was producing thousands of songs a year. The industry began to wane with the rise of recorded music, radio, and motion pictures, which supplanted sheet music as the driving force of American popular music. However, Tin Pan Alley's influence on the music industry cannot be overstated, as it was the place where music companies first learned to promote their songs and go out to the public.

Song pluggers would perform songs in public to increase interest and create demand

Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The term 'Tin Pan' referred to the sound of pianos being played in the area, which was likened to the banging of tin pans. Song pluggers, or song demonstrators, were an important part of the Tin Pan Alley ecosystem. They were employed by music publishers to perform songs in public and promote sheet music sales.

Song pluggers would perform in public settings such as sporting events, demonstrating the qualities of a song to a captive audience. This created familiarity with the music, which then evolved into demand. Song pluggers were often pianists or vocalists, and they would work with music stores and publishers to promote new sheet music. They would also connect songwriters with publishing opportunities and radio play slots.

In the early 20th century, before good-quality recordings were widely available, song pluggers were crucial in helping to sell sheet music. They would work with department stores and music stores, with the pianist often sitting on the mezzanine level of a store, playing music sent up by the clerk. Customers could then select a title and get a preview of the song before buying the sheet music.

The role of the song plugger evolved over time. With the rise of pre-recorded music, song pluggers became connectors between songwriters and publishing or recording opportunities. They would pitch songs to recording artists and record labels, acting as musical matchmakers. Song pluggers would also pitch songs for use in television, film, and advertising.

The role of the song plugger has continued to be important in the music industry, even with the changes in music consumption and the rise of singer-songwriters. Song pluggers are experts in the industry, constantly aware of popular songs and artists' needs, and they play a vital role in bringing songs to the right people to maximise revenue.

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