Home

When did Sheet Music make it’s appearance in the United States?

In 1764 a man by the name of Josiah Flagg compiled the first collection of popular and religious music which was  printed on paper.  In 1770 the first of the professional music publishers migrated from Europe and advanced the music industry during the post-revolutionary period.  Benjamin Carr and James Hewitt who were two early American music publishers brought their European Technology with them as they opened shops in Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, and Boston.
In the first quarter of the 19th century there were 10,000 pieces of popular music printed by United States publishers. The industry was not into promoting music or developing writers. Songs became popular with virtually no promotion. Generally most minstrel troupes and singing personalities wrote their own music or had songs written for them.  After 1880, music promotion developed, or what was called “plugging” by Tin Pan Alley publishers.  By early 1900, music publishers were making the move from 14th St. to 28th St. (between 6th Ave and Broadway) known as “Tin Pan Alley” in order to be closer to the thriving entertainment center of that day. The amount of music produced by Tin Pan Alley were considerable. The first decade of the 20th century boasted the highest production of popular music in history, some 25,000 songs sold yearly.
From then on sheet music has become ever increasingly popular and needful from everything on an individuals private needs to professional and commercial uses.