Well, from the incredible source of historical knowledge that is stereotype and my own head, I know that a great deal of Western music has been heavily influenced by African music (ragtime, for example.) Challenge: how to remove this influence, and what would music today look like if it wasn't there?
European music without 'black' influence
- Thread starter Awilla the Hun
- Start date
So, if it hadn't been for the colossal atrocity that was slavery, we'd still all have nothing else to listen to but classical music?
The Gods truly have a Cartmanesque sense of humor...
So, if it hadn't been for the colossal atrocity that was slavery, we'd still all have nothing else to listen to but classical music?
The Gods truly have a Cartmanesque sense of humor...
There'd still be folk music. I'm also guessing that something akin to OTL's synthpop could develop, once there are electronic instruments, as the level of African influence in that sort of music is very, very low.
Could 'black style' music still reach the west via the Arab slave trade, albeit influenced by their own music styles? Did it have any influence on Arab music, even in our time line?
That's what I would think. Perhaps a sitar-based fusion of raga and European folk styles, a là Norwegian Wood.
Even there, though -- OTL synthpop developed out of American disco and funk, which both featured unprecedented numbers of racially integrated bands. ATL synthpop would emerge, but with a bit of a different sound.
Well, the "black" influence you refer to is not exactly African.
Without slaves in the American South, this "black" music itself wouldn't exists as itself relies heavily on European music.
And although the "black-influenced" styles have been very popular for some time, it should not be overrated: Blues is basically the one style everything else you refer to is based on.
Do you think there is a lot of Blues in today's music?
I don't. But this a general effect in AH - one can't tell what consequences that would have had. And it's even harder to phantasize we would when it comes to culture and art.
wolf_brother
Banned
I actually plan to explore this at a later date in my timeline. Once you have modern, electrical, instruments I think you'd likely see something evolve that looked like OTL folk metal, or perhaps symphonic rock operas.
Well, Boto, it's in the OP: this came out of my head. Any resemblance to fact is entirely and fortuitously coincidental. This is a useful disclaimer to include in all my posts.
Actually, blues inspired jazz, rock, reggae, Hip-Hop, R&B. So without blues, all thoses style don't exist. Also Country music would be different. No Gospel music without black too. No Funk, no Soul, no Ska, no Disco, no Punk.
If you consider some sort of music triangle, with Traditionnal, Art and Popular Music, you basically eliminate all the popular part of the triangle.
Interesting selection. Of course you're true, except for the fact that Jazz is actually a "black" style independent from Blues.
But look how much Blues there is still today in what is call "Rock", which is supposed to be the closest among current music styles. My statement was that this influence is very much watered down. Sure, you change its history if you change the past, but that prevents only few features.
It's the same problem as with many other WIs:
Things will be different, but there's no obvious indicator why it would necessarily be that much different.
However, cultural and social matters are tricky.
It seems more plausible to argue Goebbels would have wanted his total war anyway even the class bully hadn't robbed his lollipop,
than to state Ligeti would have written the same works even if he had never listened to a jam session.
But there is hardly a way to tell whether it's true.
Although, on second thoughts:
Forget about the music for a while. Consider social changes inspired by black music:
To begin with, think of all the (actually) black musicians who had access to a different world through their performing; and think of the white people - eventually also in Europe - who had whatever distant contact to a black person only because that one was a singer.
Go on phantasizing from here ...