America 250: Ten records that explain America

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here.The course of popular music has been shaped by many countries, but modern commercial music as we know it originated in New York City’s Tin Pan Alley district in the late 19th century, where singers, songwriters, pianists, publishers, and other musically inclined hustlers gradually turned melody into mass culture.

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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Washington Examiner.