Secrets of New York - Tin Pan Alley

Summary

The video explores the history and influence of Tin Pan Alley, a block in New York City where the American music industry thrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From the mass production of sheet music to the rise of vaudeville and pop music, it highlights the transformation of the music business. The narrative traces the shift from Tin Pan Alley to the Brill Building, where iconic songwriters like Neil Sedaka and Carole King shaped modern pop. The legacy of this era lives on in musical theater and songwriting today.

Takeaways

• 🎶 Tin Pan Alley was a central hub for American pop music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, located on West 28th Street in New York City.
• 🎹 Sheet music was a major part of Tin Pan Alley’s business, with songs selling millions of copies, earning about 50 cents per piece.
• 📦 The Brill Building, located at 49th and Broadway, became the modern successor to Tin Pan Alley, functioning as a vertical hit-song factory from the 1950s to the 1960s.
• 🎤 Songwriting legends like George Gershwin and Irving Berlin got their start as song pluggers in Tin Pan Alley, pushing their songs to theaters and performers.
• 📀 The introduction of player piano rolls and recordings in the early 20th century helped boost the popularity of Tin Pan Alley’s songs.
• 🎷 The Brill Building housed a competitive atmosphere where songwriters like Neil Sedaka, Carole King, and others composed hit songs in small cubicles.
• 🎭 Tin Pan Alley’s legacy still lives on through musical theater, which follows the tradition of composers and lyricists performing their own songs on the piano.
• 🎬 The Brill Building also contained famous sound recording studios and a Foley room, which added sound effects to films and television shows.
• 🎸 The rise of rock and roll and the British Invasion in the 1960s, led by artists like The Beatles and Bob Dylan, shifted the music industry away from professional songwriters to artist-driven compositions.
• 🎼 Modern songwriting retains a connection to the traditions of Tin Pan Alley and the Brill Building, as seen in musical theater and workshops like the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop.

Q & A

What was Tin Pan Alley, and why was it significant in American music history?

Tin Pan Alley was a physical block in New York City on West 28th Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway, where dozens of music publishers were located around the turn of the 20th century. It became a hub for the mass production and commercialization of sheet music, making it central to the development of American popular music.

Why was the street called 'Tin Pan Alley'?

The name 'Tin Pan Alley' was inspired by the sound of many cheap pianos being played at once in the music publishers’ offices, which observers said sounded like tin pans clattering together.

How did sheet music contribute to the growth of the music industry in the late 19th century?

The mass production of affordable sheet music, much like newspapers and magazines, allowed music to be distributed widely. As upright pianos became common in homes, people needed music to play, which fueled demand for sheet music and helped turn music into a business.

Who were song demonstrators, and what was their role in Tin Pan Alley?

Song demonstrators were pianists employed by music publishers to play new songs for potential buyers. Their job was to showcase the music by performing it live in the publishers' offices or for vaudeville performers, encouraging them to purchase and perform the songs.

What was the role of vaudeville in the success of Tin Pan Alley songs?

Vaudeville performers were key to popularizing Tin Pan Alley songs. They performed new songs in theaters across the country, helping spread the music to the masses. Having a song introduced by a popular vaudeville star like Al Jolson or Eddie Cantor could make it a hit.

What were song pluggers, and how did they help promote music?

Song pluggers were individuals hired by music publishers to promote songs to performers, especially vaudevillians. They would approach performers after shows, often pestering them to sing certain songs in their acts, which was an effective way to get a song heard by a broad audience.

How did the Brill Building continue the legacy of Tin Pan Alley?

The Brill Building, located on 49th and Broadway, became the new center for the American music industry in the mid-20th century, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. Like Tin Pan Alley, it was a hub for songwriters and publishers, where many pop hits were created by professional songwriters.

Who were some of the famous songwriters that started at the Brill Building?

Famous songwriters from the Brill Building era include Neil Sedaka, Carole King, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Ellie Greenwich, and Jeff Barry. They were part of the professional songwriting teams that produced numerous hits in the 1950s and 1960s.

What led to the decline of the Brill Building's dominance in the music industry?

The rise of artists like The Beatles and Bob Dylan, who wrote and performed their own songs, shifted the industry away from relying on professional songwriters. By the late 1960s, it became less acceptable for rock and pop musicians to sing songs written by others, leading to a decline in the Brill Building's influence.

How does modern musical theater still reflect the traditions of Tin Pan Alley?

Musical theater continues the tradition of composers and lyricists creating songs on pianos, much like in the Tin Pan Alley days. Musical theater remains an art form where live performance and the collaboration between composer and lyricist are crucial to the creative process.