Mainstream jazz


Mainstream jazz is the popular jazz music of an era. The term that was established in the 1950s by music journalist Stanley Dance, who considered anything within the popular jazz music of the Swing Era, "mainstream". Another way to describe mainstream jazz in the 1950s was music that did not incorporate the bebop style.

Jazz in the mainstream

After Dance defined mainstream jazz in the 1950s, the definition changed with the evolution and progression of jazz music. What was mainstream then would not be considered mainstream now. In a general sense, mainstream jazz can be considered what was most popular at the time: For example, during the Swing era, swing and big band music were in their prime and what target audiences were looking for. Although bebop was introduced into jazz during that time, audiences had not developed an ear for it.

Mainstream jazz musicians

The jazz musicians listed below were either considered "mainstream" musicians, or were influenced by mainstream musicians.

Swing era

In the 1950s and 1960s, jazz was a mainstream part of pop culture. Jazz music was on the radio and Hollywood frequently incorporated jazz in television and films. It wasn't until artists like Elvis Presley and other Rock and roll influences became more prevalent that jazz became less popular.