The 1920s

The decade of 1920s marked gigantic advances in the music industry. The phonograph record became the prime procedure of disseminating music, surpassing sales of sheet music and piano rolls. The music commerce, ever enthusiastic to find out new modes of producing earnings, recognized that record, sheet music and piano roll sales could all be joined together. The “song plugger” was born: an individual who worked to confirm his company's melodies would be presented by promenade musicians or by singers, reside and on records, ever confident of a “hit.” (Cayton, pp. 10)

The 1920s was a decade of deep social changes. The ...