"Jump Jim Crow" by Thomas Rice becomes popular in the United States
The Great Awakening (a religious revival) sweeps the United States, inspiring slaves to use their own vocal styles with English hymns; these songs are called negro spirituals
The shape note tradition becomes popular in the American South
Slave Songs From the Southern United States is published and helps to set the stage for the popularization of African American music which enters the mainstream in the following century
Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe begin a period of large-scale immigration to the United States, establishing North America as the hub of klezmer music
The Ghost Dance spreads from Paiute Native Americans in Nevada to other tribes across the United States
Joseph Kekuku invents steel guitar by sliding a piece of steel across the strings of a slacked guitar; at about the same time, Hawaiian traditional music with English lyrics (hapa haole) was invented
The modern incarnation of Native American powwow music and dance arise
Gospel music begins to enter the mainstream led by jubilee quartets (such as the Norfolk Jubilee Quartet), jackleg preachers (such as Blind Willie Johnson and Washington Phillips) and singing preachers (such as Reverend J. M. Gates
The tango is popularized by Rudolph Valentino films like The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Ukrainian-American fiddler Pawlo Humeniuk releases "Ukrainske Wesilie", which sells about 150,000 copies and launches his career as the King of the Ukrainian fiddlers
A new type of microphone enables Bing Crosby to introduces a new style of "crooning" on his debut record
Hillbilly music's two biggest performers, The Carters and Jimmie Rodgers, are recorded for the first time during a recording session led by Ralph Peer; Jimmie Rodgers proves most influential, adapting yodelling, Hawaiian slide guitar and blues-style musicianship for country music