jazz
what it is
Jazz is a musical art form which originated around the beginning of the 20th century in Black communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions. The style's West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, call-and-response, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, and the swung note of ragtime. From its early development until the present, jazz has also incorporated music from 19th and 20th century American popular music, which is based on European music traditions.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 1 · mainstream
the pop everyone knows
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make jazz a playlist
turn these 40 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is jazz?
Jazz is a musical art form which originated around the beginning of the 20th century in Black communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions. The style's West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, call-and-response, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, and the swung note of ragtime. From its early development until the present, jazz has also incorporated music from 19th and 20th century American popular music, which is based on European music traditions.
What are good jazz albums to start with?
Try I Put a Spell on You by Nina Simone, A Love Supreme by John Coltrane, Michael Bublé by Michael Bublé, and Cure for Pain by Morphine.
Who are some women making jazz?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/jazz/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making jazz, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20