“Try This Over On Your Piano!”: Print Advertisements in Early 20th-Century American Popular Sheet Music

Authors: Angelina Seamster, James Davis

SUNY Campus: SUNY Fredonia

Presentation Type: Oral

Location: UUW 325

Presentation #: 6

Timeslot: Session B 10:15-11:15 AM

Abstract: Sheet music was an essential aspect of the popular music business in turn of the century America. It was advertised by publishers through song pluggers, in magazines and newspapers, at stores, and later on, through radio. Lesser known than other ways of advertising, printed sheet music was often used to advertise other songs. A variety of promotional methods were used - most used some form of printed music, either a few measures of the hook or the entire first page of the sheet of music. Taking these observations into account, one can begin to explore the history of American popular music advertisement through its design trends. This presentation analyzes print advertising in popular sheet music, studying the publisher and advertising methods of these songs ranging from 1880 through 1940. Noticing that the methods of advertising differed based on publisher and date, I realized that the type of advertising revealed as much about the socio-historical context surrounding the song as did the lyrics or music. By studying ads we can gather new perspectives on the demographics of the purchasing audience, musical literacy, and assumed familiarity with the repertory. In addition, ads promoting non-musical items shed light on the assumed age, gender and race of the consumer. My presentation aims to bring early aspects of the popular sheet music business into a musicological light using data of the various methods used to advertise. It then offers suggestions as to how this information can give a new angle on the early twentieth-century audience.