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Western music has changed greatly from the beginning of the 20th century through its end. Rooted heavily in the free thinking of the Romantic Era of music and combined with the end to slavery, a union was made between African music and the music of the Romantics, and the genre 'Jazz' was born.

Jazz moved through many phases itself, from Dixieland to modern jazz, but its progression led to a new sound in music. From the highly syncopated rhythms of jazz was born the early sounds of rock and roll, which further evolved into such a plethora of musical genres they cannot be noted in a single article. This explosion of new sound was the result of newfound freedom in expression, only augmented by the use of electricity.

Overall, the development of western music during the 1900s was less a change of attitude, for the attitude of the Romantics was equally free and rebellious, but rather was a change in the way sound was made. This stands in stark contrast to the musical eras preceding the Romantic Era. Gregorian Chant, the beginning of notated western music, was religious in nature, and pious in attitude. It was for worship. While the popular music of that day, sounding much the same, was devoted to love, it was still locked into a careful, distinct sound. This is the case with the music of the Renaissance as well, which was characterized by a slightly more complex yet continued balance of only the appropriate sound. Classical music continued this legacy, and some might say that it was Beethoven who first challenged the mold which music of all days prior had been cast. He was the bridge to the Romantic Era, and every Romantic Era artist only hoped to be as great as Beethoven in the freedom of expression. And such has our world been ever since, constantly desiring for greater freedom of expression.

It is by such history that one might say we are still in the Romantic Era. The genres of the 20th century certainly did evade the stylistic form of the Romantic Era, though the thought and intent behind the music is largely the same. Music in the 20th century evolved from a style dedicated to freedom of expression, and developed into hundreds of distinct genres which remain popular to this day.

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