4. The Post-War Era
Over 25,000 new pianos a year were sold
By 1887 over 500,000 people were studying piano
Demand for sheet music grew rapidly
New York began to emerge as the music publishing
centre of America
6. The Tin Pan Alley Business Model
Composers hired under contract, giving the publisher
exclusive rights to their work
The market was surveyed to determine what style of
song was selling best and then the composers were
directed to compose in that style
Songs tested with listeners to determine which would
be published
Song pluggers would play the work in music shops to
drive up sales
7. The lyrics of music from this period suggest that the
USA was a peaceful, happy and prosperous place
