Swing/War Era

During the wartime period, jazz had developed into a new form of style called swing. This development brought forth a 180 turn to American popular music and the energy and rhythm that came from swing were enjoyed by many Americans. They felt a sense of freedom, levity, and enjoyment. Swing music required dance halls, and ballrooms to fit with the theme and style. Therefore, numerous ballrooms were built to keep up with the pace of this new form of music.

Like hillbilly music, swing music was largely dependent on the radio to promote its songs. There were live radio broadcasts and the swing bands appeared on many scheduled programs. This type of music provided people a sense of escape, escape from the war, and feelings of despair they were facing at the time with all the negativity and depression. When I think about how people could pass through these difficult times, music was the obvious answer. It can bring you into another realm where it can emotionally "release" your mind and soul and allow you to think about something else.