Lindy Hop Today - Music

Music

While lindy hop developed as a response to swing jazz in the 1920s and 30s, its popularity today can be largely attributed to the popularity of neo swing music of the swing revival in the late 1990s and early 2000s. As swing jazz is not the popular music of the twenty first century, and jazz and its cousin blues have themselves undergone significant changes since the original 'swing era', there are ongoing discussions within the lindy hop community about the types of music which best suit the dance. Lindy hop is frequently danced to a range of music beyond swing jazz, including blues, rhythm and blues, jump blues, jazz, groove, soul and hip hop, as well as rockabilly and country in the American South and Southeast.

Despite these differences in taste, lindy hop is historically and practically associated with artists such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Lionel Hampton and so on. Lindy hoppers are particularly fond of big band arrangements by and featuring these (and other) musicians.

Live music is still very popular with lindy hoppers, and many dancers have formed close relationships with local artists in their own communities. Newer artists such as George Gee (bandleader) and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra have proved particularly popular with lindy hoppers. Despite this relationship with live music, recorded music, DJed by dancers, is the most popular musical medium for lindy hoppers today. DJing itself has assumed great significance in lindy hop culture, with dancers and DJs alike hotly debating which types of music should be played, and when. The SwingDJs discussion board is a clear example of an online community within the lindy hop community which has developed solely around the playing of music for dancing lindy hop.