Music of Wisconsin
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Wisconsin was settled largely by European immigrants in the late 19th century. This immigration led to the popularization of
galop In dance, the galop, named after the fastest running gait of a horse (see Gallop), a shortened version of the original term galoppade, is a lively country dance, introduced in the late 1820s to Parisian society by the Duchesse de Berry and popul ...
s, schottisches,
waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wa ...
es, and, especially,
polka Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas. History Etymology The te ...
s. Classical composers and conductors from
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
include
Hans Balatka Hans Balatka (March 5, 1827 – April 17, 1899) was an American conductor and composer. His efforts contributed much to the great increase in popularity of European classical music in the United States during the late 19th century. Life Balatka ...
,
Hugo Kaun Hugo Wilhelm Ludwig Kaun (21 March 1863 – 2 April 1932) was a German composer, conductor, and music teacher. Biography Kaun was born in Berlin, Germany and completed his musical training in his native city. In 1886 (or 1887), he left Germany f ...
, Eugene Luening,
Theodore Steinmetz Theodore "Steinie" Steinmetz (December 22, 1880 – October 7, 1951) was an American musician, composer, and conductor from Marshfield, Wisconsin. During World War I, he was a member of the 32nd division Wisconsin infantry and wrote a march for t ...
and Sarge Boyd. Among Wisconsin's contributions to rock music were
Les Paul Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz guitarist, jazz, country guitarist, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid body ...
, an electric guitar pioneer known as the "Wizard of Waukesha". The Steve Miller Band, with Milwaukee's Steve Miller, had three #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1973 to 1982.
The Chordettes The Chordettes were an American female vocal quartet, specializing in traditional pop music. They are best known for their 1950s hit songs " Mr. Sandman" and "Lollipop". Career The group organized in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1946. The origin ...
from Sheboygan,
Bon Iver Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
from Eau Claire, and
Garbage Garbage, trash, rubbish, or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or gaseous wastes, or toxic waste produ ...
from Madison all had albums on the Billboard 200.


Genres


Indigenous music


German- and Norwegian-American music

The 1830s and 1840s brought European dances like the
schottische The schottische is a partnered country dance that apparently originated in Bohemia. It was popular in Victorian era ballrooms as a part of the Bohemian folk-dance craze and left its traces in folk music of countries such as Argentina (" chotis"Sp ...
,
waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wa ...
,
galop In dance, the galop, named after the fastest running gait of a horse (see Gallop), a shortened version of the original term galoppade, is a lively country dance, introduced in the late 1820s to Parisian society by the Duchesse de Berry and popul ...
and, most importantly, the
polka Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas. History Etymology The te ...
. The 1840s also saw massive immigration from Germany to Milwaukee, which became known as ''Deutsche Athen'' (''German Athens''). Groups formed, such as the Milwaukee Musical Society, to celebrate ethnic German music. Some important figures from this era include Christopher Bach,
Hans Balatka Hans Balatka (March 5, 1827 – April 17, 1899) was an American conductor and composer. His efforts contributed much to the great increase in popularity of European classical music in the United States during the late 19th century. Life Balatka ...
, Eugene Luening and
Hugo Kaun Hugo Wilhelm Ludwig Kaun (21 March 1863 – 2 April 1932) was a German composer, conductor, and music teacher. Biography Kaun was born in Berlin, Germany and completed his musical training in his native city. In 1886 (or 1887), he left Germany f ...
. While Germans moved to Milwaukee and eastern Wisconsin, Norwegians moved ''en masse'' to southern and western Wisconsin, and surrounding areas. Norwegian musicians, such as the violinist
Ole Bull Ole Bornemann Bull (; 5 February 181017 August 1880) was a Norwegian virtuoso violinist and composer. According to Robert Schumann, he was on a level with Niccolò Paganini for the speed and clarity of his playing. Biography Background Bull ...
, were popular in
Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
. New Glarus and Monroe saw a host of
Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland *Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri *Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia *Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports * Swiss Internation ...
immigrants settle in the mid-1800s. Much like their German counterparts, these Swiss people established polka societies, many of which are still active today.


Blues and jazz

Musical output came from Grafton, Ozaukee County during the 1920s when
Paramount Records Paramount Records was an American record label known for its recordings of jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey, Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Early years Paramount Records was formed in 1 ...
released a series of
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the ...
and
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
recordings by artists from the South. Waukesha's
Les Paul Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz guitarist, jazz, country guitarist, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid body ...
, enjoyed a long career as a blues, country, and jazz guitarist and musical innovator. known as the "Wizard of Waukesha" for his technological tinkering, was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, helping to create the
Gibson Les Paul The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. The guitar was designed by factory manager John Huis and his team with input from and endorsement by guitarist Les Paul. Its typ ...
and later the
Gibson SG The Gibson SG is a solid-body electric guitar model introduced by Gibson in 1961 as the Gibson Les Paul SG. It remains in production today in many variations of the initial design. The SG (where "SG" refers to Solid-Body Guitar) Standard is Gi ...
. Among the musicians he partnered with were his wife
Mary Ford Mary Ford (born Iris Colleen Summers; July 7, 1924 – September 30, 1977) was an American vocalist and guitarist, comprising half of the husband-and-wife musical team Les Paul and Mary Ford. Between 1950 and 1954, the couple had 16 top-ten hit ...
, with whom he recorded a version of
How High the Moon "How High the Moon" is a jazz standard with lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis. It was first featured in the 1940 Broadway revue '' Two for the Show'', where it was sung by Alfred Drake and Frances Comstock. In ''Two for the S ...
in 1951. He also played with Jim Atkins,
Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...
,
Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...
and the
Andrews Sisters The Andrews Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews (July 6, 1911 – May 8, 1967), soprano Maxene Anglyn Andrews (Januar ...
. Drummer Viola Smith, from
Mount Calvary Calvary ( la, Calvariae or ) or Golgotha ( grc-gre, Γολγοθᾶ, ''Golgothâ'') was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where Jesus was said to have been crucified according to the canonical Gospels. Since at least the early mediev ...
, is best known for her work in
swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing ri ...
bands and orchestras in the 1930-1940s. She appeared on Broadway, film, and television; including ''
The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...
'' on multiple occasions. Jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader
Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...
was born in Milwaukee.
Karen Borca Karen Borca (born September 5, 1948 in Green Bay, Wisconsin) is an American avant-garde jazz and free jazz bassoonist. Early life and education Borca studied music at the University of Wisconsin with John Barrows and Arthur Weisberg, graduati ...
, born in Green Bay, is an
avant-garde jazz Avant-garde jazz (also known as avant-jazz and experimental jazz) is a style of music and improvisation that combines avant-garde art music and composition with jazz. It originated in the early 1950s and developed through to the late 1960s. Ori ...
and
free jazz Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians duri ...
bassoonist who studied music at the
University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
. Pianist, composer, and bandleader
Lynne Arriale Lynne Arriale is an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and educator. She is Professor of Jazz Studies and Director of Small Ensembles at the University of North Florida. Awards and honors *"The Lights Are Always On" (2022) #3 on JazzWeek ...
was born in Milwaukee.


Punk rock, Emo, and Pop Pock

A cult favorite from the 1980s was the
Violent Femmes Violent Femmes are an American folk punk band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band consists of founding members Gordon Gano (guitar, lead vocals) and Brian Ritchie (bass, backing vocals), joined by multi-instrumentalist Blaise Garza (joined 200 ...
from
Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...
. Boris the Sprinkler was from Green Bay. Mindlisp, The Vendors, and The Smerves were all from Ashland. New wave bands from Milwaukee included Couch Flambeau and The Stellas, later better known as
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...
band Die Kreuzen. Milwaukee saw some other hardcore action, but the scene soon died out and Die Kreuzen moved on to
speed metal Speed metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. ...
.
Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th ...
spawned the Tar Babies and Appliances-SFB. Later, the
noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, artists indulge in extre ...
band Killdozer became an
indie rock Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produ ...
group. The most recent punk rock bands from Wisconsin are Auf Ki,
Tenement A tenement is a type of building shared by multiple dwellings, typically with flats or apartments on each floor and with shared entrance stairway access. They are common on the British Isles, particularly in Scotland. In the medieval Old Town, i ...
, Jetty Boys, Arms Aloft, Avenues, The Transgressions, Direct Hit, Showoff, George's Bush, Slush, Garbageman, Windpipe and
Masked Intruder Masked Intruder is an anonymous American punk rock band from Madison, Wisconsin, United States. The members of the band are Intruder Yellow (bass, backing vocals), Intruder Green (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Intruder Red (drums, backing voc ...
.


Heavy metal

Since the late 1990s, Wisconsin has had an upsurge in heavy and extreme metal bands that have played across the state, often extending into the surrounding Midwest. Luna Mortis from
Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
was signed by
Century Media Records Century Media Records is a heavy metal record label with offices in the United States, Germany and London. In August 2015, Century Media was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million. Background Century Media was founded by Robert Kampf and Ol ...
, Lazarus A.D. from
Kenosha, Wisconsin Kenosha () is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the seat of Kenosha County. Per the 2020 census, the population was 99,986 which made it the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Kenos ...
was signed by
Metal Blade Metal Blade Records is an American independent record label founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The US office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distri ...
, Jungle Rot from
Kenosha, Wisconsin Kenosha () is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the seat of Kenosha County. Per the 2020 census, the population was 99,986 which made it the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Kenos ...
is currently signed to
Napalm Records Napalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock. Originally, Napalm focused on black metal bands, such as Abigor and Summoning, and folk metal bands, such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg. The label late ...
, and Product of Hate from
Kenosha, Wisconsin Kenosha () is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the seat of Kenosha County. Per the 2020 census, the population was 99,986 which made it the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Kenos ...
signed to
Napalm Records Napalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock. Originally, Napalm focused on black metal bands, such as Abigor and Summoning, and folk metal bands, such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg. The label late ...
. Since 2003, many metal bands in Wisconsin have teamed up in a loose coalition called the Wisconsin Metal Alliance (WMA) which helps to promote and organize bands while giving them a place to congregate and pool resources. One-man
death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, fe ...
project Putrid Pile (Shawn LaCanne) resides in
Racine, Wisconsin Racine ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River. Racine is situated 22 miles (35 km) south of Milwaukee and approximately 60 ...
. Putrid Pile has sold over 10,000 albums worldwide since the year 2000. Madison has a vibrant
Stoner Rock Stoner rock, also known as stoner metal or stoner doom, is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of doom metal with psychedelic rock and acid rock. The genre emerged during the early 1990s and was pioneered foremost by Kyuss and Sleep ...
culture, producing bands such as
Bongzilla Bongzilla is an American stoner metal band that formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1995. They released their debut extended play, ''Mixed Bag'', the following year through Rhetoric Records. Much of Bongzilla's lyrics are centered around cannabis u ...
, Jex Thoth, and Romero.


Indie

Bon Iver Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
from Eau Claire and Cory Chisel are from Appleton.


Hip hop

Well-known hip hop artists from Wisconsin include Coo Coo Cal, IshDARR, Brew City Ballas, Kinto Sol, and Streetz-n-Young Deuces.


Electronic Music

Haywyre resides in Milwaukee, WI.


Folk Music

Lou and Peter Berryman Lou and Peter Berryman (born 1947) are American folk singer-songwriters and longtime residents of Madison, Wisconsin. Lou (for Louise) and Peter were married at one time—hence the common last name. They divorced but remained friends and mus ...
reside in Madison.


Pop Music

Singer and songwriter Ava Max is from Milwaukee. Her Albanian-born parents immigrated to the state after being given passports by a Wisconsin resident. She has performed at Milwaukee's Summerfest several times.


Locales


Appleton

In 2013, this city hosted the first annual Mile of Music festival, a handcrafted artisan festival featuring among other genres, Americana and folk rock music. The festival draws in tens of thousands of people over four-days and features over 200 artists and 800 performances, encompassing over 60 venues and stretching over a mile of downtown Appleton's College Avenue. This festival is a 'cover free' zone, meaning no cover songs and no cover charges. This is almost a 100% free festival. The city itself has welcomed artists from all over the country and is fast becoming a hot spot for singer/songwriter and folk music. Appleton also has many summer concert series that go on all through the summer months, including those in its city parks and Houdini Plaza.


Eau Claire

The Chippewa Valley, especially Eau Claire, has groups and performers in the indie rock, metal/hardcore, hip hop, jam, blues, bluegrass, and jazz genres. Bands such as Arms Aloft,
Bon Iver Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
(
Justin Vernon Justin DeYarmond Edison Vernon (born April 30, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the primary songwriter and frontman of indie folk band Bon Iver. Known for his distinct falsetto voic ...
graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire), The Daredevil Christopher Wright, and
Laarks Laarks is an indie-rock band based out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Absolutely Kosher Records, an independent California-based music label, signed a recording contract with Laarks in August, 2009. Laarks' first record, ''An Exaltation of Laarks'' wa ...
have achieved varying levels of national success. Eau Claire is also the original home of national artists such as
Venison Venison originally meant the meat of a game animal but now refers primarily to the meat of antlered ungulates such as elk or deer (or antelope in South Africa). Venison can be used to refer to any part of the animal, so long as it is edibl ...
, Another Carnival, Peter Wolf Crier and
Megafaun Megafaun is an American psychedelic folk band based in Durham, North Carolina.Mongillo, Peter (2010) "Megafaun relaxes into headlining slot", ''Austin American-Statesman'', April 27, 2010, p. D02 History Brothers Brad Cook (bass, guitar) and Phi ...
, as well as many of the
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origin ...
scene's popular acts including Mel Gibson and the Pants, and Digitata. The later 1990s birthed bands such as Under the Surface and No Loving Place.


La Crosse La Crosse is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of La Crosse County. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population as of the 2020 census ...

Many bands claim origin to La Crosse and the surrounding area. La Crosse has several venues for different genres of music. The Root Note is the prime venue for indie/underground music; JB's Speakeasy is home to all original live music; the Warehouse is the hotspot for alternative music; and the
La Crosse Center The La Crosse Center is a multi-purpose arena in downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin, built in 1980. The arena can seat between 5,000 and 7,500, depending on the type of event. The center is also a convention center. In addition to the arena, which o ...
is the area's largest indoor venue for concerts often hosting popular musicians. Notable bands from La Crosse are T.U.G.G, Space Bike,
Neon Neon is a chemical element with the symbol Ne and atomic number 10. It is a noble gas. Neon is a colorless, odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions, with about two-thirds the density of air. It was discovered (along with krypt ...
, and Shoeless Revolution. Popular musician
Stephen Jerzak Stephen Lewis Jerzak (born May 5, 1992) is an American alternative-pop musician, singer, and songwriter from La Crosse, Wisconsin. Some of his notable singles include "Cute" which gained popularity on social media networks in his early career, a ...
also lived in La Crosse and attended high school there, although he has since moved to California. Slow Pedestrians were the first known punk band in the early 1980s (later Mighty Deerlick - Milwaukee). Some of the past groups have been The Jesters III who evolved into Christian rock group
Hope Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large. As a verb, its definitions include: "expect with confidence" and "to cherish ...
.


Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

Madison has an active and varied local music scene. Much of the local music caters to the tastes of college students. Compilation albums, such as ''Mad City Music'', have attempted to extend the local music scene beyond Madison. The nationally successful
Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps is a World Class competitive junior drum and bugle corps based in Madison, Wisconsin. The Madison Scouts were one of the thirteen founding member corps of Drum Corps International (DCI), and are a two-time ...
also make their home in Madison. A number of bands in the electronic and dark sides of music are alive and well in Madison, including
Stromkern Andrew Gregory Sega ( ; born May 20, 1975), also known as Necros, is an American musician best known for tracking modules in the 1990s demoscene as well as for composing music for several well-known video games. He was a member of the synthpop ...
,
Null Device In some operating systems, the null device is a device file that discards all data written to it but reports that the write operation succeeded. This device is called /dev/null on Unix and Unix-like systems, NUL: (see TOPS-20) or NUL on CP ...
,
Caustic Caustic most commonly refers to: * Causticity, a property of various corrosive substances ** Sodium hydroxide, sometimes called ''caustic soda'' ** Potassium hydroxide, sometimes called ''caustic potash'' ** Calcium oxide, sometimes called ''caust ...
. The scene was started and kept alive through the efforts of Sonic Mainline records, Reverence, and the Inferno nightclub. World music is well represented with such award-winning acts as
Reptile Palace Orchestra The Reptile Palace Orchestra is an eclectic worldbeat band based in Madison, Wisconsin which specializes in lounge, klezmer and other Eastern European music. It began in 1994 with a gig at the Club de Wash, and since that time has become a notable ...
and
Yid Vicious The word Yid (; yi, ייִד) is a Jewish ethnonym of Yiddish origin. It is used as an autonym within the Ashkenazi Jewish community, and also used as slang by European football fans, anti-semites, and others. Its usage may be controversial in m ...
and the yearly "Folkball".
Youngblood Brass Band The Youngblood Brass Band is an American brass band from Madison, Wisconsin that was established in 1998. The band has released six albums and has toured throughout the United States and Europe. History The band came together in 1995 as the On ...
, founded in
Oregon, Wisconsin Oregon is a village in Dane County, Wisconsin. As of the census of 2020, the population was 11,179. Oregon is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is located mostly within the Town of Oregon. History Oregon was settle ...
fuses New Orleans-style brass band music with hip-hop and funk. VO5 focuses on funk and disco. Wisconsinite
Butch Vig Bryan David "Butch" Vig (born August 2, 1955) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the drummer and co-producer of the alternative rock band Garbage and the producer of the diamond-selling Nirvana album '' Nev ...
(attended the
University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
), formerly of
Fire Town Fire Town was an American garage-rock band formed in the mid-1980s in Madison, Wisconsin, United States, from the remnants of an earlier popular local group, Spooner. Fire Town were signed to a major label and published two albums, ''In the Heart ...
, formed
Garbage Garbage, trash, rubbish, or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or gaseous wastes, or toxic waste produ ...
(originally based in Madison) in 1993 with
Steve Marker Steve Marker (born March 16, 1959) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a cofounder and guitarist of the alternative rock band Garbage. Early life Steven W. Marker was born in Mamaroneck, New York on March ...
,
Duke Erikson Douglas Elwin "Duke" Erikson (born January 15, 1951) is an American musician, songwriter, screenwriter, film producer and record producer, best known as a co-founder and guitarist of the alternative rock band Garbage. Garbage has sold more than 17 ...
and
Shirley Manson Shirley Ann Manson (born 26 August 1966) is a Scottish musician and actress. She is best known as the lead singer of the American alternative rock band Garbage. Manson gained media attention for her forthright style, rebellious attitude, and dis ...
. Garbage had a #1 song on the Alternative Songs chart with " Number 1 Crush" in 1997. Locksley was formed while the band members were at
Madison West High School Madison West High School is a comprehensive four-year high school in Madison, Wisconsin, founded in 1930. Its athletics teams compete in the WIAA Big Eight Conference. Madison West serves students from four municipalities: Madison, the town of M ...
. They are an indie four-piece
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, ear ...
/
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, an ...
band Band or BAND may refer to: Places *Bánd, a village in Hungary *Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania *Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, I ...
that has had many songs featured in TV, movies, and advertisements. They were featured in multiple magazine spreads, most notably ''
SPIN Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...
''s "Breaking Out" and ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
''s "6 Breakout Bands to Watch". Richard Davis,
Ben Sidran Ben Hirsh Sidran (born August 14, 1943) is an American jazz and rock keyboardist, producer, label owner, and music writer. Early in his career he was a member of the Steve Miller Band and is the father of Grammy-nominated musician, composer an ...
and weekly performer and world's-most-sampled
funky drummer "Funky Drummer" is a single released by James Brown in 1970. Its drum break, improvised by Clyde Stubblefield, is one of the most frequently sampled music recordings. Recording and composition "Funky Drummer" was recorded on November 20, 196 ...
Clyde Stubblefield Clyde Austin Stubblefield (April 18, 1943 – February 18, 2017) was an American drummer best known for his work with James Brown. A self-taught musician, he was influenced by the sound of natural rhythms around him. His drum patterns on Brown's ...
all call Madison home. Rock band Stone Bogart was from Wisconsin. It later relocated to Tempe. Arizona and then to Hollywood California. All three of their albums were recorded in Madison. They continued to record at Sleepless Nights after relocating. Their singer Sean Anders wrote and directed the movies '' Sex Drive'', ''
Hot Tub Time Machine ''Hot Tub Time Machine'' is a 2010 American science-fiction comedy film directed by Steve Pink and starring John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Crispin Glover, Lizzy Caplan, and Chevy Chase. The film was released on Mar ...
'', '' Mr. Popper's Penguins'', and '' She's Out of My League''. He also directed the
Adam Sandler Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...
movie '' That's My Boy''. Aside from the many
summer festivals Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...
, Madison hosts a yearly Madison Area Music Awards show, much like Milwaukee's
Wisconsin Area Music Industry Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) is an American volunteer organization founded in 1980, and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its stated purpose is "to educate and recognize the achievements and accomplishments of individuals in the Wisconsin music ...
Awards show.


Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

The Milwaukee area has produced Steve Miller (rock, he attended the
University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
), Wladziu Valentino
Liberace Władziu Valentino Liberace (May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987) was an American pianist, singer, and actor. A child prodigy born in Wisconsin to parents of Italian and Polish origin, he enjoyed a career spanning four decades of concerts, recordi ...
(piano),
Al Jarreau Alwin Lopez Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) was an American singer and musician. His 1981 album '' Breakin' Away'' spent two years on the ''Billboard'' 200 and is considered one of the finest examples of the Los Angeles pop and R ...
(jazz), Eric Benet (neo-soul),
Speech Speech is a human vocal communication using language. Each language uses phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if they are th ...
of
Arrested Development The term "arrested development" has had multiple meanings for over 200 years. In the field of medicine, the term "arrested development" was first used, ''circa'' 1835–1836, to mean a stoppage of physical development; the term continues to be use ...
(hip hop) " Mr. Wendal" 1992,
Daryl Stuermer Daryl Mark Stuermer (born November 27, 1952) is an American musician, songwriter, and producer best known for playing the guitar and bass for Genesis during live shows, and lead guitar for Phil Collins during most solo tours and albums. He has al ...
(rock),
BoDeans BoDeans is an American rock band formed in Waukesha, Wisconsin. BoDeans came to prominence in the 1980s. The band's sound encompasses multiple rock genres, including roots rock, heartland rock, and alternative rock. The band's biggest hit to da ...
(rock) "
Closer to Free "Closer to Free" is a 1993 song by American rock band BoDeans featured on their fifth studio album, ''Go Slow Down''. It is the band's biggest hit, peaking at number 16 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, number 11 in Australia, and number one in C ...
" 1996 (#3 on Adult Top 40 chart),
Les Paul Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz guitarist, jazz, country guitarist, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid body ...
(jazz), the
Violent Femmes Violent Femmes are an American folk punk band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band consists of founding members Gordon Gano (guitar, lead vocals) and Brian Ritchie (bass, backing vocals), joined by multi-instrumentalist Blaise Garza (joined 200 ...
(alternative) "
Blister in the Sun "Blister in the Sun" is a song by American rock band Violent Femmes, originally released on their 1983 self-titled debut album. In 2005, it became the first English-language track to ever be allowed on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, the Republic of ...
" 1983, Alternative Radio (punk rock n' roll),
Citizen King Citizen King was an American music group from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whose style was a mix of hip-hop, soul, and punk. They are best known for their top 40 hit " Better Days (And the Bottom Drops Out)", which peaked at on the ''Billboard'' Hot ...
(alternative) "
Better Days (And the Bottom Drops Out) "Better Days (And the Bottom Drops Out)" is the debut single of American music group Citizen King from their second studio album, '' Mobile Estates'' (1999), as the second track. It was first released to rock radio on January 26, 1999, and was giv ...
" 1999 (#3 on Alternative Songs chart), Coo Coo Cal (rap), Die Kreuzen (punk), Andy Hurley drummer for Chicago's
Fall Out Boy Fall Out Boy is an American rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hur ...
(punk), Eyes To The Sky (hardcore), Rico Love (R&B,rapper), Andrew 'The Butcher' Mrotek drummer for Chicago's The Academy Is... (alt-rock), Showoff (pop-punk), Streetz-n-Young Deuces (rap),
The Promise Ring The Promise Ring was an American rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that is recognized as part of the second wave of emo. Among various other EPs and singles, the band released four studio albums during their initial run: '' 30° Everywhere'' ...
(emo, indie),
Lights Out Asia Lights Out Asia is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin based post-rock and electronic band that formed in February 2003. History Lights Out Asia formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in February 2003 when Chris Schafer and Mike Ystad, former members of Aurore Rien, ...
(post-rock),
the Gufs The Gufs are an American pop and rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band's latest album ''A Different Sea'' was released on October 17, 2006. Their first single from the album was "Beautiful Disaster", which was the #2 unsigned artist downlo ...
(alt rock), Brief Candles (rock) and
Decibully Decibully was an indie rock band based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin that formed in 2001 and played their final show early in 2011. History Since 1992, vocalist and guitarist William Seidel and guitarist Ryan Weber had been playing in the same ba ...
(indie). Milwaukee hosts the annual
Summerfest Summerfest is an annual music festival held in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. First held in 1968, Summerfest is located at Henry Maier Festival Park, adjacent to Lake Michigan and Milwaukee's central business district. Summerfest attracts app ...
music festival.


Waukesha

Notable artists from Waukesha include
multi-track recording Multi-track may refer to: * Multitrack recording, the process of mixing individual sound sources to a single recording * Multi-track diplomacy, a method of conflict resolution * Multi track, a process of civil litigation in England and Wales ** ...
inventor
Les Paul Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz guitarist, jazz, country guitarist, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid body ...
"the Architect of Rock and Roll" and The BoDeans, a
Summerfest Summerfest is an annual music festival held in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. First held in 1968, Summerfest is located at Henry Maier Festival Park, adjacent to Lake Michigan and Milwaukee's central business district. Summerfest attracts app ...
favorite.


Wausau

John Altenburgh and Johnny & The MoTones hail from the
Wausau, Wisconsin Wausau ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city into east and west. The city's suburbs include Schofield, Weston, Mosinee, Maine, Rib Mountain, Kronenwetter, an ...
area, as well as Windsor Drive. The band AirKraft also hail from Wausau, having been a regional rock band achieving success throughout the 80s and touring with multiple headlining acts. Their hits included Alien Probe and 85 Miles Per Hour.


Notes


References

* Blush, Steven (2001). '' American Hardcore: A Tribal History''. Los Angeles, CA:
Feral House Feral House is an American book publisher founded in 1989 by Adam Parfrey and based in Port Townsend, Washington. Early history The company's first book was '' The Satanic Witch'' (1989; originally published in 1971 by Dodd, Mead & Company) by ...
. .


External links


Party Blip - WI Music Venue Search

Milwaukee's Daily Magazine Music Section

The Mile of Music
{{Wisconsin, collapsed
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...