Discover our new Black Music Collection

In our new Black Music Collection, we invite you to trace the history of modern black composers in Britain, from Afro-Caribbean artists of the 1940s all the way to Black-British hip-hop of the 2020s. 

Along the way, you might be able to hear some sounds you’ve heard before on Minute of Listening, as well as some new ones!

Listen to how musical styles have developed and influenced artists over the years. Can you discover a thread that links one minute to the next, maybe through rhythm or instruments? 

We’ve included a range of moods that express the difficulties and injustice that black people in Britain face, but that also show how composing music can be a powerful and joyful way to communicate a person’s experiences in life. 

We hope the Black Music Collection will encourage you to think about the big impact black composers have had on British music history, and maybe in places make you want to get up and dance too!

Explore our new Black Music Collection here