Wikipedia:Today's featured article/January 30, 2009



The music of Athens in the U.S. state of Georgia includes a wide variety of popular music, and was an important part of the early evolution of alternative rock and New Wave. The city is the home of chart-topping bands such as R.E.M. and The B-52's, and several long-time indie rock groups. Athens hosts the Athens Symphony Orchestra and other music institutions, as well as prominent local music media, such as the college radio station WUOG. Much of the modern Athens music scene is based around the campus of University of Georgia, which sponsors Western classical performances and groups specializing in other styles. Athens became a regional center for music during the American Civil War, and gained further fame in the early 20th century with the foundation of the Morton Theater, which was a major touring destination for African American musicians. The city's rock music scene can be traced to the 1970s, with international attention coming in the following decade when R.E.M. and The B-52's released best-selling recordings. Athens-based rock bands have performed in a wide array of styles, and the city has never had a characteristic style of rock; most of the bands have been united only in their quirky and iconoclastic image. (more...)

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