Jazz is a music genre that focuses on improvisation and rolling with mistakes, but the glory days of jazz have long since passed, overtaken by other genres in Atlanta, such as hip-hop and R&B.
I wanted to discover why jazz is being overshadowed by other music among young people. Jazz is fundamental and groundbreaking for many music genres; Rock, pop, hip-hop, and many more draw heavy lyrical and rhythmic inspiration from it, which is why it is so important to continue introducing jazz to younger audiences.
“Jazz was once the most popular music in America. In the 1920s, jazz was the pop music of its day,” said Joe Alterman, a jazz pianist and cultural curator for jazz in Atlanta.
As stated at highland-music.com, after jazz and blues left the mainstream, starting in the 1960s and 70s, rock and southern rock emerged. Eventually, hip-hop and rap took over in the 1990s. While jazz has remained a niche genre, it has still maintained a large audience in other Southern cities such as New Orleans, Memphis, or Nashville.
According to ATL Jazz Fest’s Sponsor Deck, only 5% of its roughly 200,000 attendees this year were ages 18-24. In comparison, 21% — the largest fraction — were between the ages of 55 and 64. Even though 200,000 is a huge number, it’s only about half the number of attendees at other jazz festivals in the South. Jazzfest.swagland.com states the attendees for its 2025 jazz fest numbered about 460,000.
One reason jazz is less popular with teens might be because it is difficult to get into. “The Atlanta scene to me, based upon my entry into it, was what I call very cliquish. You kind of had to know somebody who knew somebody to get the very good-paying gig,” explains Earl Williams, a jazz saxophonist and teacher at saxmentor.com in Atlanta.
In line with this thinking, local teen music fan Felix Kirby says, “I think the reason jazz popularity has decreased in Atlanta is that there is a preexisting music culture in Atlanta.”
Another potential reason for jazz’s lack of engagement with teens is that it is less interactive with its audience than it once was. According to Joe Alterman, “As jazz moved from the dance floor into the concert hall, some of the direct connection between the music and everyday people was lost. The music gained artistic prestige, but sometimes at the expense of accessibility.”
Teens often won’t be in an environment where they can be exposed to jazz. This is because most places with the greatest exposure to jazz are adults-only. For example, teens cannot engage in bars and clubs such as Blind Willie’s in Atlanta.
Felix Kirby states, “I think that if jazz clubs lowered the age limit… it would definitely be more popular and I would visit them for sure.”
While jazz may not be at the forefront of all teens’ minds, it still holds a place in the eyes of youth through other programs. One such program is the Rialto Jazz Youth Orchestra (RYJO), which regularly receives applications from interested students in Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, and other counties. Not all hope for jazz among youth is lost; it will continue to hold its niche, and I believe people will always enjoy jazz.
As Joe Alterman says, “My life has been a mixture of living in Atlanta, playing jazz here, and traveling to bring jazz to different kinds of places. And honestly, it’s all been wonderful.”
Editor’s Note: Joe Alterman is the first cousin of the founder of VOX ATL. The editorial team is satisfied that this family relationship did not influence the reporting or the source’s participation
