The Bloomington Music Scene

By: Noah Sandweiss, Bicentennial Intern, Class of 2018, History

Indiana University’s influence on music surpasses the Jacobs School of Music. Many students and faculty have helped put Bloomington on the map as a music destination for artists and listeners alike.

Bloomington’s early music scene was dominated by jazz, with names like Hoagy Carmichael and Al Cobine. While jazz still features prominently, Bloomington’s music scene has expanded exponentially with innovators in new and revitalized genres like folk, noise rock, and proto-punk.

From notable Hoosier artists and bands to radio stations and recording studios, this timeline gives an intriguing account of the evolution of Bloomington’s music scene.

Due to website maintenance issues, the images in this timeline were removed in 2020. Please see the final slide for a list of related image numbers from IU Archives.