Wikipedia January 30: Music of Athens, Georgia

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Subject: [Wikipedia] January 30: Music of Athens, Georgia

The music of Athens, 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 well known as the home of chart-topping bands like 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 students from the large University of Georgia campus in the city. The University sponsors Western classical performances and groups specializing in other styles. Athens became a center for music in the region during the American Civil War, and gained further fame in the early 20th century with the foundation of the Morton Theatre, which was a major touring destination for African American performers. The city's local 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.

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