Gospel

Gospel’s part one takes viewers north to Chicago, where artists blended blues and jazz with lyrics about God’s goodness. Gospel would become a commodity, but one built by Black-owned publishing companies and sustained by Black audiences. The Golden Age of Gospel emerges as the lines between the sacred and secular blur and gospel music becomes the powerful soundtrack of the freedom struggle.

Gospel’s part two reveals how gospel was going mainstream. As artists took the message everywhere, Black pastors continued to distinguish their message and sound with sermonettes. A new generation embraced secular music to modernize the gospel sound. The launch of the Platinum Age of Gospel brought commercially successful songs about faith to millions but drew criticism that it went too far.