Louisiana and music are inseparable.

From Louis Armstrong to Britney Spears, Louisiana has a diverse and vibrant music heritage that crosses genres and has for decades produced unforgettable, impactful songs. The southern region of the state is the birthplace of traditional creole and zydeco music, originating with slave songs and later incorporating those melodies and rhythms into more instrumental, contemporary sounds. Northern Louisiana is most famous for its contemporary country music superstars, Tim McGraw, Trace Adkins, and Hank Williams Jr., among others, and the radio program "Louisiana Hayride," which is widely viewed as a predecessor to The Grand Ole Opry and in the 1950s broadcast live performances by virtually every country icon in the region. New Orleans has a musical identity of its own, and is responsible for the genesis of Dixieland jazz and a subgenre of the blues known for its Caribbean influences.