Tin Pan Alley

noun
1.
the district of a city, especially New York City, where most of the popular music is published.
2.
the composers or publishers of popular music as a group.
British Dictionary definitions for Tin Pan Alley

Tin Pan Alley

noun
1.
a district in a city concerned with the production of popular music, originally a small district in New York
2.
(derogatory) the strictly commercial side of show business and pop music
Word Origin and History for Tin Pan Alley
n.

"hit song writing business," 1908, from tin pan, slang for "a decrepit piano" (1882). The original one was 28th Street in New York City, home to many music publishing houses.

Tin Pan Alley in Culture

Tin Pan Alley definition


A reference to the popular music industry in the United States; the term is not used as much today as it was a generation or two ago.

Note: Tin Pan Alley is often associated with songwriters who are more interested in making money off their songs than in producing high-quality music.
Slang definitions & phrases for Tin Pan Alley

Tin Pan Alley

noun phrase

The site where popular music was composed, arranged, published, recorded, etc, designating the neighborhood on Seventh Avenue between 48th and 52d Streets in New York City; also, the realm of popular music composition, publishing, etc

[1908+; fr the late 1800s musicians' term tin pan, ''cheap, tinny piano'']