The abundant food supply for coastal tribes like the Tlingit, Haida, Tsimishan, Kwakiutl, Makah, Quinault and Coast Salish peoples, and other Puget Sound Salish peoples, is credited for allowing a settled lifestyle with elaborate artistic expression including woven clothing and basketry, communal longhouses and dance and music.
[5][4] Jazz artists from the Pacific Northwest include Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Buddy Catlett, Bill Frisell, Ernestine Anderson, Larry Coryell, Jeff Lorber, Diane Schuur, Kenny G, Aaron Parks and Esperanza Spalding.
[10] Musical styles often share crossover features with atmospheric/ambient black metal, drone metal, and post-metal as seen in Oregon's YOB, Agalloch, Witch Mountain, Red Fang, Washington's Lesbian,[12] Earth, Sunn O))), Vancouver's Anciients, Astrakhan,[13] and Aaron Turner project Sumac, among various others.
In 1959–1960, Seattle's Dolton Records started to take off and local bands including The Kingsmen and Paul Revere and the Raiders became known as the Sea-Port Beat, later to be referred to as the Original Northwest Sound.
Indeed indie rock has made a stronghold in the Pacific Northwest due to prolific cities like Portland, Seattle, and Olympia.
KEXP is a popular and nationally noted Seattle-based public radio station that celebrates primarily indie rock music.