Comenzando en 1920 y extendiéndose hasta la década del 60, se genera lo que se conoce como el "Gran Cancionero Americano", un movimiento único en la historia de la música norteamericana durante cuyo transcruso se produjo el advenimiento de una nueva clase de compositores de canciones, inspirados en la estructura simple de la era del Tin Pan Alley que los precedió y con una fuerte influencia de los precursores del Ragtime, el Blues y el Jazz.

Compuestas mayormente para los shows de Broadway y los musicales de Hollywood, las canciones de este periodo conquistaron rapidamente el favor del publico y aun hoy, son apreciadas como joyas musicales provenientes de uno de los periodos mas glamorosos de la historia y que conforman el repertorio de los mas importantes interpretes.

Estos son algunos de los autores y sus obras:
Irving Berlin "Over the Rainbow", "Stormy Weather", "It's Only a Paper Moon", "I've Got the World on a String", "I've Got A Right To Sing The Blues", "White Christmas", "Always", "Blue Skies", "Cheek to Cheek".
Hoagy Carmichael "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind", "The Nearness Of You", "Skylark".
Duke Ellington "In A Sentimental Mood", "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)", "Satin Doll", "Mood Indigo", "Sophisticated Lady", "I'm Beginning to See the Light". 
George & Ira Gershwin "Someone to Watch Over Me", "S’Wonderful", "Summertime", "Embraceable You", "I Got Rhythm", "Fascinating Rhythm", "The Man I Love", "They Can't Take That Away from Me", "Our Love Is Here to Stay". 
Jerome Kern "Ol' Man River", "The Way You Look Tonight", "All The Things You Are", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes". 
Johnny Mandel "The Shadow of Your Smile" 
Johnny Mercer "One for My Baby", "That Old Black Magic", "Blues in the Night", "Come Rain or Come Shine". 
Cole Porter "Night and Day", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Begin The Beguine", "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love", "What Is This Thing Called Love?", "Love for Sale", "You're the Top", "Just One of Those Things", "I Get a Kick Out of You", "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye", "In the Still of the Night", "It's De-Lovely", "My Heart Belongs to Daddy". 
Rodgers & Hammerstein "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'", "People Will Say We're in Love", "It Might as Well Be Spring", "If I Loved You", "Some Enchanted Evening", "Shall We Dance?", "My Favorite Things". 
Rodgers & Hart "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", "My Romance", "Have You Met Miss Jones?", "My Funny Valentine", "Blue Moon", "The Lady Is a Tramp", "Thou Swell", "Lover", "Where or When", "This Can't Be Love" 
Jimmy Van Heusen "All the Way", "But Beautiful", "Come Fly with Me", "Imagination".