Piano roll in the context of "Player piano"

Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that was popular and heavily influenced musical genres such as the Blues, and was seen in the United States from the 1890s to 1910s. Its signature trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott Joplin, James Scott, and Joseph Lamb. Ragtime pieces (often called "rags") are typically composed for and performed on the piano, though the genre has been adapted for a variety of instruments and styles.

Ragtime music originated within African American communities in the late 19th century and became a distinctly American form of popular music. It is closely related to marches. Ragtime pieces usually contain several distinct themes, often arranged in patterns of repeats and reprises. Scott Joplin, known as the "King of Ragtime", gained fame through compositions like "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer". Ragtime influenced early jazz, Harlem stride piano, Piedmont blues, and early 20th century European classical composers such as Erik Satie, Claude Debussy, and Igor Stravinsky. Despite being overshadowed by jazz in the 1920s, ragtime has experienced several revivals, notably in the 1950s and 1970s (the latter renaissance due in large part to the use of "The Entertainer" in the film The Sting). The music was distributed primarily through sheet music and piano rolls, with some compositions adapted for other instruments and ensembles.

"The Entertainer" is a 1902 classic piano rag written by Scott Joplin.

It was sold first as sheet music by John Stark & Son of Saint Louis, Missouri, and in the 1910s as piano rolls that would play on player pianos. The first recording was by blues and ragtime musicians "the Blue Boys" in 1928, played on mandolin and guitar.