Rock n Roll and Social Change in the USA and Britain - Essay Example

Rock n Roll and Social Change in the USA and Britain Rock n Roll was one of the most influential musicgenres in the twentieth century in both the United States and Britain especially in the 1940s and 1950s. This is because it ensured the development of a strong youth culture that reflected the massive social change that was taking place in society at the time. Rock n roll originated with the Rhythm and Blues played by black artists in the South and spread to the rest of the United States as its influence became firmly entrenched in popular culture (Stuessy and Lipscomb, 2009, p.22). The influence of Rock n Roll cannot be underestimated considering that it was not only a catalyst for social and cultural change, but it also influenced almost all areas of life in the United States and Britain. It allowed for the pushing of boundaries that had been maintained for centuries concerning sexuality and society while at the same time calling for peace in a world that had been affected by war. Coming to popularity almost immediately after the Second World War, rock n roll music ushered in a new age where social change concerning sex, religion, fashion, and drugs took place. Rock n roll developed in a period where after a century of racial tensions in the United States after the Civil War, the segregation system was essentially falling apart. This is reflected in the origins of the music itself where despite its mainly African American origins; it ended up being increasingly popular among largely white youths. The call for racial harmony seen in this music can be considered to have been a reflection of the way that society had essentially come to be weary of racism and segregation and was seeking a new path through the initiative of the youth within it. The coming together of black music and a largely white youth audiences can be considered to have been a reflection of changes that were taking place concerning the perception of race in society as individuals sought to freely interact with members of other races without the restrictions that were being place on them by traditions and laws (Lipzitz, 1989, p.267). It was a fight for the rights of minority races in the United States where they had been kept under the dominance of white people for centuries. The rise of rock n roll got the attention of white supremacists and racists who reacted strongly towards it by claiming that it broke down the barriers that had been put in place to ensure that there was a permanent separation of the races (Szatmary, 2010, p.23). Moreover, rock n roll can be considered to have been a challenge to the status quo in society where youth from all races worked together to ensure that the barriers that separated them were removed (Bertrand, 2000, p.121). The exportation of this genre of music to Britain was also highly influential because it allowed for a display of the war weariness that had taken grip of the country after the Second World War. The growth of its popularity in Britain also helped to bring together the youth in society in such a way that ensured that there was little racial tension in society because most of these youth came to identify with the rock n roll culture. Thus, in both the United States and Britain, rock n roll was instrumental in creating an identity for those youth who believed in being above the tradition of racial segregation in their societies. Rock n roll came to be closely associated with sex and drugs which were highly symbolic of the changes that were taking place in society concerning them. Notions concerning sex in the 1940s and 1950s were increasingly becoming more liberal considering that during the Second World War, there had been a liberation of women in such a way that many had ended up joining the workforce and becoming more assertive of their lives. Women were able to make choices that they had not been able to only a decade before but the war and the large numbers of men who joined it allowed them to be integrated into the workforce. This circumstance helped women to rise above their traditional roles as mothers and dutiful daughters and put them on almost equal footing with their male counterparts (Altschuler, 2003, pp.67 - 68). The development of a strong and assertive woman in society went hand in hand with sexual liberation. Sex became more casual as more individuals, especially the youth, indulged in it outside marriage; a situation that was reflected through the lifestyles of rock n roll musicians who apart from being given sexual favors by girls who followed them, also indulged in recreational drug use. The lives of rock n roll musicians were closely followed by their fans, who sought to emulate them in almost every way. The use of drugs for recreational purposes was a common indulgence among youth of the rock n roll period and the music showed the way that these individuals were being increasingly liberal concerning both sex and drugs. The promotion of a strong youth culture based on rock n roll was a means of getting away from the principles of society prominent in the 1940s and 1950s and can be considered to have been an act of rebellion by the youth concerning issues related to drug use and sexuality. Moreover, what was said in the music did not matter and instead, its feel is what was considered essential (MacDonald, 1998, p.91). For many fans, whatever rock n roll musicians did was acceptable; fueling the social rebellion that was based on youth who felt that they were no longer bound by the code of behavior that had been set for them by society. Therefore, the rising popularity of rock n roll showed the changing attitudes that youth in the United States and Britain towards sex and drugs especially considering that these issues had been extremely conservative only a generation before. A fundamental aspect of rock n roll in both the United States and Britain is that it was a reflection of the fashion that was prevalent in these societies in the 1950s. Many youth of the era favored the development of a society where there was peace and brotherly love and this would later develop into the hippie movement where individuals in society kept their hair long and adopted the Nehru jacket. What a rock n roll musician put on was considered to be an important aspect of his image; meaning that he had to consider both his wardrobe and music before getting on stage. The result was that a significant number of people in society, especially the youth, adopted the fashions of their favorite musicians; leading to the popularity of the fashions of rock n roll musicians (Perone, 2009, p.81). Rock n roll musicians tended to adopt those fashions that were popular among their youthful fans, putting into display the fashions that were prominent at the time in both the United States and Britain. The promotion of a strong fashion culture was a basic part of rock n roll and as a result, youth fashion during the 1940s and 1950s became inseparable from that of this genre. The early adoption of hippie fashion by rock n roll artists ensured that this fashion became the standard for rock n roll performers and fans from that time onwards (Watts, 1975, p.123). The fashion adopted by rock n roll musicians and their fans was highly symbolic of the sense of rebellion that the youth felt towards authority and was a direct challenge to the stagnant mindsets that were prevalent in the 1950s where many individuals in both Britain and the United States held onto their traditional values while the rest of the world was moving forward. The unification of youth in the United States and Britain in a common rock n roll culture that promoted peace as well as a rejection of authority which was considered a time of the past was a sign of the profound changes that were taking place in society (Gracyk, 2001, p.193). Rock n roll became a platform for youth sentiment to be expressed especially concerning the wars that were taking place and the disagreeable social policies that had been adopted by post-war governments. In conclusion, the discussion has attempted to show that the coming to popularity of rock n roll almost immediately after the Second World War was a reflection of a new age that was based on social change concerning sex, religion, fashion, and drugs. Among the most important points that have been made in the discussion is that rock n roll developed in a period where after a century of racial tensions in the United States after the Civil War, the segregation system was essentially falling apart and it was a reflection of how youth of all races were willing to put aside their differences and live in harmony. Furthermore, rock n roll came to be closely associated with sex and drugs which were highly symbolic of the changes that were taking place in society concerning them. Many youth used drugs for recreational purposes and this use was quite widespread, especially within the hippie movement which promoted peace and love. Finally, a fundamental aspect of rock n roll in both the United States and Britain is that it was a reflection of the fashion that was prevalent in these societies in the 1950s as well as a rebellion against the traditional social order whose ideas has atrophied and were no longer relevant to the youth of the time. References Altschuler, G.C. 2003. All Shook Up, How Rock n Roll Changed America. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bertrand, M. 2000. Race, Rock and Elvis. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. Gracyk, T. 2001. I Wanna Be Me: Rock Music and the Politics of Identity. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. Lipzitz, G. 1989, “Land of a Thousand Dances: Youth, Minorities and the Rise of Rock and Roll.” In Recasting America: Culture and Politics in the Age of Cold War, edited by Lary May. London: University of Chicago Press. MacDonald, I. 1998. Revolution in the Head: The Beatles’ records and the Sixties. London: Pimlico. Perone, J. 2009. Mods, Rockers and the Music of the British Invasion. Westport: Praeger Publishers. Stuessy, J. & Lipscomb, S. 2009. Rock and Roll, Its Stylistic Development. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Szatmary, D.P. 2010. Rockin in Time. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Watts, M 1975, “The Call and Response of Popular Music: the impact of American pop music in Europe.” In Superculture: American Popular Culture and Europe, edited by C. W. E. Bigsby. London, Elek. Read More