How ‘50s Rock N’ Roll Affected Society?
Rock N’ Roll was born back in the ‘50s when nobody could anticipate what kind of impact this type of music will have on society. Learn more about how rock music changed the world!
The Effects of ‘50s Rock N’ Roll on Our Society
Rock N’ Roll might be a popular music genre nowadays, but back in the ‘50s, it was quite a revolutionary movement that changed our society in many ways.
It was, and still is, a bit wild and unpredictable, challenging common practices and beliefs like Aussie online casinos
do today.The fashion industry, the American culture, and political views all changed thanks to the appearance of Rock N’ Roll in the entertainment industry. Take a look at those changes right now.
Political and Social Effects
In years when segregation was a major social issue, black artists had a tough time becoming successful in the industry. However, white artists that performed with upbeat songs, influenced by the African-American culture, did rather well. For example, you have Elvis Presley, who recorded his first record in 1953. At the same time, Crazy Man Crazy by Bill Haley became the first Rock N’ Roll song that made it to the Billboard charts.
Both artists brought the new genre to the attention of the American youth, allowing them to fall in love with a new type of music, regardless of the artist’s race. It opened the doors for talented African-American singers such as Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and more.
Since Rock N’ Roll challenged common beliefs regarding cultural differences between white and black citizens, a lot of people were against the rise of the genre: parents, government bodies, and news media. But kids who grew up in the ‘50s disagreed with the older generation, which caused a major generational rift.
Many adults believed that the emerging music genre was a bad influence on Caucasian youths, as it was often associated with sexuality, drug abuse, and delinquent behaviour. Those beliefs were reinforced by multiple riots that erupted at the screenings of the "Blackboard Jungle" movie in 1955 and various rock concerts.
In turn, those riots led to rock concerts being banned and Rock N’ Roll was removed from jukeboxes, as people believed it was to blame for the emerging cultural issues.
But the popularity of the genre kept rising, and concerts started featuring both black and white artists to take place, and on occasion, the audience was integrated as well. The radio also started featuring various Rock N’ Roll artists, both black and white, and black couples started appearing on different TV shows as well. Little by little, Rock N’ Roll managed to change the attitude towards African-American artists, especially among the younger generation. As a result, the new genre helped generate support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Act of 1965.
At the end of the day, songs performed or inspired by African-American music genres, like the blues, boogie-woogie, and the swing made its way into the hearts of youngsters in the country. That allowed white Americans to relate to a different culture through a new kind of music, creating a cultural bridge that changed the face of history.
Changes in the Fashion Industry
The rising popularity of Rock N’ Roll all over the world allowed artists to influence an entire generation. Elvis, for example, inspired lots of youngsters to adopt a new clothing style thanks to his sparkly and outrageous on-stage persona.
Throughout the years, many rock artist that had a unique style managed to infuse new fashion trends into our culture. Some artists helped promote the hippie style, long hair, and more.
Later on, glam rock took over the world, and with it appeared glittery wear, high heels, and other flashy pieces of clothing. In the ‘70s, however, punk groups chose to convert to a more stylish look with jacket and ties, to distinguish themselves from mainstream rock musicians.
Even today, you can see Rock-N’-Roll-inspired clothes that people choose to wear as a fashion statement.
In Conclusion
The birth of Rock N’ Roll caused a ripple effect in our society, influencing various cultural aspects. This music genre had a major impact on US politics and fashion worldwide, which leaves us with a question: what might have society looked like without rock music? Luckily, we will never know the answer.
Sources:
Social effects of rock music, Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_effects_of_rock_music
How Rock n’ Roll Has Influenced Fashion Through the Ages. https://californiarocker.com/2018/09/26/how-rock-n-roll-has-influenced-fashion-through-the-ages/
