Rock and roll music developed between 1916-1956 when the words “Rockin” and “Rollin” were being used in the music industry, its development lead to what become to be a social phenomenon which is international acceptable as music.
Rock music popularity was in the 1950’s when it was well known buy many people. Its early development caused cultural change over. The new musical style made the young people to rebel against their parents and this is known as the most defiant time in the history of America which had been brought by music.
In late 1960’s and early 70’s musical groups and bands were created then with an aim of specializing with rock music. Formation of the groups and bands hastened its growth and popularity through 1970’s it also influenced the youth movements in the 1960’s and 70’s. It also has effects on the cultural change over in the youth generations which were on those days (White and Busen).
Introduction of Rock and roll music had major effects in the cultural background of the Americans as it created a generation gap which made the youth to be rebellious to their parents. Although different generations differ in culture, lifestyles and practices it was evident that these changes took place as a result of influence by the music.
Rock and roll music made the youth defy most of their cultural values which brought up a more rebellious generation in the history of American’s who were living those times. The youth was referring to the previous music which was being played as boring by today’s standards. The earlier rocks music had sexual implications which the parents were very much against it because they termed it not to be cultural.
At the beginning of the 1960s, the movements that were formed for Rock and roll music started their manifestation to establish itself as a successful way that revolutionized cultural radicalism. The cultural changeover over made the youths be defiant to the norms which had been considered to make the society much more moral and the youths to behave well as expected by their parents (Stuessy and Lipscomb, 87).
This liberation of the cultural norms worked as a catalyst to the artists by revolutionizing the music to make the youth more defiant and rebellious. Therefore, the youths become more rebellious and defiant to the cultural practices which have been strictly obeyed by the former generations.
The lyric of the songs become more political and explicit this made it not to be just artistic and they started to respond to the changing needs of the society. This made the music break into two one emphasized cultural practices and the other dealt with political activism. Both types of songs had far-reaching effects on how the community responded to them. The drastic effect of music on the cultural differences is evident in how music could be able to influence the culture and lifestyle of the community as it did in the United States and other countries which rock and roll music was being played in the ’60s and ’70s.
The introduction of rock and roll in the United States generated controversies which are commonly known as musical riots because its response by the youth was less like a riot towards whatever was against the teaching of rock or what it was advocating. The outrageous reception of the United States by the introduction of rock and roll songs it’s a clear indicator of the values of the United States at that time. Rock and roll music celebrated sex and romance which was unheard of before in the United States culture which brought a lot of contentious issues which were debatable if the music should be tolerated. However, the more pressure and criticism the music industry got the more it reinvented the songs to be more defiant.
The 1960s and ’70s are the decades in which the United States experienced the stiff struggle for the control of its culture which was seemed to be interfered with by the introduction of rock and roll. The introduction of rock music opened up fault lines between race, sexuality and family. This was a difficult movement which it was difficult for the citizens to contain it because it comes at some time with the introduction of civil right movement which contributed to its speedy growth by introduction of race music which was being favored by both those who were against and for racial discrimination.
Most of the rock artists at that time were black Americans who were advocating for their rights and the elimination of racial discrimination. This awakened the debate in the country on the practice of racial discrimination, this is an issue that has been debated for a long but it has never been addressed conclusively to eliminate racial discrimination which was real at that time.
Celebrations of Rock and roll music enabled the youth to create a cultural difference between the young generation and the elderly in the United States. Such differences degenerated to a clear gap between the different age sets in their cultural practices and lifestyle. The division between the generations is attributed to cultural change in the United States in terms of discussion of sexuality and romance in public and was passed over to the next generation because they did not uphold the cultural values for their parents which they would have passed it over to the next generation.
During the 1960s and 70’s rock music seemed to be everywhere and its influence was felt by all the citizens. Its conflict changed the culture of Americans and the foundation which was set then can not be reversed. The music was vibrant and attractive to the youth who were the majority. Hence, they were able to support its growth by adoring it, buying the music and promoting it to listen in the media.
The cultural challenges which arose due to the introduction of rock and roll music since the 1960s and ’70s were irreversible and its effects are still felt today. It is not only the rock and roll songs that openly discuss issues of sexuality and romance. Therefore, liberations are high which has also increased the rate of immorality and not adherence to the cultural teachings which were strictly followed by the former generations.
Works cited
Stuessy, Joe and Lipscomb, Scott. Rock and Roll: Its History and Stylistic Development. Upper-Saddle-River: Prentice Hall. 2005.
White, Meredith and Busen, Maria. The social developments that led to the development of rock ‘n’ roll in America & Britain in the 1950s? 2008. Web.