Rock and roll helped bring the American youth together. It gave the American teens of all races something in common, this being the reason it was called, “race music”. Originated in the late 1940s and early 1950s, rock and roll took on African American genres such as blues, jazz, and gospel. Mixed in with a bit of country and folk, you get rock and roll. Alan freed, a Cleveland, Ohio disk jockey helped bring rock and roll to light, in 1951. Musician, Chuck Berry introduced the dynamic guitar sound typically found in rock and roll. Along with snare drums and electric guitars, of course. Rock and roll contributed to the Civil Rights Movement due to the diversity of people listening in. It brought people together and they were all connected
The African-American civil rights movement was a cruel time for the African American race to endure due to the harsh discrimination and segregation that they faced. This movement fought for the rights and the equality of African Americans in the United States. With all that was going on, African Americans turned to music for motivation, courage, inspiration and strength to overcome the difficult obstacles that they would soon face. “Non-violence marchers faced beating, hosing, burning, shooting, or jail with no defense other than their courage and songs” (Hast 45). “It's been a long, a long time coming/ But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will” (Cooke, Sam. A Change Is Gonna Come). Music was their greatest hope for change in the near future and is the thing that kept them fighting for what they deserved. They came together with each other due to the lyrics of many different songs that kept the civil rights movement alive and known. Music painted a vision that they could picture and look forward to; it was a dream that they could fight for. “Music empowered African Americans to hold tight to their dream of racial equality” (Jeske). A genre of music that bought society together during this movement was folk.
All Shook Up: How Rock n’ Roll Changed America, written by historian Glenn Altschuler, is a fascinating analysis of the impact that rock n' roll music has made upon American culture. Glenn C. Altschuler received his Ph.D. in American History from Cornell in 1976 and has been an administrator and teacher at Cornell since 1981. He is currently the Thomas and Dorothy Litwin Professor of American Studies and the Dean of the School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. He is the author of several books on American history and popular culture, more popular for All Shook Up. (Wikipedia).
During the Civil Rights era, African Americans changed the way people looked at music by ending the segregation in the music world and by making a well-known “soundtrack” and influence during the Civil Rights Movement.
The 1950s was a great success for the civil rights movement; there were a number of developments which greatly improved the lives of black people in America and really started the civil rights movement, as black people became more confident and willing to fight for their cause.
Music was used as a critical instrument in the early 20th century in mobilizing and inspiring the civil rights movement by giving them more voice to bring out their grievances. According to Kerk (2007, p.18) Martin Luther King was the most prolific figure who utilized music to sensitize society, “we believe that freedom songs play a big and vital part in the struggle that we are going through” these words were also echoed by the Albany movement “music keeps us alive, it gives us a sense of unity, new courage every dawn, hope to move on that the future still holds something in our most daring and dreadful hours”. Development of Music The 20th century was a century in which the United States had great influence in the world of music across the globe. America was the birthplace of most influential music, from jazz to rock, which was promoted by the quality of technology like radio and phonographs. Advanced technology ensures fast distribution of music to Americans and all around the globe.
...50’s was a time that was primed for change. There were drastic social transformations happening. The people knew they were living in a tumultuous time. Changes were being noted and discussed. This cultural revolution pushed aside all the previous notions of popular music, blended black and white music traditions and sound, and integrated black performers into the musical stardom, all in a whirlwind of historical occurrences. It created music that still lives on to this day. It has inspired a people and influenced a nation. In comparison to other social influences of the twentieth century it stands alone. This revolution influenced and continues to influence American popular culture, this revolution lovingly and passionately known as Rock and Roll.
After many of World War II’s harmful effects, the 1950s served as a period of time of musical change that reflected the dynamic of society as well as the traditional norms and values. Many factors contributed to this transformation. For example, the civil rights movement heightened many racial tensions, and the music produced consequently manifested this tension in itself. Rock-n-roll and R&B music universalized music typically associated with African-Americans, and many African-American musicians gained fame; however, as with any relatively-widespread success, there were many musicians as well who missed their opportunities due to the same racial segregation. While “radical” genres such as R&B and rock-n-roll laid the foundation for music future forms of music, the standard pop, jazz, and country music adhered to traditional values, and thus continued to maintain popularity amidst phenomena such as the Elvis craze.
Rock and roll, one of the biggest and most influential parts of music history that came out of the 1950s and continued to change the United States in many ways through the mid to late 1960’s rock and roll had changed American youth drastically, inventing not only new sounds but a new culture. That culture would be known as the youth counterculture which changed the way everything would be perceived for the rest of time. It gave birth to a new, modern thinking, and morally concerned youth. Which is why I firmly do believe that the music of the 1960s wasn't just for entertainment, but for people to get their point across, to let the government and society know that things
Being that African Americans were if not just getting their foot in the door as being looked at as human and beginning to be accepted in U.S. society at that time. Executives in the recording industry encouraged white artists attempt to replicate the sound of popular black musicians for profit. This resulted in music like rock-n-roll that is largely associated with whites and the African American pioneers who laid down the foundation for the music are forgotten or better yet not even heard of. Cultural appropriation is still remains a concern even
When Rock music came around, it was the music that parents of American youngsters didn't know yet if they liked it or not. Being a Rock & Roll fan was a way to dissident against the parents and a way to distinguish between the two groups. For myself, listening to Rock and Roll felt like I was a part of something as well as a way to rebel against the values of culture. As the years went by, Rock 'n' Roll was recognized into the society and was accepted to be a method of art. All through American history, Rock has combined people of dissimilar religions and ethnic backgrounds into a group of supporters. For some individuals, Rock 'n' Roll converted a way of life, for others it developed a way of evading the realism of the real world. Rock 'n' Roll has gone through restriction to wide spread acceptance. It has been reformed and enhanced; dissimilar genres of Rock 'n' Roll had been recognized. Rock has intended a great deal to people over the years as it became a part of American philosophy with its civilizations and
The development of Rock ‘n’ Roll in the late 1940s and early 1950s by young African Americans coincided with a sensitive time in America. Civil rights movements were under way around the country as African Americans struggles to gain equal treatment and the same access to resources as their white neighbors. As courts began to vote in favor of integration, tensions between whites and blacks escalated. As the catchy rhythm of Rock ‘n’ Roll began to cross racial boundaries many whites began to feel threatened by the music, claiming its role in promoting integration. This became especially problematic as their youth became especially drawn to ...
It was no coincidence that rock ‘n’ roll and the civil rights movement started at the same time. The genre originated from African American music and was greatly discriminated against. Traditional white Americans would target anything bad about it. But as the teenager demographic of the 1950s started increasing the sales of the music, the genre started gaining more popularity. It was the style of Elvis Presley and his new voice that made girls weak in the knees and boys want to be him. Artists such as Presley had enough influence to change the view of their devoted fans on civil rights issues. Soon as protest songs and rock ‘n’ roll became more popular and influential, it began a gap between the young adult generation and their parents which led to the rebellion of the civil rights movement. Through these factors rock ‘n’ roll influenced a great deal over the civil rights movement.
The 1950’s were one of the most influential decades in American history. In an era where communication was moving at a snails pace, compared to today’s standards, views and attitudes of America’s youth grew and spread faster than ever before, because of the popularity of a new type of music called rock and roll. Rock and Roll was like no other music that was heard before and in the mid 50’s it exploded. Rock and Roll in the mid 50’s changed America for the better in bringing up issues of race, war, and freedom of expression.
The origin of Rock music is clarifying as the most important music styles there has been. For instance, rock and roll was considered to be too vulgar and sexual. Singers and songwriters were carried defiant attitude towards society and to the authority. Rock and roll music was originated 1950’s in the united states the rhythm and blues was combine with country music and jazz. The lyrics were catching, and were about love and teenagers’ rebellion. In the United States African-Americans were known to be the first one to play rock and roll. Music made in productions studios become more interested in the different style of music and was introduced to America. In the beginning of rock and roll was only listening by teenagers. For the teenagers,
The decade of the Fifties gave birth to Rock and Roll. When Bill Haley's Rock Around The Clock became popular in 1952, the nation learned to swing to a whole new sound. But, rock wasn't the only music of the Fifties. (Rewind the fifties jukebox) Other artists with other songs had folks humming' for much of the decade.