While going through our history of rock and roll course, one thing has become apparent, and that is that music brings people together. Sometimes it takes music to get a point across, and our world has endured a lot of social and a cultural change, which is how we music today. Just like our world is evolving, music is the same way. When a baby is born until the day it dies, it has evolved internally and externally and that is the same way I view the history of rock “n” roll. For instance, the great wars and the civil rights movement help influence to history of rock and roll. It gave people a purpose to listen to music and let artist express themselves through their songs. I’m not saying by any means that all the struggles we as a nation have …show more content…
Elvis Presley was a well-known man and loved by many people. Based on http://www.brainpickings.org/2013/04/11/elvis-presley-teens-consumer-culture/Elvis Just like Muddy Waters, Presley timing was perfect as well. He came into and era (1950s) where the devastations of the great depression and world wars were over. People were now starting to have some freedom and enjoy the thing they loved which was listening to music and living life to the fullest. The social change that the 50s brought reflected music significantly, and Elvis Presley arose.. Kids were now starting to rebel against their parents and they had a lot of extra money to spend on records because of prosperity. During the Wars, money was limited and kids and adults had to work extra hard and save for survival purposes, but once the war-ended money could be used for pleasure reasons rather than just for survival. In addition, in the 50s our country had it’s own war, and I’m not talking about the World Wars, but yet human inequality. The civil rights movement was one of the biggest social changes in history and was a time where a lot of great artist prevailed and made songs on the issue. Elvis Presley showed just how social changes could influence or reflect the history of rock “n” roll. Presley started a culture, his hairstyle, the way he dressed all became part of the youth around the country. As I said our country was fighting its own war with segregation, Elvis music help bring people together. His music not on appealed white crowds, but black crowds listened to him as well. He brought people together through music, and proved to the world that he could be successful. He was one of the artist that mastered crossover, bringing every color to liking his music. Based on Larson fourth edition pg 38, it says that his record sales boomed, and then rock “n”
Music can be traced back into human history to prehistoric eras. To this day archeologists uncover fragments of ancient instruments as well as tablets with carved lyrics buried alongside prominent leaders and highly influential people. This serves as a testament to the importance and power of music, as well as its influence in society. Over its many years of existence, music’s powerful invocation of feelings has allowed it to evolve and serve many purposes, one being inspiring change. American journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson once said, “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel.” This fuel is the very things that powers the influence of Rock ‘n’ Roll on American society, that author Glenn C. Altschuler writes about in his book, “All Shook Up – How Rock ‘n’ Roll Changed America.” Between 1945 and 1965 Rock ‘n’ Roll transformed American society and culture by helping to ease racial integration and launch a sexual revolution while most importantly developing an intergenerational identity.
Elvis did more to break down the racial barriers separating the whites and blacks in this country than most people will ever realize. That is one reason there was so much resistance to his music in the 50's and 60's and why it remains so popular today. This is not an overstatement. Presley brought music that had previously been played and enjoyed by minorities to the forefront. When people discovered they had music in common, they could talk about that subject and enjoy it together. Then conversations were started on other interests and a
There is no doubt that Elvis Presley’s impact on American society has revolutionized the world of music and movies, which eventually earned him the name. From truck driver to Rock and Roll icon, Presley’s charismatic attitude and dance moves have become forever remembered in American history. His record-breaking career set a higher bar for many more musicians. Talented in both vocals and acting, his image alone speaks for itself. Elvis’ audience consisted of all races, ages, and gender; his style of music combined gospel, country, blues, and Rock and Roll.
Elvis Presley changed the music world as they knew it back in the 50’s he came out with a wild new style unlike any other. Even to this day if you hear Elvis’ name you automatically think of his signature style or as the king of rock and roll. Hound Dog was controversial for it’s time and made extra controversial by Elvis’ moves and how the ladies would swoon and storm the stage to see him. Presley was so ahead of his time that most adults didn’t because of his so-called vulgar ways but the younger generation went crazy for Elvis and his new style of blues meets country hence creating rock and becoming the king.
Like Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” In the 1950’s the South was heavily racially segregated. Elvis Presley unintentionally put himself in the position to become a valuable instrument in the battle against segregation. “Without casting himself as a fighter for racial equality, Elvis became a subversive standard bearer for cultural desegregation at a time when the codified racism of the South was under increasing pressure.” How did an uneducated white hillbilly from the south influence both black and white teenagers against segregation? It was quite simple, for Elvis Presley had a unique talent of combining traditional black music; such as the blues and jazz, with the traditional white music; like country and white gospel. This unique style of blending different types of music, gave Elvis the edge on the musical racial barriers America was facing; and open the path for both sides to enjoy the music together and therefore desegregated.
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.
In conclusion this report has helped us understand the significance of Music in America. Also, the impact it has on music we listen too. Music is very much like a big chain reaction. Rock ‘N’ Roll, much like music today, stood out and was in a way rebellious. Parents now hate Rap and we love it. People in the 70’s loved Rock ‘N’ Roll and parents hated it. This shows that maybe no matter how much older people deny it, the time gap and generation gap is not too far apart. Without Rock ‘N’ Roll the World would without a doubt be changed. Any guess to that of which way would be a good one.
Rock and Roll was the start of a new revolution in America. It introduced the world to many of the famous artists that continue to be a part of our lives today. "Artists who became popular in the 1950s such as Elvis, began to pave the way for others such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly" (The History of Rock 'n' Roll until 1960). With the introduction of rock 'n' roll, there came many new changes to the lives of many Americans. Rock and Roll was a major contributor for the change in teens' behavior in the 1950s because it encouraged new freedoms for teenagers, encouraged new fads among teenagers, and caused a generation gap.
Rock and Roll is commonly known as the greatest music ever created. Most people do not know that Rock and Roll emerged out of the United States in the 1950s. Artists during this time like Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, and Bob Dylan were the first major stars among the birth of Rock and Roll in America. Since the 1950s, we have seen a rise in Rock and Roll culture. A peak in the 1960s-1970s was when the world began a musical, political, and social revolution. The revolution takes place during some tense times in the world- The Vietnam War, Political Issues with Cuba, JFK Presidency/Assassination, Malcolm X’s Assassination, Martin Luther King’s Assassination — you name it. The world was in a turmoiled state of mind, but what
Richard Welch published the article “Rock ‘n’ Roll and Social Change” in History Today on February 1, 1990. In the article “Rock and Roll ‘n’ Social Change” “This revolution created a music which became the common property not only of two generations of Americans, but also millions throughout the world, creating the most ubiquitous, and perhaps the most influential form of American popular culture” (32). History Today, one of the world’s oldest history magazines, has been published monthly in London since January 1951. The magazine was founded by Brendan Bracken, Minister of Information after World War II. He served as chairman of the Financial Times and was a lieutenant under Sir Winston Churchill. Annually, History Today with Longman (an English publishing company) holds an awards ceremony, the Longman-History Today Award, to recognize work in the field of history. The war was over and baby boomers were just starting to become teenagers. I like rock ‘n’ roll. The teenagers did because the existing music of the time, folk music and country music, was pretty monotonous. Whether it was Elvis Presley or the fact that Sun Records had previously recorded black blues music is not really relevant. Rock ‘n’ Roll was a new form of music that had some spunk too it. I completely understand why teenagers in the 50’s and 60’s liked it. Furthermore, it sounds great today because it has rhythm and style and beat unlike the modern hip-hop or foul laden music of today. Country Music has since taken off, but it was not sophisticated and too subdued. “Social revolution” might be too strong of a term, but it was at least an evolution. Rock ‘n’ roll was something teenager, desiring to rebel could relate to it. Rock ‘n’ Roll spread, mainly through r...
While Elvis Presley had an influence on the attitude, fashion, music, and views on race in the 1950s, he would continue to influence these same aspects for future generations. Presley was a simple man who grew up in a time that was filled with hatred, depression, and war. When no child dared to speak back to their parent, Elvis showed the youth rebellion and when segregation was an issue, he showed white teenagers that African Americans were human just like them. Even though older generations continued to show their hatred for Elvis Presley, he still continued to rock.
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.
To understand why Elvis was so influential, you must first fully understand the time period which surrounded the man himself. Elvis was immersed in the previous generation's culture. Beautiful music and jazz were the standard at the time. The sharp contrast of Elvis’s music is the reason why he was globally praised. While Elvis himself never took credit for rock and roll, he certainly defined what its signature sound truly was amongst his fellow rock revolutionaries with his rockabilly sound (“Who Really Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll,” 2004). Although Elvis is often remembered for his funny voice and a tall hairdo, there
Elvis changed rock n’ roll by selling a lot of records. “His records, 45 of which sold more than a million copies each, his 33 motion pictures, and his appearances on television and in live concerts made the young singer into a one-man industry who by the mid-1960’s was the highest paid performer in show business history.” (“Elvis Presley”.) Elvis records were so good that he sold more than a million copies of them. Elvis changed and influenced rock n’ roll history because he got more than fifty-thousand dollars a performance. He changed rock n’ roll history because he sold so many copies and because he was one of the highest paid performers.
In the 1950s, rock and roll was a new genre of music that combined the generally African American rhythm and blues and rockabilly music genres. Many teenagers did not want to listen to the music their parents were listening to, so they began to listen to other radio stations that featured rhythm and blues. The rise of rock and roll was partially due to the limited willingness to accept African American musicians, so record producers discovered white musicians and had them play the same style of music. The rise of rock and roll can also be traced back simply to the youth. Previously, music had never been targeted towards teenagers. There had been music targeted at adults and at young kids, but never for teenagers. Many teenagers had money and were a large consumer group, and record producers took notice of that. This is why popular rock and roll music themes included young love, freedom from the oppression of the middle-class society, and rebellion against authority. It also promoted sexuality, causing many adults to find rock and roll a threat to American society. But that did not stop the popularity of rock and roll. In fact, more than 68% of the music played on the radio in 1956 was rock and roll. Perhaps the most iconic rock and roll musician was Elvis Presley. If rock and roll music promoted sexuality, Elvis was seen as the biggest promoter of it. When Elvis guested on the widely popular Ed