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The 1950s had many types popular music with Rock n' Roll being the most influential on the nations youth. Elvis Presley was the greatest Rock n' Roll star and was a symbol of youth rebellion. He was an American singer, actor, and best known as the king of rock n' roll. His successful performances in a variety a genres made him the most popular performer of his day and one of the most influential figures in pop-culture history. "Elvis Presley's 1956 appearance on TV's Ed Sullivan Show touched off a frenzy of teen adulation - and a flood of letters from parents scandalized by his 'gyrations'" (Norton, Mary Beth. Chapter 25: America at Midcentury 1945-1960. In A People & A Nation, p. 767). Other famous and influential singers were Bill
Haley and the Comets, Little Richard, and Buddy Holly. Rock n' Roll was a cross between both African American and and White culture, but during that time both cultures were still divided. Blues also had a major influence on Americans in the 1950s with stars such as Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry. During the 1950s, a youth culture developed that was distinct from the culture of adults. "Its customs and rituals were created within peer groups and shaped by national media - teen magazines, movies, radio, advertising, music - targeted toward this huge potential audience" (Norton, Mary Beth. Chapter 25: America at Midcentury 1945-1960. In A People & A Nation, p. 767). Movies were also very influential in the 1950s. Films such as Rebel Without a Cause featuring James Dean had a huge impact on teens. James Dean's rebellious look was a huge fashion trend among teenage boys. "Movies helped shape teen fads and fashions, but nothing defined youth culture as much as its music" (Norton, Mary Beth. Chapter 25: America at Midcentury 1945-1960. In A People & A Nation, p. 767). Conformity was a major trend in the 1950s, which was based on values of the broad middle-class which were mostly democratic views. Non-conformity was also a major trend, which is acting differently in a society where everyone has similar ethics and behaviors. Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, and Elvis Presley rebelled against conformity and influenced the youth of the 1950s to "rebel".
The power of television is strong and inevitable. Television has the ability to draw people in and view the world through a perspective one would think unimaginable. After the second world war ended in 1945, electronic sales boomed and more families started to gather around the tv at night to view widely famous television shows. Specifically, The Ed Sullivan Show was known for its plethora of celebrities and up and coming entertainers. The shows popularity was able to take a small town artist and make he or she into an enormous success, specifically, Elvis Presley who was, “something new under the Sun” (Altschuler 30). Teenagers, however, viewed the television as an escape and a look into the unknown and intriguing world of African American culture. Through the extreme recognition of The Ed Sullivan Show, the power of mass media and the fascination with African American culture, Elvis Presley’s success skyrocketed and made him one of the most famous performers of all time whose fame became an inspiration for many.
Elvis Presley was able to capture the essence of African American rhythm and blues yet modify them in a way to appeal to a large white audience, however he added a lot of sexual hip gyrations which drove young fans wild and gained parents disapproval (Charlton). When he performed on Ed Sullivan the 60 million people who tuned in that night saw those, now famous, dance moves which resulted in CBS only filming him from the waist up in his next two appearances (Ed Sullivan). Overall Presley established the foundation of rock and roll but the Beatles took it to the next level. Debuting in 1964 on Ed Sullivan, The Beatles broke the stereotypical rock and roll image by dressing in suits with mop-top haircuts, and writing songs not just to dance to but that also had personal and relevant meaning (Sneed). With an audience of 73 million The Beatles impact was nothing less than huge (Ed Sullivan). The Rolling Stones, were the next British band to invade American however they were quite different than their predecessor. They exposed the rebellious side of rock and roll by representing a "bad boy" image and using rhythm and blues, American country music, soul music, and reggae elements in their songs (Charlton). The Ed Sullivan Show helped launch and continue the success of these performers and
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
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.
Two of the biggest names of 1950s music are Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. These men helped the music industry become what it is today. Cash did it with a deep, genuine, southern voice, while Presley had the women swoon over him for his quick feet, charisma, and smooth voice.
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.
In addition to the 23 albums (counting soundtracks and separate US and UK releases) released during the band's life (1960-1970) there have been more than 150 compilations, recorded interviews and videos issued. Hundreds of books have been written about their personal lives, their music, and their influence on pop culture and rock
The Effects of Race Music on Rock and Roll “African Americans invented rock and roll,” noted a prominent American historian. “Without their musical contributions, we would not have the genre.” Based on what you’ve learned in History 105 about the origins and the first decade of Rock and Roll in the United States, is this an accurate statement? Why or why not? Rock and Roll is a genre of popular music that originated in the United States of America during the late 1940s and early 1950s.
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.
The number of American troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq between 2001 and 2012 was 6,488. The number of American women murdered by a current or past partner during that time was 11,766 almost twice the amount of people we lost to war. However, this does not just affect women. 1 in 4 women will be victims of severe violence in their lifetime, but 1in 7 men will be, too. In this paper, I propose that popular culture contributes to the high rate of domestic abuse in the United States. I will prove this by analyzing popular music, movies, and even looking at the news in today’s culture. I will make connections with today’s culture and the high rate of domestic violence in the United States. Then I will talk about how popular culture can change
Elvis Aaron Presley, born on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi, grew up listening to gospel music of the Pentecostal church (rockhall 1). Presley “was the guy the guys wanted to be, and the guy girls wanted to date” (Di Luca 1). He influenced fashion, American dance, music, and became one of first rock and roll sensations. As Di Luca states in his article, “His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions,” (1). Presley had a major lasting impact on fashion, American dance and sexuality, and music.
Pop culture means many different things to many different people. Pop culture is a form of entertainment that is consumed by mass amounts of people. Some forms of pop culture include; television, movies, music, songs, popular tendencies trendy clothing etc. One way you can view pop culture is political. Pop culture and politics go hand and hand when it comes to one making decisions. Whether that decision is watching the six o’clock news on your favorite news casting network, or who you vote for in the next primary election. Pop culture can influence our identities and the way we perceive ourselves without use even knowing it at times.
By the age of 21, Elvis had already made his first appearance on national television, Presley had become one of the most famous people on the planet following a year of that date.¹ Symbol of rebelliousness, good spirit and youthfulness, Elvis had changed the face of American musical culture simply by his enchanting personality, his acceptance and integration of black music into mainstream music and thus led the way for artists like Little Richard and Al Green to perforate in the music industry. Also, upon his death, President Carter remarked Elvis on the immense legacy he left behind. His image, voice, body, talent and name remain today as key elements to the maturation and enrichment of the American public's taste in music, men, fashion, language and attitude. ¹ Composers and various artists of other genres like Bob Dylan and Leonard Bernstein, began to inspire themselves and wonder at him for the innovative pulse he stirred in a seemingly dull American culture at the time.
The United States of America in the 1950s was a time of prosper for its citizens (U.S.). Recent wars in Europe made many Europeans want American made goods, which fueled the American economy (U.S.). In the mid-1950s, the new President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a “War Hero”, was elected (U.S.). The booming economy led to new technology, such as the television (U.S.). Media in the 1950s was being consumed by the young adults and teenagers. The new and exciting pastime for teenagers was the new music genre rock and roll (U.S.). Rock and roll artists such as Elvis Presley became the stars of 1950s media (U.S.). Not everyone liked the idea of rock and roll though. The older members of society believed rock and roll to be “Satan’s Music” (U.S.). The joy of living in the U.S.A in the 1950s however; was not shared by...
Popular culture has given people the opportunity for people to have a chance to shine, and many have had their lives changed. For example, when American Idol had launched in 2002, the winner, Kelly Clarkson, had her chance to shine for the entire time she was competing and eventually won the competition. Her success provided her with the ability perform not only nationwide, but also worldwide. But how exactly does popular culture enable Filipino Americans to have a chance at success? In order to answer that question, one must look for the means which drive them to popular culture. Although Filipino Americans were involved in the community, nevertheless they chose to get involved in popular culture, which gives them success. Through popular