The Impact of Rock and Roll in the United States

Context

Music is and has always been a reflection of the

society and culture from which it originates. It

would be fair to say that while music has a huge

social influence and helps shapes society, society

in turn shapes and influences the music. Indeed,

they are reflections of one another.

Wars

Cold War:

-Korean War (1950-1953)

-Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Economy Capitalism and Consumerism

-Unemployment and Inflation low

-Wages high

-Middle-class

SocietyPost-war Booms

-Baby Boom

-Moving to the Suburbs

-Juvenile Delinquency

Civil Rights Movement -Brown v. Board of Education case (1954)

-Rosa Parks (1955)

Technology

-Television set

-Transistor Radios and Car Radios

-Phonographs

-Singles

-

Jukebox

-Electric Guitar

Fashion

1950s – Teenagers were the driving force behind fashion

Before 1950s – fashion houses catered to the adult market

Cinema, TV, Rock and Roll – ‘style of the stars’

Teenagers increased the buying power

Women’s fashion in the 1950sFull skirts in bright colours

Skirts and pants

Tight-fitting

blouses

Poodle skirts Accesorie

s

Men’s fashion in the 1950s

Leather boots

White t-shirt

Jeans

Teddy Boy style

Winklepickers

Slicked back

'duck tail' hair style

Long sideburns

Dance styles

After WWII from dance bands to concerts in night clubs

Teens – didn't want to dance like their parents they invented a wide range of steps

Elvis Presley – hip-swinging

TV – local stations hired radio DJs

Bandstand (1952) – new dances appear: The Stroll, The Bop, The Hand Jive, The Jitterbug.

Racial Equality

Segregation between blacks and whites – a given in the US

After WWII - Americans – more open to change in response to the violence and tension during the war Rock & Roll – music reflected the environment of integration

Elvis Presley Whiteification

“How better to understand what is unknown to you than by

appreciation for the emotional experiences of other people? And

how better are these emotions portrayed than by music?”

Bertrand, Michael T. Race, Rock, and Elvis. University of Illinois Press (2000)

Freedom of expression and

sexuality

• R&R became one of the most influential and popular forms of

music in American history.

• Affected the youth’s actions and words.

• Rise of a rebellious youth culture.

Elvis and his pelvis

• Sexuality openly expressed

• Public view of women

• Playboy Magazine

• Delinquency (Rebel without a cause, 1955)

American youth situation

Significant singers

Adulthood vs. Youth

• Adults Frank Sinatra, Perri Como• Young people wanted something new• R&R marked the difference between

adults and teens.• Horrified adults and parents noise

that had a negative influence teens. “Satanic”

• For the 1st time, adolescents had their own music

Radio Stations

• “Black" radio stationsRhythm and Blues (R&B), new for white teens

• To keep the white audience they needed to broadcast and promote something like R&B

RESULT

simple, blues-based structure, fast, sexy, catchy and easily danced

and with excitement

• Prosperity of the era gave teens money to spend on records and

phonographs

• Radio in cars

• Different radio stations for different

audiences

• R&R defined the difference between

youth and adulthood

Rock and roll is the most brutal, ugly, degenerate, vicious form of expression — lewd, sly, in plain fact, dirty — a rancid-

smelling aphrodisiac and the martial music of every side-burned delinquent on

the face of the earth.

– Frank Sinatra (1957)

Rock ‘n’ Roll was here to stay