1960's Influence On American Culture

The 1960’s were all about change- new ideas, new sounds, new people- and those changes had an unprecedented impact on American culture, as well as many other cultures. This era was one of the most influential times in American history because of it’s remembrance, the musical influence (politically and generally), and because celebrities/artists from this time immensely impacted the way our society and music is as a whole. The late 1960’s is a key contributor to the fundamental character of late twentieth-century culture, and is a central aspect of the way in which this booming era is remembered. “Through their various accomplishments and their role as counter-cultural icons, musicians from this time are not only revered, but are still celebrated

This created a boom in the population curve of America, where millions of babies were born in a span of 5 to 10 years, and by the time these babies were grown up and out of school, they went to the marketplace and found a whole new type of music. The music from this era is characterized as the cultural heritage of the baby-boomer generation, and has immense influence on various other national identities. For baby-boomer and younger generations alike, this decade is “perceived as a golden age of popular music, full of musical experimentation and development” (Hoeven 262), and “American society would suddenly find itself catering to a generation of young people in a way that had never occurred before” (Madani 1). This was a time of great change in American society. The young people ruled the nation, and as a result, music was catered to what they wanted and needed to hear. To elaborate, many artists influenced and changed the type of music that was being heard in the 60’s. Artists such as Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, and many more, greatly contributed to anti-war movements of the time, “feel-good” music, and rock n’ roll in general. For example, Bob Dylan was “probably the most influential songwriter of the decade” (“1960’s Famous People- Entertainers and Artists”). He was one of the first rock artists to inject political and social commentary into his lyrics.

They were unique in many and ever-growing ways. For British audiences and American audiences alike, they embodied something immensely unprecedented in the twentieth century. To fully understand the Beatles and their work, “one must consider them as a 1960’s phenomenon, for they mirrored and epitomized so much that has come to be associated with that dramatic decade” (“The Beatles”); for they did not win, but they changed the game entirely. Through their distinctive accents and opposition to this class-conscious society, they demonstrated that English culture is not solely confined to the United Kingdom. Regardless of the common musical image of the time, The Beatles proved that anyone with talent could successfully and professionally demand national attention. Furthermore, the members of the band were all born in Liverpool, England, and were all close in age. “George Harrison (born 1943), John Lennon (born 1940), Paul McCartney (born 1942), and Ringo Starr (born 1940)” (“The Beatles”), all met at a garden festival in 1955 and from then on they thrived. They soon became known as the “British invasion,” and killed off almost all of the existing American groups. They were widely popular throughout their careers and “At one point they had the top five records on the Billboard Hot 100 list,” and “Their sound and attitude influenced everything that came