Looking back on how music became what it is today, there are many significant influences through culture, society, and even religion. One particular impact that changed how the US perceives the rock music genre, is the British Invasion. Ties can be made to today’s music as well, elaborating into the newly popular Adele, Ed Sheeran, Mumford and Sons, and One Direction along with many other UK comrades. But what exactly is the British Invasion and how do these events actually tie into popular music in the United States at our current point in music?
The British Invasion marks a historical time in the world of music. Society was rapidly changing and means of what was “socially acceptable” played a huge part in music how we know it today. Starting in the 1060’s bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Animals were just the people to start a revolution of music in the United States. According to Kenneth Olwig, author of “The ‘British Invasion’: the ‘new’ cultural geography and beyond”, “It took a British group to teach American musicians about the vitality of American Rock and Roll as a contemporary, largely urban, phenomena” (Olwig 2010). This statement brings to attention the British attitude towards the situation. In some ways they could have been perceived as somewhat naive, but the fact brought forth is actually a valid statement. British influences actually were what took American music from jazz to a more beat-pronunciated style like Rock and Roll. One