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Popular Music In The 1950s

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Today’s Music
Although sixty years has gone by and culture has changed tremendously, popular songs today can thread through some of the similar themes seen in the 1950s. Back then, most popular songs were upbeat and trying to get the crowd moving. Having fun, letting loose, and rebelling against strict rules were important messages the big artists would sing about in the fifties time period, when being a teen was revolutionized. Rock and roll was emerging and teens loved the new feel of music that allowed for freedom without conformity of adulthood. Of course, some music established today continues the trend of teenage rebellion, including early 2000 hits such as Good Charlotte’s, The Anthem and Eminem’s, The Way I Am (Marshall). The theme …show more content…

The recent and highlighted topic across multiple artists is self worth. Between hip-hop’s Feeling Myself sung by Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé, country (at the time)’s Stay Beautiful by Taylor Swift, and pop’s Who Says and Confident by Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato, respectively, self-respect for the individual listener is emphasized throughout (Davis). Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful features a chorus composed of lyrics intended for a self esteem boost, “I am beautiful, No matter what they say, Words can’t bring me down” (Metro Lyrics). Because of the new pressures of today’s societies that were non-existent in pop culture of the 1950s, empowerment, especially in females, is a new focal point in popular music. Beyoncé’s Run The World (Girls) and Flawless, Jordin Sparks’ I Am Woman, and Alicia Key’s Girl On Fire really emphasize female independence and success. Beyoncé sings the lyrics, “Disrespect us, no they won’t” in her 2011 hit, Run The World (Girls), while Jordin Sparks sings “I am woman, Ain’t nobody else can do it quite like, like we can” throughout I Am Woman (VEVO, YouTube). Both lines are repetitive during the songs and encourage women supremacy in present day’s

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