The emergence of Rock and Roll in the 1950s marked a pivotal moment in American history, as it challenged racial segregation and fostered a common culture among teenagers of all races. African-American music genres such as jazz, blues, and R&B played a significant role in breaking down racial barriers and promoting tolerance among the youth. In this essay, we will explore the impact of Rock and Roll on race relations in the 1950s and the role it played in creating a shared cultural experience for teenagers. By the mis-1900s, racial segregation had become deeply entrenched in American life.
Rock and Roll was a very popular cultural aspect of the 50s. It originated from African American culture then the whites interpreted it. One of the first singers to do this was the very king of rock and roll himself, Elvis Presley. Many adults hated this new music and wanted to ban it. A huge part of it was censored, for example on the Ed Sullivan show, Elvis had to wear a tuxedo and wasn’t allowed to dance because his moves were “sexually inappropriate”.
As decades go by different style of genres have been in demand, in this case the 1950’s through to the New Millennium will be outlines. The music of the 1950’s brought on new beginning of social changes around the world. Through the fifty’s Rock and Roll and R&B ruled the charts; other popular genres include Country, Jazz, Blues and Rhythm & Blues. Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Buddy Holly were known as the most popular artist through the fifty’s (The People History 2015).
Rock and roll has changed tremendously over the years. Usually an electric guitar would guide the melody over the song's length, "The melody was clearly laid down with an electric guitar," Gale in context. As time went on, the songs changed, as did the people who played them. Now rock and roll has evolved to something much different than it was then. This essay will dig up the music of the generations past and see how the songs were then.
In a time of economic prosperity, a rise in the standard of living and rock and roll, also known as the “happy days”, the 1950s were a time looked back on with nostalgia. On the other hand, the 1950s were also met with many problems involving civil rights, the Cold War and McCarthyism. After the end of World War II, Americans came home to jobs available and a period of consensus. Consensus meaning there wasn’t much debate in politics. However tensions quickly rose throughout the nation when Joseph McCarthy made serious accusations about the State Department.
Rock and roll inspired music overtook Britain in the 1950s and early 60s. The emerging artists and bands that came to be known as the British Invasion completely altered British economics and culture, as well as the way Britain was viewed by the rest of the world. This becomes obvious when one examines the drastic changes in the British music industry and the way British youth behaved, dressed, and expressed themselves. Britain, following the tumult of the two world wars, was a country desperate to evolve, and British Invasion music was the spark that ignited this process of change. After World War II, Great Britain did not look at all like a victorious nation.
Rock music in the 1960s was egalitarian, eclectic, and real based on a number of reasons. To explain the 'real' piece of rock music in the 1960s, one would have to know that there was war going on overseas that didn't make sense to Americans as to why it was going on (the Vietnam war). There was also still severe inequality between blacks and whites causing protests to occur via the Civil Rights movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There was inequality between women and mens rights. These issues caused dissatisfaction to occur in the American people.
Most of the music made during the 1960s characterized the dissatisfaction of American youth with the escalation of America’s involvement in the Vietnam conflict. Rock ‘n’ Roll music became an anthem of the American youth as they demonstrated their anti-establishment and anti-war sentiment. Tensions were high between the U.S. and Soviet Union. The United States got involved in Vietnam after France lost control over the communist revolutionaries. Out of fear that communist influence would spread, the war eventually escalated under the control of president Johnson.
The Golden Age was during the 1920s and 1930s, certain characteristic musical structures and styles of performance dominated popular songs. Professional tunesmiths wrote some of the most influential and commercially successful songs of the period. The potential for fame and financial success on a previously unknown scale lured composers and lyricists with diverse skills and backgrounds such as Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin. The emphasis of form is that song forms were inherited from the nineteenth century. In the song “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair”, the structure AABA was its form.
In the 50’s the most popular music genre was R&B and Rock ‘n’ Roll. However even though many people loved to listen to this music it caused more problems than necessary. “Some people believed that the popularization of R&B and Rock ‘n’ Roll put a huge gap between the Americans and African American and made the Civil Rights worse than it should have been” (Pearson, “Music Played in the 1950's Popular Music From the 50s.” The People History, ). The 50’s was filled with many genres of music like Rock ‘n’ Roll, Country, Pop, and R&B.
In the mid 1950s, American culture drastically changed with the introduction of a new style of music: Rock and Roll. A hybrid of blues, gospel, white country, and folk music, Rock’s novelty intrigued everyone. For young people, Rock and Roll, “not only move[d] the feet, but the spirit as well”. Youth identified themselves with rock as it gave them a sense of identity in a hectic society. Through Rock, teenagers became their own demographic, rising as one of the top consumers in the America.
The 1950s marked a significant era in American history, marked by economic prosperity and cultural transformation. One of the most significant aspects of this period was the emergence of rock music as a dominant
Have you ever wondered how are new music trends developed? Pop music started with the music style of Rock. Rock ‘n’ Roll was very popular to teenagers in the 50s. This style is even popular still to this day. The music of the 1950s had a huge influence on the American Culture.
Jazz music began in black communities in the South in the early 1900s. It fused African and European styles. By 1950s a jazz style called Dixieland was popular in US and Europe. Bebop music which began in the 1940s became an accepted part of jazz in the 1950s. The most influentials are: saxophonist Charlie Parker, pianists Thelonius Monk and Bud Powell, trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis and drummer Max Roach (Lindop and Sarah 106).
Without Rock and Roll, many genres of music would never have emerged, such as: garage rock, pop rock, blues rock, and psychedelic rock. Although rock no longer rules popular music, the styles of the 1960’s still appeal to the ears of those born long after. The utopian frenzy of rock defined the music of that era, and to this day continues to structure the music we call Rock and Roll
