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Rock N Roll On American Culture

Decent Essays

Music is often considered “the universal language.” Throughout history, it has symbolized love, brought people together, and mobilized millions. In the 1950s, a new form of music entered the American music industry that drastically changed the culture of the United States (U.S.): rock music. In the U.S., it began as rock ‘n’ roll, an originally “black” music genre that was then taken and promulgated by white Americans. After World War II (WWII), many Americans—especially teenagers—struggled with the newfound societal conformity and normalcy, and rock provided them with a form of rebellion. From its beginning, rock united the younger generation of Americans, stirring up a sense of community a new values amongst teenagers—heightening the already …show more content…

Before the 1960s, black artists were largely ignored, and black music frequently only gained popularity if a white artist covered it.4 The Motown Record Company, located in Detroit, turned this all on its head. Motown’s owner, Berry Gordy Jr. groomed and prepared his company’s artists for mainstream success by studying successful white artists, polling on the street for interest in certain sounds, and having “Quality Control,” in which every song had to be approved by Gordy and a panel of other company members.5 Motown, also known as “Hitsville USA,” helped stars like Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and William “Smokey” Robinson make it big in an industry where white individuals dominated. Moreover, the “British Invasion” of the 1960s, in which British Rock bands such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones captured the hearts of millions of Americans, led not only to a decrease in the former national sentiment of U.S. superiority, but also, increased respect for black music.6 Musicians like the Beatles—who initially covered black American artists’ songs such as Anna (Go to Him) by Arthur Alexander—claimed that American rock ‘n’ roll served as a initial model for their music.7 This led to a small but meaningful increase in the credibility of black artists in the U.S. music scene as Americans began questioning the importance of an artist’s

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