Gender is a construct that that pertains to the idea of being male or female. In contemporary contexts, gender identity goes beyond the hegemonic qualities of masculinity (physical strength, dominance and a strong sex drive) and femininity (nurture, passivity and materialistic), and branches into non-binary territory. Popular music both reflects and affects the perception of gender in audiences and, in turn, general society, through the portrayal of traditional and alternative gender roles and traits. In the last fifty years, prominent figures in the genres of rock and pop music have toyed with gender representations and made statements upon the true meaning of them. Through the analysis of the ‘gender-bending’ David Bowie and Boy …show more content…
Much like the sports world, the genre thrived on the societal coding of traditional masculinity - strength, dominance and being driven by conquest. It’s interesting then that David Bowie, famous for pushing the boundaries of gender, was widely considered as a mentor to masculine society (Stevenson, 2009). Arguably, his most important lesson was his defiance of dominant forms of masculinity that had pushed men to be entirely independent, self-sufficient and deny their emotional needs. Stevenson’s (2009) study revealed that many men would turn to Bowie in times of emotional stress and turmoil, hereby influencing male audiences to reject the innately masculine denial of emotion. The musician had encouraged masculine identities to no longer suppress their anxieties, but rather embrace and actively resolve them.
Similarly, Bowie, along with peer Boy George, inspired a development of both masculine and feminine qualities within male audiences. Beyond their physical androgyny, the pair’s singing styles, “vulnerable and controversial” lyrical content, and non-traditional performance techniques contrasted the ‘norm’ of male presentation in popular music (Wood, 2003). Wood (2013) reports that audiences noted Bowie and George differed significantly from the stereotypical “American Marlboro Man” of their time. Boy George appeared as more of a “female diva”, using his clothing as a “sort of mask” to conceal his gender identity, while Bowie presented a progressive character
Black and white teenagers listen alike to rock music on the radio and attended clubs to hear it, together. Rock ‘n’ Roll’s roots helped accustom white teens to black music through the lenses of white, male vocalists—a normalcy to ground these drastic changes in race relations. The stars, like Elvis Presley—know for his sexual and riveting performances—began to blur the line between different forms of music and more importantly, black and white music.3 Rock ‘n’ Roll music was a blend of these two different cultures, demonstrating the enormous consumer power of this emerging youth culture and giving it the power to unite an entire
Director Sut Jhally, in his documentary film, “Dreamworlds 3: Desire, sex, and power in music videos”, analyzes the issue of how women are portrayed in the music world. Jhally, in his film argues how music and media has become a proud industry when it comes to advertising women, all for the benefit of popularity and record sales. Jhally believes these videos both inform and misinform our culture about our dominant attitudes regarding femininity masculinity, sexuality and race. He uses an empathetic tone in order to appeal to pathos, the feelings and experiences in women when he presents video clips that are somewhat offensive to watch as proof that women have become a common necessity shown in music videos. Often presented as being sexually aggressive and submissive, being objectified by men. He also intentionally wants to try to stir up emotions as he introduces song lyrics of women being called inappropriate names and images of women being fondled by men throughout the film. Sometimes, aggressively without consent.
In her article “The Venus Hip Hop and the Pink Ghetto: Negotiating Spaces for Women,” Imani Perry argues that the objectification of women in the music industry is normalized in our society. Her purpose is to persuade us that most feminists who fight against the objectification and exploitation of women are ultimately colonized by the sexual fantasies of men. As a law professor at Rutgers Law School, Perry structures her text in a very effective manner. Using a general-to-specific organization scheme, she begins by outlining the recurring image of sexualized women in music videos, then presenting various cases of prominent feminist figures in the music industry.
The controversial context that is often used in Hip-Hop sets the standard of what it means to be ‘masculine’ as an artist of the culture. Artist who does not display contentious lyrical content in their music may not receive as much notoriety in the industry. In today’s Hip-Hop culture, more ‘conscious’, ‘apathetically masculine’ artist like, J. Cole have become more in popular. Cole’s lyrics are a reflection of his adversities that he has endured during his lifetime. Cole’s inspirations behind his music does not stem from a place of violence or from his ability to accumulate wealth, but from his ability to overcome his hardships as a black man and fulfill his purpose in life.
Popular music is often one of the best lenses we have through which to view our own cultural orientation. Many of the artistic and experimental shifts in popular music have mirrored changes in our own society. For instance, the emergence of Elvis Presley as a public figure would signal the start of a sexual revolution and the growth in visibility of a rebellious youth culture. Similarly, the folk and psychedelic music of the 1960s was closely entangled with the Civil Rights, anti-war and social protest movements. In this regard, we can view popular music as an artifact through which to better understand the time and place in which it is produced. In light of this, the state of popular music today may suggest troubling things about our society.
Rock ‘n’ roll presented us with the emergence of a cultural phenomenon, which the book lays out for us. Altschuler sees rock as a “metaphor for integration, as the focal point for anxiety that cultural life in the U.S. had become “sexualized”, a catalyst
It is suggested that one of the reasons why artists use misogynistic lyrics in their music is that they have internalized the negative stereotypes about women that are prevalent in American society. African women were historically portrayed as animalistic sexual beasts and African males in a submissive role, giving in to wild instinct or bodily impulses. The internalization of such stereotypes may be a possible explanation of the hyper sexuality within certain hip hop music. Various authors have argued that misogyny is merely an outgrowth of the cultural acceptance of misogyny at large.
"I'm just an individual who doesn't feel that I need somebody to qualify my work in any particular way. I work for myself". Hi, I am David jones most commonly known as David Bowie. I was an English singer, songwriter, and actor. I was born on January 8th 1947 in Brixton London to mother Margaret Mary jones and farther Haywood Stenton jones. I had two sisters including Annette jones, Myra Ann burns and brother, terry burns. I first started my music career at age fifteen playing rock and roll based music at youth gatherings.I was a very well known, well loved music icon! But I played a major role in fashion as well.
The emergence of Rock and Roll was one of the most pivotal moments of our nation’s history. The impact that this genre of music made is still evident in our culture. However, before this genre was able to gain momentum, it faced many cultural conflicts. The book, All Shook Up: How Rock ‘N’ Roll Changed America by Glenn C. Altschuler analyzes the impact that rock and roll music has made on American culture. It explores how the Rock and Roll culture was able to roughly integrate and later conflict with preceding cultural values. This is especially apparent in chapters regarding race and sexuality. Overall, Rock and Roll was extremely controversial amongst parents and educators. This new music genre was condemned by the previous generation as
Throughout its history, music has permeated the significant events of American history. Its effect on American society and the way the American people cope with each event has only grown as popular music evolves and new genres reach more and more individuals. People can remember where they were and their exact surroundings to amazing detail when asked about life-changing events in history. Older generations will remember the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Their children will remember when Kennedy was assassinated and when man walked on the moon. Their grandchildren will remember much of the turmoil of the ‘70s and ‘80s and their great grandchildren grew up in the world impacted by the events of September 11, 2001. Even one’s surroundings during the start or end of a relationship or personal events such as graduation, getting a driver’s license, or getting married can all be paired with the music that was popular at the time.
Jessica Hopper, a music critic, as well as an author, shows the positive effect that controversy can have in art. In her excerpt “Rookie » Where the Girls Aren't”, Hopper talks about how emo bands discredit women and make them out to be heartbreakers of men. She says the bands give women no life and make them seem depressing. This controversy of women in regards to emo music has had a positive effect on Hopper. Hopper gained a better appreciation for music where girls are given life. Hopper talks about a Strike Anywhere show she attended where a band performed “Refusal”.
Music can have a big influence on society or a person individually, this can be because everyone has personal feelings and perceives music differently. For this song assignment I choose If I were a boy by Beyonce Knowles. I choose this song because of how gender is seen in society and the differences between men and women and it’s impact in our world. The reason this song makes me think in a sociological manner is because we as people don’t know what it is like to be one gender or the other. Also, there are differences between the genders and we blame society for creating these differences, however we don’t actually stop assuming or agreeing with these differences. I think that personally I don’t always understand how there is such a big difference
The 1980’s consisted of several historical events and societal changes that have been relived though the lyrics of many young hip-hop artists. Of the numerous genres of songs, hip-hop has been labeled as of the most relatable genres. During this 1980’s, many of the songs that were written by male hip-hop artist tend to focus on the relationship aspect of male and female interactions. This finding is similar to what was stated in Frith’s article (1986) that most successful pop songs were about being “happy in love” and “frustrated in love” as well as having a sex interest (p. 78). Instead of using derogatory terms to describe women, men felt the need to use more delicate and gentle terms. Through their music, artists portrayed women as individuals who provide love, support, happiness and fulfillment to a man’s life. Furthermore, male artists portrayed themselves as men who weren’t afraid to express their emotions, admit their dependency on women, and their willingness to do what it takes to keep a woman. There were no signs of hypermasculinity or dominance in the first few songs
. During the 1980s, the way Americans perceived homosexuality, race, and violence was challenged. In response, Prince’s eccentric and extravagant music style and attire dismantled conventional gender barriers of what it meant to be masculine and feminine in American society. Therefore, his musical creations set an example by pushing the limits of authenticity and self-expression. Prince’s fearless dedication to breaking down conventional expectations of style, music, gender norms, and conformity can be seen in his vocals, instrument choice, and lyrics. In the late 1980s, Prince was a music icon who blended funk, soul, pop, and hip-hop and presented his work in an androgyny atmosphere to advocate for racial and gender equality. His musical creations and appearance had disrupted the societal confines that fenced in the minority groups and pushed the limits of what it meant to be a black man. Prince’s distinct attire, extravagant performances, and persona helped contribute to a new music era of funk-rock and challenged the taboo concepts of the 1980’s. Prince’s musical work impacted society by encouraging wildly free and creative behavior during a time where it was not acceptable to be who you were. In this paper, I will analyze the auditory significance of two of Prince’s songs: “If I was your girlfriend” (1987) and “I Would Die 4 U” (1984). Analysis for both songs were based on music videos and a scene from Prince’s film, Purple Rain. In addition to these songs, Prince’s
When one hears the word “feminist”, many different things may come to mind. One may think of the “bra burning” feminists of the 1960s or the “riot grrrl” feminists of the 1990s. It can bring to mind issues such as abortion, birth control, and unfair wages. There are many different aspects of feminism, some of which are understood only by those involved in the movement. But like most things people are passionate about, feminism has held a strong place in music since its very beginning, and can be seen in its festivals, its politics, and in the average American’s everyday life.