The Impact Of Teenagers In The 1950's

Music was a part of everyday life for teenagers as well as their parents. As teenagers were given more opportunities in the decisions they were making for their own futures, they also thought they should have the opportunity to listen to whatever music they wanted to. Elvis Presley became very popular during this time period and many of the teens began to imitate him in their daily lives, (Mathieson). With these actions happening, it

Rock and roll helped break many people out of the pre-war mindset and into a new, fresh one. Although many adults detested rock, the younger generation felt that it symbolized a break from the war and the “age of anxiety” that the previous World War had caused. In addition, it promoted a promiscuous lifestyle that celebrated sex and drugs. Rock and roll seemed to be associated with this because many of the “rock stars” endorsed in a loose and laidback standard of living. Because many of the performers practiced recreational drug use, followers felt compelled to do so as well, feeling that that way of life was acceptable. Rock and roll was thought to be outlandish, primarily because of the performers’ gyrating and grinding of their hips, their suggestive lyrics, and rebellious undertones that provoked erotic senses in teenagers and upset parents. Rock and roll was said to establish a sense of identity and power in teenagers, mostly because of the new energy that came from the new style of music. Rock music was seen as satanic by the older generation because it seemed to lead to the

Rock and roll music emerged as a part of American teen culture during the notably conservative time period in the country’s history which shortly followed the traumatic events of World War II. Being that the genre’s target audience was white teenagers, many Americans- already overwhelmed and on-edge due to the anti-communist movement inspired by the Cold War- were apprehensive about the influence that this up-and-coming style of music might have on their country’s future. America’s youth openly accepted rock and roll’s racially integrated culture of performers and embraced the relatively lewd nature of many songs and performances associated with the genre, much to the dismay of their elders.

Now a days, we are used to shocking lyrics and eye catching looks. It seems that every artist now is fighting to be so different that everyone is drawn to them. It was not always like this. In the late nineties and early two-thousands, most artists tried to fit in with the other blonde, processed pop stars that the industry was spitting out. When there was an artist who was not always happy and did sing about PG rated topics, they were blamed for what was wrong with the world, especially teenagers. In his article ‘I’d Sell You Suicide: Pop Music and Moral Panic in the Age of Marilyn Manson”, Robert Wright delves into and debunks claims that rock music, especially that of Marilyn Manson, is a main cause for teenage suicide.

The music of the “swinging 60s”especially influenced the lives of many teenagers, with the rock ’n’ roll craze of the 50s still

In the 1920’s this gap became more of a chasm as the nation’s youth entered the Jazz age, adopting the new styles of music and dress that accompanied it. Women wore shorter skirts, smoked, drove cars, and sported new haircuts, and men went to new jazz clubs that played edgy music that was good for dancing. Overall the new lifestyle was a complete departure from the Victorian mode of living that preceded it, and it was rejected by the older generation as energetically it was embraced by youth. In the 1950’s a similar change took place as parents allowed their children to have more freedom, and religion was not as strictly enforced. The widespread availability of automobiles allowed teenagers to travel around more than they ever had, and the automobile provided teenagers a new place to be free from the observation of their parents, which enabled many new activities, like petting. Just as the youth of the 1920’s had Jazz music, teenagers in the 50’s began to bother their parents by listening to Rock ‘n’ Roll music, whose stars included the scandalous Elvis Presley and even African-American stars like Little Richard, showing that the music allowed youth to transcend race. Just as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literature alarmed more conservative Americans with its description of the popular culture of the time, literature during the 50’s was similarly troubling, dealing with themes of

This reference shows how music lays a foundation of teenage values beyond school or parental teaching. A musical artist can influence a young mind by the chosen lyrics with greater effectiveness than formal education. Music can control or enhance moods. A good mood can get better or a bad mood can be worked through with the choice of music. A bad mood can also be enhanced by lyrics about suicide or violent behavior. Teens can also use music to gain information about the adult world, to withdraw from social contact, facilitate friendships and social settings, or to help them create a personal identity. (O'Toole, 1997)

The problems teenagers in the 1960s versus teenagers today are both similar but also different in several ways. The first and most extreme difference would have to be social media and its effect on the people that choose to abuse it. Social media when used as a negative venue for manipulation or bullying can have devastating outcomes to those made a target. An example of Cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumor sent by email, or posted on social networking about the victim. However, teenagers in the 1960s faced different forms of peer pressure, such as, the need to belong to a certain clique or social group. The means they chose a lot of the time resulted in physical violence to prove their loyalty to pledged groups. The similarities

As a result cultural industries saw fit to move in and make profit from this reality by offering a form of escapism through music. Music mainly Rhythm and Blues was expressing the experiences of young teenagers. Teenagers no longer upheld the values and message that their parents and schools were promoting. This created conflict between the cultural industries who were promoting the pleasures of consumption with the traditional view of educational demands. This was seen to be the background formation and experience for rock n roll. It was due to the experiences of teenagers that Rock n roll formed. Rock n roll is due to Presley etc.

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

Teenagers are more than capable of achieving great tasks in the future as well as causing great destruction with every skill stapled in their mind as they grow. Good and evil will determine the effects of which path a young mind its taught so that’s why parents must educated well with good intensions for a better future. The age of a teenager shows history how it transformed the world including the United States by family values, the high school, and dangerous adolescences etc. What teenagers did was start a fashion changing the world and its rules, becoming rebellious toward their parents values for

Youth culture in the nineteen fifties was a time that opened up the world to be integrated for whites and blacks. In this paper the fifties are analyzed through the clothing, styles, cars, family life, and most importantly entertainment.

Teen culture in the 1950’s took off with the introduction of “Rock ‘N Roll”. An estimated 13 million teens spent $7 billion in 1956.(5) Teens felt free to do whatever they wanted, but that was not totally true. There were many common rules for the teen society in the 1950’s. Some of the rules were: Obey authority, control your emotions, and don’t even think about sexual intercourse.(Silverman 6)

As the decades change so do the teens. Teenagers from the 1960’s won’t exactly have the same ways of thinking or ways of speaking. The way of life back then was completely different and that has an impact on teens today. Old ways are thrown out and newer ones are brought in, attitudes change. Advance technology changes the way we interact with others compared to the 1960’s. The health concerns may or may not be the same as the health concerns in the year 2014. With teens changing constantly, how will the next generation of teens be like?

Rock and roll has developed a long way throughout the years from a dance craze in the 1950’s to a political and cultural landscape that is recognized worldwide. Rock and roll has come to define the roots of teenage rebellion, people who don’t follow the norms, and have disrespect for authority. The style of rock and roll itself is a melting pot of music, a combination of sounds that include jazz, country, blues, ragtime, gospel, swing, classical, and ethnic music. It can be a simple variation of three chords to a complex chromatic scale combination. It can convey emotions such as love, hate, fear, lust, sadness, joy, disillusion, or a strong sense of reality. Many things can be said about rock but the fact is that it is the most widely