Influence of Music Paper
The different types of music genres have helped shape American culture and society and its social behavior of Americans. As time moves on and cultures change, so does the music and what it stands for. Music may sound and be different around the world, but its most common purpose it’s to bring individuals together. It seems that music, more than anything else, ties people together and tears them apart. Each culture around the world has caused music in general to evolve uniquely to each society. As society changes and grows, so will our music and what we believe in. Music has given American culture its values, the way that jazz, blues, and R&B created rock & roll, music created American culture that naturally has an influence on other cultures. It is an argument of whether music affects society or if society is reflected through music towards social behavior. It can also be said that any one type of music can influence society. For instance, a society can become more modernized such as individuals expanding their methods of playing musical instruments. Or as technology becomes more advanced with the digital era, individuals can listen to music on MP3 players, Ipads, cell phones or radio’s anywhere and anytime becoming more convenient. In today’s society, people have the right to choose what they want to listen to. This includes wide variety of styles or to even focus on one genre, depending on the musical qualities that appeal to them. Media, such as radio, TV and movies can influence and change pop culture and these movements are arguably the best representations of how this era was and still influencing everyday life.
Music has a way in affecting the change in society. During the 1930s and World War II, the biggest resource historians use to analyze that popular culture would be the radio. Radios finest years were during this decade due in huge part to the Great Depression. A large amount of talk shows and variety shows started appearing, as well as the start of radio comedy. These comedian shows such as The Eddie Cantor Variety Show, aired 1931-1934, proved to be large impacts on the culture and changed the everyday American language, thoughts, and cultural perceptions. A great example of how music affected society is the popularity of folk music in the 1960’s. The Civil Rights Movement in the 1950’s was in full swing while the Vietnam War was happening. Naturally, when a culture becomes aware of radical changes that awareness gives way through expression. (Music) Woody Guthrie, who was a songwriter and folk singer, had begun writing protest music and songs in support of the popular movements of that era. Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, who were also folk singer, did this as well. Music was not only a way for expressing yourself, but also a way to inspire and have listeners react by taking action on what was happening. The music typically embodied idealistic thinking, shunning capitalism and material comforts. (Music) The American people, particularly adolescents, had showed different likeable responses to this particular genre of music. Shying away from the softer side of the 1950’s, there was a trend going toward individuality, expression and freedom. Generally speaking, ethnic, natural fabrics and hand woven or embroidered clothes became popular; the youth became more open about their experimentation with drugs and sex along with an unruly rejection of powered structures and authority. (Music) Music is a big part of the American culture. It can define a person by expressing themselves in life, family and love. Music has become such a huge influence on society through political movements in many people in American culture.
Among adolescents, music is particularly a moving motivator toward behavior. One should not underestimate the power of music because of the Limbic (emotional) system of the brain, even though slower that other parts, overwhelms all of the other parts because of the power of emotion. (Aung, 2004) It is also assumed that someone can judge a person’s reference in music just by the way they act or dress. Or that it dictates how individuals carry themselves. Attitudes have a powerful affect on behavior such as in music. As humans, we all act and behave in certain ways at different times and in different places. As music has changed through out the years, musicians have become non tense with the messages that they have sending out to the public. Toward industry applied ratings, the music business ahs been unresponsive. Parental advisories were copied onto CD albums without the lyrics in places that could be viewed on the album itself. The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has limits on what can be broadcasted over the air. The way music becomes popular from being sold, is through airplay. Society cannot expect a system to be assembled that will perfectly protect individuals. Individuals could protect themselves and by becoming aware of how these media changes change and affect them. By making choices of wither or not individuals themselves want this done to them, they can actively understand what the system is doing and how they are doing.