The Rise of Rock and Roll: Transforming Post-WWII American Society

Abstract

Rock and Roll One can define rock and roll as a rhythm and blues style of music. Its dances and curves are simple, with an accompaniment of simple instruments. It is a music genre that emerged in the 1950s by black artists, with its acceptance defined by its massive black listeners. It is a music genre whose popularity started way back in the mid-twentieth century and became the world's dominant form of popular music by the end of the 20th century. However, analyzing how rock and roll reflect the new America that emerged after the Second World War will help understand what its resistance signified regarding the newly embraced pop culture and its effects on society in the 1960s. The African-American artists and listeners serve as prominent pioneers of the rock and roll music genre; however, after its emergence and acceptance by black society, who passed on its approval to the white American. Both the white and African-American teens enjoyed the rock and roll music genre, which enhanced its popularity and acceptance amongst American society and the world by the end of the 20th century. To this effect, rock and roll played a significant role in changing American society's lifestyles, fashion, language, and attitudes after WWII. Not to forget, since almost all American youths accepted the genre, one cannot ignore its role in the civil rights movement. Paying close attention to rock and roll contributions in changing American society's lifestyle, fashion, language, and attitude, it is imperative to understand the main message that the music aimed at passing on to its target audiences. It is a genre whose message remained coined around cars, dating, clothing, and school. To this effect, the new America embraced the new message that these artists aimed at communicating to them, which significantly changed their old American ways of living and viewing things. It is a music genre that was a new generation of music and a genre that created a new generation. What does such a statement imply? Simple, the emergence and popularity of rock and roll music had a transformative effect on American society. It encouraged most American youths to break out from the conservative American molds and embrace a new phase of life that enhances unity and cooperation regardless of color, race, or gender. Since the genre remained loved by the whites and African American youths, its message had a transformative effect on both classes of colors representing this great nation (Calhoun, 2018). Though the rock and roll genre remained detested by many adults, its youth lovers believed it symbolized a break from the age of anxiety that WWII had spread throughout American society. It enhanced happiness to the community, especially its lovers, as it significantly promoted lifestyle and celebrated drugs and sex. These are some of the issues that most youths treasure, which made rock and roll serve as a new dawn for the young generation after WWII. Ever since time immemorial, the African-American remains viewed as a population of people whose loose life expose them to drug use, among other criminal acts. Being the primary origin of this genre, its performers practiced recreational drug use. They passed this habit to their followers, who remained compelled that doing such things was acceptable as the new way of living. To this effect, playing, listening, and dancing to the new genre brought together the American society who started viewing life and happiness as a human right entitled to all. Back then, the adults viewed rock and roll style as outlandish, whose main aim was to upset parents/adults based on its dancing styles and message. It is a genre that provoked erotic senses in teens/youths based on its suggestive lyrics and grinding and gyrating of its performer’s hips (Agrawal et al., 2019). The style moved the youths into thinking so closely about what would happen in the real sense if they engaged in such dances fostering their engagements into it for a realistic feel. There is a suggestive way that a performer can shake the hips, waist, and legs and imprint sexual arousal to the audience. This genre did great in ensuring such senses remain well written on all teens...