Let There Be Light: Did Punk Rock Really Make a Difference

3161 Words7 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: History of Punk Rock essay

Let there be light, and there was light

Let there be sound, and there was sound

Let there be drums, there was drums

Let there be guitar, there was guitar, ah

Let there be rock

And it came to pass

That rock 'n' roll was born

All across the land every rockin' band

Was blowin' up a storm

And the guitar man got famous

The business man got rich

-Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Bon Scott (AC/DC)

In the early 1950s when Rock and Roll was born, it was so new and so different than anything heard before that by the time the above song was released more than 25 years later, it seemed like nothing had existed before it. Punk Rock had a similar effect on the music scene. Just as the original Rock and Roll was embraced by the youth culture as something new, exciting and possibly dangerous, Punk Rock was embraced by many as a new revolution with the potential to change everything. But did it? This essay will address the question of whether Punk Rock changed anything. It will focus on the business and industry that evolved within and around the punk scene, the politics of punk and the internal ideological debates within the scene.

The music industry can trace its roots to the 18th century when classical composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart sought commissions from the church or aristocracies by touring to promote their music (Boerner). By the early 20th century, recorded collections of songs were available for purchase for home listening. Towards the middle of the century, record album production had become the norm for getting new music to the masses and album sales had replaced sheet-music sales as a measure of popularity, with the first gold-recor...

... middle of paper ...

...S. Middle Tennessee State University, June 2009. Web. 13 June 2010.
Rimbaud, Penny. Interview with Penny Rimaud Ben Conoley. 9 July 2009.

The Guardian. "EMI Guns Down the Sex Pistols." The Guardian 7 January 1977.

The Sex Pistols. "Biography." The Sex Pistols Official Site. 23 June 2010 .

The Sex Pistols. "God Save the Queen." Never Mind the Bollocks... Here's the Sex Pistols. By Paul Cook, et al. London: Virgin, 1977.

Thompson, Stacy. "Market failure: Punk economics, early and late." College Literature 28.2 (2001).

Time. "The Best Music of 1994." 26 Dec 1994. Time. 24 June 2010 .

Show More
Related

  • Rock And Roll Impact On Culture

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although considered the day Rock ‘n’ Roll was born, many other events in American history have given foundation to this much loved idea. Rock ‘n’ Roll is much more than just music, rather it is the movement which underlines cultural imperialism. Rock had been promoting a culture of comfort and freedom from social constraints as well. Although the style of ‘Rock music’ is easily adaptable into many different sounds, it is still thoroughly identified by its definingly amplified rhythm. The sudden worldwide popularity of rock and roll resulted in an unparalleled social impact. Rock ‘n’ Roll influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes, and language in a way few other social developments have equaled. The social impact is so large that rock stars are worshipped worldwide. In its early years, many adults condemned the style of music, placing a stigma on its name, and forbid their children from listening and following its ways. Many considered Rock ‘n’ Roll culture as a bad influence to all people, but as the genre aged and the now not-so-young crowds had matured, Rock was respected and

    Read More

  • Informative Essay: Punk rock

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    Punk is written with a purpose. A message is behind every heartfelt yelp and strain of the vocal chords. Lyrically, it is about more than just a high school romance. It deals with real issues in an honest fashion. The punk movement began in England as a medium for overly zealous political patrons to preach their messages of anti-conformity and anti-government to the faithful gathered at their shows each night. In their first single, “God Save The Queen,” The Sex Pistols were telling the youth of England that the Queen was a fascist and inhuman. The Sex Pisto...

    Read More

  • How the Hippies Counterculture Transformed Music

    2284 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the 1950’s and 1960’s, rebellion and music were synonymous. The 1950’s brought widespread attention to a new kind of music coined as “Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Because parents deemed the music as sinful, the youth used it to establish an identity for themselvess. In the 1960’s, the rebellion was given a collective charge when young adults voiced displeasure over the country’s entrance into the Vietnam War and the use of nuclear weapons. One group within this movement was coined the “hippies”. This paper will discuss the beliefs of the hippies of Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco, California and illustrate how the hippie “counterculture” transformed into an evolution of music, in the making of protest songs and the new “psychedelic” sound. It will elaborate on the musicians who found fame in responding to the call by this movement.

    Read More

  • Rock n Roll & 20th Century Culture

    1464 Words  | 3 Pages

    Rock ‘n’ roll and 20th Century Culture According to Philip Ennis, rock ‘n’ roll emerged from the convergence of social transformations which resulted from World War II (Ryan 927). Despite its pop culture origins, rock music is arguably one of the strongest cultural factors to develop in this century. Artists such as Lennon, McCartney and Dylan defined the emotions of a generation and, in the last decade, it as even been acknowledged by members of the establishment which it hoped to change as a major influence in the country. In order to understand how rock went from a sign of rebellion to a cultural icon, it is necessary to understand where it came from.

    Read More

  • Essay On Punk Subculture

    1518 Words  | 4 Pages

    Punk subculture was about expressing oneself and having freedom of speech. Punk rockers express themselves by their music, fashion and many other different forms of expression. This subculture is mainly characterized by its anti-establishment views. This first started in the United Kingdom when the famous band the Sex Pistols rebelled against their Queen. This idea of anti-establishment views was not accepted in the mainstream society of Britain. The punk culture began to overwhelm the British society. One of punk’s main beliefs was going against higher power. The British Monarchy is a very important symbol in the British culture, for it represents the union of their nation. Yet, the punk culture did not respect the British monarchy. A very influential band called the Sex Pistols clearly expressed disrespect in their song, “Go...

    Read More

  • Essay On Punk Culture

    410 Words  | 1 Pages

    The generation of punks was influenced from many different kind of modern art and writers. The word punk was used in a defamatory manner, which has been considered with punk bechaviour of personal disrespect or has been used as a form of expression of feeling of hatred. It started by the youth people who were criticizing the economy, the rising unemploymend and they were seeking a reform of the goverment system. The punk culture is a subculture which defines the freedom, the liberty and the revolution against the stereotype society and the casual culture. They were anarchist or marxist. Their ideas were anti authoritarianism, the movement of DIY (Do It Yourself) and there only request was not to sell out. Ten years after the emerge of the punk subculture many currents imitatived from the first, the celticpunk, the hardcore punk, the anarcho-punk, skate punk, garage punk the street punk and many others. So the punk subculture went through a laboratory which affect its DNA which created new forms of the initial subculture which had their own

    Read More

  • The Rise Of Punk Rock

    1339 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many ladies felt punk rock was a male dominated scene, this created a need for Riot Grrrl movement during this time. Bikini Kill’s first appearance in 1990 founded the movement of punk rock feminism. Many of the older names that started punk rock started to disappear, bands like The Talking Heads breaking up in 1991, the Johnny Thunders of the New York Dolls died of an overdose in 1991, to be followed by his former bandmate Jerry Nolan, died of a stroke the next year.

    Read More

  • The ‘60s: Culture and Music

    1486 Words  | 3 Pages

    The ‘60s were the age of youth, as millions of children’s from post World War II became teenagers and rebelled against the conservative fifties. Denying civil rights to African-Americans and liberation to teenagers in previous decades and Vietnam War, created a vortexes which lead to massive rebellion against the status qua. Music of the 1960s was characteristic of the revolution that was going on during the decade. It was a time of rebellion and counter-culture in which the teenagers and college students were critical of government, business, religious institution and other various aspects of life. Era marked by civil rights movement, Vietnam War, environment of drug abuse and sexual freedom formed new music like: folk rock, soul and psychedelic rock. These genres starkly contrast the teen idol music of ‘50s pop mainstream. Writes John Covach; “World was exploding, and rock musicians were listening more closely than ever.”(Covach, 152) Such stark contrast in pop music directly relay to changing social culture in America, which further echo’s the relationship between music and culture.

    Read More

  • All Shook Up: How Rock 'n' Roll Changed America

    792 Words  | 2 Pages

    In closing, the undoubtable influence of music, more specifically of Rock ‘n’ Roll on American society is responsible for a number of changes to the status quo. These range from sexual liberation and racial desegregation all culminating with other influences to create an intergenerational identity. Despite the desperate attempts of older generations to smother these influences, these changes ultimately shaped the years that followed, molding the country into what it is today. Along the way these changes as well as individual involvement in them has also eased the lives of many through empowerment and a feeling of community and purpose. Despite a lull and renewal Rock ‘n’ Roll continues to serve as an agent of influence and change in today’s youth culture and continues to burn in the heart of past generations of loyal fans.

    Read More

  • Blitzkrieg Bop Music Analysis

    957 Words  | 2 Pages

    Finally, This article also brings to light an article that was published in Time in 1977 called “Anthems of the Blank Generation” (Bergeron). In this Time article CNN illuminates Time’s interpretation on punk rock back in 1977. CNN recaptures Time’s analysis when Time reported that kids across the globe are dancing provocatively, screaming to the loud, violent sounds of punk, dressing is inappropriate clothes that are severely torn and in the need of mending, and their hair is often greasy and dyed in colorful arrays (Bergeron). The final point I would like to draw out of this article is another Time’s article that draws on a punk group, the Sex Pistols. This Time’s article is from 1978 and called “The Sex Pistols Are Here” (Bergeron).

    Read More

  • History of the Punk Movement

    1091 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Undermine their pompous authority, reject their moral standards, make anarchy and disorder your trademarks. Cause as much chaos and disruption as possible but don’t let them take you alive.” Sid Vicious-Lead Singer of the Sex Pistols. (Brainyquotes.com) This quote by Sid Vicious from 1977 summed up the feelings of many of the Originators of Punk Music and the Punk lifestyle.

    Read More

  • The Influence Of Punk Rock

    869 Words  | 2 Pages

    Punk rock is one of the music genres, it is a famous and a pop music started with the early 1960s. Especially in the late 1970s, along with the rock music movement, punk rock became the peak of the rock music genre. Because of its popular and expansion, Punk Rock achieved the great influence and importance at that moment.

    Read More

  • Punk Rock Movement In The 80's

    665 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Punk Rock movement of the 1980’s was an explosion of hybrid and eccentric beats and lyrics that caught everyone’s attention, especially the young adolescents of the time period. The movement of Punk Rock took a major role in shaping the culture in the 80’s. The template for the 1980’s Punk Rock emerged from its preceptor of the 70’s Punk Rock which emerged from London. It’s loud and reckless tunes, to some sounded like noise, but to others it imposed many political standings and raised discussions of controversial topics in its lyrics. From this movements figurative and literal expressions through its bold fashion and uncensored lyrics, it definitely made a stance in the history of music and the 20th century.

    Read More

  • Music Business

    3873 Words  | 8 Pages

    Music Business Music Business Exam Number One Question 1 - What is The music publishing industry at a glance would seem to be those who print sheet music, method books, lead sheets, and all of the texts or notated music that musicians (and those aspiring to be musicians) use. Years ago, this was what most music publishers did, but as the industry has evolved, the process has become much more complex. Music is not just ink and paper, intellectual material and property to the individual who writes it. Therefore, the song does not become "a song" when it is written down. This is not an easy concept to grasp because the song itself has no physical makeup.

    Read More

  • The Effects of Piracy on the Music Industry

    1131 Words  | 3 Pages

    The music industry started in the mid 18th century with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Through the decades there has been a great increase in this industry; however, the revenues for this industry have declined by half in the last 10 years. This has been caused by music piracy, which “is the copying and distributing of copies of a piece of music for which the composer, recording artist, or copyright-holding record company did not give consent” . After 1980’s, when the Internet was released to public, people started to develop programs and websites in which they could share music, videos, and information with...

    Read More

More about Let There Be Light: Did Punk Rock Really Make a Difference

Open Document