Elvis Presley's Impact on Popular Music in the USA
Source A is from an article in "Billboard" magazine. This magazine is
written for teenagers, who are Elvis' biggest fans, so a reader could
predict that it would be a positive article with no negative comments
about Elvis to try and sell itself to the teenage readers.
The headline of the article "Presley hot as a $1 pistol" shows that
Elvis is really popular, and many people want to buy his records. It
continues to say "Presley has six hit singles" which tells the reader
that he must have been very successful as he was only signed up in
1955, and the article was written less than a year later in March
1956. This makes clear to the reader that Elvis has had quite a
dramatic rise to stardom as it shows he has become a famous icon in a
very short space of time.
Even if people were not fans of Elvis and so did not buy his music,
they would still hear his songs constantly because his music was so
popular. Many people saw him as someone who was sure to succeed so
there were positive attitudes towards him from an early stage.
Near the end of the article, Elvis is said to be "the label's number
two best seller, right behind Perry Cosmo". This demonstrates further
how Elvis is almost or just as popular as an already well-established
star at this time, a very positive comment for Elvis' fans to read.
The whole article is written in this way and praises both Elvis and
his music.
Q.2. Study Sources B, C and D.
Do Sources C and D support the evidence of Source B about the impact
of Elvis Presley? (8 marks)
Sources C and D do support the evidence of Source B to a certain
extent. Although source B has a very negative attitude and source D
appears to be very positive, while source C does not pass judgement,
they all agree that his music has had a big impact, whether good or
During the 1950’s the musical genre of rock and roll was becoming vastly popular (Charlton). The television helped increase this genre’s fame by broadcasting new rock and roll music to the country. By 1954 about 83.2 percent of American households owned a television set (Baughman). TV was a fast and effective way of reaching millions of people which became quite useful to up and coming musical artists. Two television shows that dominated the air in the 50 's were, American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show. These two shows greatly influenced rock and roll, because they changed the perception of rock and roll, provided performers with a large TV audience, and left a
Throughout history, and even today, music has shaped America’s culture, society, and even politics. One of the most outstanding and enduring musical movement has been from African American artists, ranging from bebop to jazz to hip-hop to rap. During the 1920’s , jazz artists stepped into the limelight and began their impact on American and even world history. Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential leaders during the Harlem Renaissance and his jazz legacy and impact of American history is everlasting. A master of his craft, Armstrong and his music heavily influenced America’s white and black populations from the 1920’s and up until his death.
...sley performed his music in all types of genres. Presley allowed musicians to step out of the box and be their selves. He had hit songs in gospel, rock, pop, and country. Although he lived a short life, he is still famous in some people’s eyes. I met a woman who had attended one of Elvis’s performances and she said it was the best concert she had ever been to. During the concert she said Elvis was dancing and all the girls were going crazy as always. He removed his scarf and threw it into the crowd she was the lucky one who caught it. She still has his scarf in her house, and will never forget the memories of that night. Elvis passed away on August 16, 1977 in his home from heart failure. The King still lives on in many people’s lives and his music career helped many people. Elvis Presley led the way for many musicians, and has impacted the lives of many people.
A notoriously known singer, Elvis Presley, sang the song Jailhouse Rock in 1957. Elvis was born on January 8th 1935 and died August 16th 1977. Naturally, he was known for his singing, acting and songwriting. Presley was also known as “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” However, he did not compose Jailhouse Rock. The single, Jailhouse Rock was originally released in September of 1957 and reached # 1 on October 21st, 1957. Mike Stoller composed the song and was writing partners with Jerry Leiber. Stoller was born in Belle Harbor, Long Island. He was dedicated to writing songs mainly for genres, such as R&B and the Blues. Clearly, the music speaks of dancing and jamming to music in jail. Around this time, the song Jailhouse Rock was created to be used in an Elvis Presley movie. Elvis was to play a prisoner who becomes a star after he gets out of prison. Solely, the song was meant to better illustrate a movie Elvis was in at the time and the song also inspired the name for the film. As this song was released, America was going through the Civil war. During this month, the news reported federal troops escorting nine Black students into an all-white school.
Like Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” In the 1950’s the South was heavily racially segregated. Elvis Presley unintentionally put himself in the position to become a valuable instrument in the battle against segregation. “Without casting himself as a fighter for racial equality, Elvis became a subversive standard bearer for cultural desegregation at a time when the codified racism of the South was under increasing pressure.” How did an uneducated white hillbilly from the south influence both black and white teenagers against segregation? It was quite simple, for Elvis Presley had a unique talent of combining traditional black music; such as the blues and jazz, with the traditional white music; like country and white gospel. This unique style of blending different types of music, gave Elvis the edge on the musical racial barriers America was facing; and open the path for both sides to enjoy the music together and therefore desegregated.
Johnny Cash was born in Kingsland, Arkansas the fourth child of five children he was born on February 26,1932. He took after his father because he was in World War One. Johnny Cash went in the army around the post World War Two. His family worked in a cotton mill around The Great Depression. A new way of cotton farming in Mississippi came around in nineteen thirty seven. A flood came around the same time so they had to move temporarily. He died on September 12,2003, he was a complex man he was unforgettable with his bass-baritone voice. Cash was a religious man. In nineteen fifty Johnny Cash graduated high school. After high school he went to work in a auto plant in Michigan. He bought his first
The 20th century was a big time period for America. It was especially big for the African-American community. Of this 100-year period, the 1920s was one of the biggest decades for African-Americans, as it was the decade where the Harlem Renaissance took place. Through the Harlem Renaissance, Black artists honed their talents in areas such as music, literature, visual arts, and dance. One of the greatest artists of “the Roaring 1920s” was Louis Armstrong, who was originally a musician from New Orleans, where jazz first began. Not only did Black people migrate from down south, musical styles such as jazz did as well, and Armstrong ultimately helped it become a nationwide trend.
He also had a long term impact in that it wasn’t just the music. You
The history of the twentieth century would not be complete without mentioning the impeccable influence of one of the best and biggest singers of all time. But before he started making his indelible mark in the sands of time, he started out from very humble beginnings, under the care of his loving, working class parents. Elvis Aaron Presley was born January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi to Gladys and Vernon Presley. Although, Presley was supposed to be a twin, his supposed twin brother, Jesse Garon, sometimes spelled Jessie was stillborn. Elvis Aaron Presley was an incredible American Singer, Musician and Actor with inspirational quotes such as this “Fingerprints are like values; you leave them all over everything you do.”
Over 40,000,000 viewers tuned in to hear his R&B meets rock and roll song with his hip thrusts and pelvis shakes and the people lost it. You were either with him or against him, the teenage girls went wild over his moves while the church and elders thought he was everything they feared of the future, sexual, wild and rebellious. In the world facing such bigger issues with the cold war going on and the rise of communism it was easy to listen to Presley’s happy-go-lucky rock music and find an escape from the harsh realities of the world. It goes along with the normalcy bias that society ignores bigger issues in light that they rather not accept the fact that it is happening and deal with
Music can be traced back into human history to prehistoric eras. To this day archeologists uncover fragments of ancient instruments as well as tablets with carved lyrics buried alongside prominent leaders and highly influential people. This serves as a testament to the importance and power of music, as well as its influence in society. Over its many years of existence, music’s powerful invocation of feelings has allowed it to evolve and serve many purposes, one being inspiring change. American journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson once said, “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel.” This fuel is the very things that powers the influence of Rock ‘n’ Roll on American society, that author Glenn C. Altschuler writes about in his book, “All Shook Up – How Rock ‘n’ Roll Changed America.” Between 1945 and 1965 Rock ‘n’ Roll transformed American society and culture by helping to ease racial integration and launch a sexual revolution while most importantly developing an intergenerational identity.
"Rock and Roll's Influence." The Impacts of Rock and Roll Music on American Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar. 2014.
It was no coincidence that rock ‘n’ roll and the civil rights movement started at the same time. The genre originated from African American music and was greatly discriminated against. Traditional white Americans would target anything bad about it. But as the teenager demographic of the 1950s started increasing the sales of the music, the genre started gaining more popularity. It was the style of Elvis Presley and his new voice that made girls weak in the knees and boys want to be him. Artists such as Presley had enough influence to change the view of their devoted fans on civil rights issues. Soon as protest songs and rock ‘n’ roll became more popular and influential, it began a gap between the young adult generation and their parents which led to the rebellion of the civil rights movement. Through these factors rock ‘n’ roll influenced a great deal over the civil rights movement.
Another controversial but strong lyric that was written was “Elvis was hero to most but he never meant shit to me”. I believe this was said because to most of Elvis hit songs where during the 1960’s Rock N Roll era. This means that he was a hero and icon to most who lived through that era. Now, come the 1980’s and the public the same way does not look at many African American Hip Hop Artists like the group Public Enemy. They are not looked at as artist or even icons, they are simply said to be a bunch of “thugs” who are troubled and should go back to where they came from.
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