Disco Music The 1970s are characterized by disco’s heavy influence on music, clothing, and culture. The emergence and disappearance of bell-bottoms, tube tops, and sequined jumpsuits coincide with the rise and (what some consider to be) the fall of disco. Disco was an expression of exuberance, vibrance, and emotion. It emerged as a new source of free expression and still has resonating impacts on music today. Many different styles of music contributed to the development of disco. R&B, funk, salsa, and urban pop helped lay the basics of disco, but what really set disco apart was its call for escape and release of emotion. The 1970’s were a hard time economically. Inflation, unemployment, and high crime rates left the working-class youth with a strong desire for unrestrained joy and excitement. Disco satisfied that desire, and not just in music. Disco changed several aspects of society. Club culture became more free and …show more content…
What disco did that had never been done before was provide a place where any person, regardless of race, culture, or ethics, could join with other people and have a good time without fear of ridicule or discrimination. For the first time, differences were celebrated instead of tolerated. This idea is well shown by the song Y.M.C.A. by Village People, where a cop, a cowboy, a biker, and a Native American sing together and hang out without anybody caring about their differences. Disco opened up music to themes and ideas that had been previously considered unacceptable, such as sexual permissiveness and homosexuality. These days those themes are more than considered acceptable in music. Also, many parts of disco style didn’t ever disappear. They merely developed into parts of newer music styles. House, hip-hop, and techno music are all strains of developing music style that have roots in disco. Not only is disco still alive, but its influence is thriving in today’s
After reading Richard Dyer’s “In Defense of Disco” I began to think about disco as a product of capitalism. This is something that I had never really thought of before. When I think about the hip-hop industry I think capitalism, but not necessarily disco. In this article Dyer goes on to defend disco by identifying its key characteristics, and relating them to ways in which these characteristics allow gay men to escape the pressures of the dominant heterosexual society. Characteristics such as eroticism, romanticism, and materialism are outlined within Dyer’s article. Even though Disco may have been driven in capitalistic ways, I think that it has created an environment that helps to redefine gender and sexuality. Disco, like many other genres of music, has allowed for the creation of many dynamic cultures. These various sub cultures continue to evolve and flourish over time.
In this essay I will talk about the music in the 60's, noteworthy that in some cases I will compare some situations with the Latino-American situation, I know is has nothing to do with the topic, but who is the guy who is writing in this sheet of paper? ME, Is my essay and I will write what I want (This is an example of Freedom Of Expression, we will see it more on that later)
The explosive summer of 1976 was a great time for music but a disappointment for the people who didn’t get treated with respect or equality. “Punk, Disco, and Silly Love Songs: Revisiting the Explosive Summer of 1976” by Jason Heller published august 24th 2016 states that “There’s a lot to celebrate in the summer of 1976”. However, he mentions the not so celebratory thing like the death of Elvis Presley, the LGBT riots for rights, 12” singles being made during an oil shortage and much more. Heller speaks as if these things are happening behind the scenes of the advancement of music. Was the summer of 1976 really explosive or was it a dud?
When you almost any young kids, teenagers, or even young adults to define rock ‘n’ roll and who they believed are the pioneers of this genre, you shouldn’t be too surprised by the answer you receive: Elvis Presley, Nirvana, Rolling Stones, or Little Richard. The combination of sexuality, gyrating hips, and the chance to rebel against parents are all factors that made rock ’n’ roll successful, but blissfully unaware, a lot of people do not know that Rhythm and Blues (R&B) was actually a huge part of creating this new music genre, and that rock ‘n’ roll also signified a big change for African Americans in the 1950s.
The decade of the 1970s impacted the United States and left the economy in ruins. The stock market was a mess and people didn’t really want to have anything to do with stocks. The stock market lost about forty percent over a period of 18 months, that is a large sum considering how much money goes into them. Furthermore, in the Energy Crisis & Economic Collapse, the United States had to pay twelve dollars for a barrel of oil instead of the usual of eight. On the other hand, the impact happened through famous people, even through music and fashion. The 1970s hold people like John Travolta and three of the United States presidents: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and James Carter. The 1970s was also the decade where punk rock and disco was made. Some of the fashion was even affected by the music styles. Everything that happened in the 1970s still holds an effect on us today, especially the economy.
The counterculture of the late 60’s on up to 1980 is prevalent to the history of media. New social forms arose, including the pop music of the British band the Beatles and the simultaneous rise of hippie culture. As the era continued, a vibrant youth subculture which emphasized creativity, experimentation and new manifestations of nonconformist/mellow lifestyles emerged. This emerging era influenced the media industry heavily. This short time frame in history was a definite media revolution. This era commercialized rock music, along with disco funk among other genres, the game show and variety show era, as well as popularizing mass media through magazines.
Seventies punk culture spawned the visually distinctive goth and emo subcultures. Inheriting the folk tradition of the protest song, rock music associated with political activism as well as changes in social attitudes to race, sex and drug use. This was often seen as an expression of youth revolt against adult consumerism an...
The well-known riff of Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” opens Andreas Dresen’s movie Changing Skins (Raus aus der Haut, 1997). The film opens in a crowded music club where young people are dancing ecstatically, turned on by pulsing rock and roll. This could be a trite depiction of youth culture if it were not located in a country that suppressed this kind of music: the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It is therefore worth reflecting on the social and political controversy in the former East Germany that, finally in the 1970s, permitted the performance of rock music and even imports from the capitalist part of the world. By the late 1970s, different kinds of rock music were not only an integral part of Western youth culture but also commonly heard but not always accepted in the GDR and the Eastern Bloc.
Before we go any further, I think I should first dispel some rumors and ease your mind of the negative thoughts that must be sweeping through it. What do you think of when you hear the word rave? Drugs? Hoodlum kids running amuck? Loud music that interferes with the whole community’s sleeping habits? Violence? The dictionary defines the word “rave” as a numerous amount of things, such as “an act or instance” or the verb “to talk with extreme enthusiasm,” but this is one case where Webster has got it all wrong. What is the true definition of a rave? In most cases, a rave is simply a dance party where guests experience a sense of camaraderie and elevated consciousness through the presence of music. This means there is an abundance of dance expression, interaction with other such ravers, and a positive mood change. And while there are sometimes drugs involved, there is absolutely no deliberate disturbance of the peace and zero tolerance for violence. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s divulge into the history of this invigorating phenomenon.
Music is an outlet to all aspects of life and culture is a significant way of forming people and the way they live. Although not always seen directly culture has an overbearing influence on the music that is produced and made popular. The political Climate of the early seventies was full of fire with issues such as Vietnam and constant protest throughout the county. Later in the 70’s the end of the Vietnamese conflict brought the rise of the Watergate scandal and Iran Contra. These issues swept headlines and ingrained people’s thoughts. Social issues also played a big role in the developing culture of the seventies. Protests and constant outbreaks about gay rights and women’s rights seemed to overtake the country in storm. Later in the Decade the social climate changed to a celebration of the Past and a can-do attitude. Political and Social climates had an overbearing influence on the attitude that was being developed throughout the seventies. This climate was also transparent in the music world of this decade. In the early 70’s music lyrics were being created that were representative of the popular method of protest and social change. Music is a common way of expression and during this time artist and groups took the most of their popular music by expressing viewpoints on present issues. In the mid to late seventies the birth of new styles that broke from the old seemed to dominate the music industry. These new types of music ranged from disco to television pop. The music of the decade represented the culture and was greatly influenced by events and beliefs of the 70’s. At this time in American history, music and life became closely nit. In the late 1970’s, national issues settl...
The development of Rock ‘n’ Roll in the late 1940s and early 1950s by young African Americans coincided with a sensitive time in America. Civil rights movements were under way around the country as African Americans struggles to gain equal treatment and the same access to resources as their white neighbors. As courts began to vote in favor of integration, tensions between whites and blacks escalated. As the catchy rhythm of Rock ‘n’ Roll began to cross racial boundaries many whites began to feel threatened by the music, claiming its role in promoting integration. This became especially problematic as their youth became especially drawn to ...
The rise of rock and roll into the limelight is to a large extent attributed to the teenagers of the 1950’s. Early rock music listened to by teenagers during the 1950’s was formed by blending together Rhythm and blues with country music. This kind of ...
“Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music,” said legendary American musician, singer, and songwriter Jimi Hendrix (“Jimi Hendrix Quote”). In the mid 1960’s Jimi Hendrix and many other musical artists extremely influenced this decade. In the 1980’s, there were also many influential musicians, singers, and songwriters that captivated the thoughts and movements of many people. Music influenced fashion and behavior in the 1960’s and 1980’s and these properties have been recognized throughout the years. Music went through an immense evolution in both of these decades. The fashion and behavior that derived from music inspirations defined these two decades as individuals. The 1960’s and 1980’s have differences that distinguish the two decades apart. These differences include the change in music, fashion, and behavior which has helped individual creativity. For instance, behavior is one of these variances that has made the two decades unique from each other.
Many people associate the 1970’s as the “hippie era” in American history. Due to this, the majority of society was open to new ideas. It was the beginning of the sexual revolution and the women’s revolution was just getting underway. Younger members of society were participating in at least one of the numerous Vietnam War Protests, which they organized. They were into “free love”; they wanted to do away with racism and allow everyone to be treated the same and on the same level.
For my book report I read Generation Ecstasy. There was so much information in the book about the rave scene and "ecstasy", I didn't know where to begin. It's been ten years since the English seized on Detroit techno, Chicago house, and New York garage as the seeds of what's generally agreed-over there, at least-to be the most significant music since punk, and they're celebrating with a slew of historical studies. Simon Reynolds attempts to bridge the gap with "Generation Ecstasy," an exhaustive compendium of almost every rave-associated sound and idea, both half-baked and momentous, that traces the digital Diaspora back and forth across Europe and America. Using the multiple perspectives of music critic, enthusiastic participant, and sociological outsider to trace the development of dance music's "rhythmic phsycadelic," Reynolds, finds two predominant, contrasting strains: the search for gnosis, or spiritual revelation, and the desire to get completely out of it at the weekend. Setting these timeless traits in the context of the up-to-the-minute technology that made rave emblematic of its era-the fragmentary, fast-forward aesthetic, the flexible production and distribution network, the avoidance of personality and narrative in favor of sensation-he comes up with a portrait of hi-tech millennium that resonates well beyond its subculture confines.