Music as a Powerful Tool in Bringing About Change

The 1960’s to the 1980’s was the time of revolutions, and activism. Where people started standing up for their political values and wanted their voices heard for their cause. Each injustice at the time seemed to be counteracted by waves of protests and rebellious behaviours. In these protests and speak outs there would be rhythmic chanting, unique and individual styles of music as one of the many ways for the opposing public to listen. Music itself is a powerful art form due to its complexity yet flexible in ways of being created. It is utilized as a common tool of expression, a perfect fit for movements looking to express their views and opinions without the harshness of screaming to the rooftops in the streets. In the 60’s all the way to the 80’s, rock and its sub genres of the time were used as a tool, or a tactic, to push theses political beliefs. It was a way of persuasion or simply keeping the community of these movements together. Since the specifically used as a tool for their campaigns, their effectiveness in reaching others were pushed a bit further.

When discussing music, it should begin with how it was constructed and what it was made into. The 60’s up to the 80’s was a surge of developmental changes among the genres, pop and rock due to people becoming clever in composition to spread their messages and influence. The most dominant genre out of the two was rock, and according to the People History article, they note, “As the genre grew and changed, many diverse and new subgenres emerged, all tied to original rock but each with their own unique style and purpose”(Pearson). With that being said, the individuals going for a political standpoint in their music had strategically created their own styles to suit their voices and the message they were trying to make. However, for these uprising artists there were many complications in the music industry itself that prevented what they wanted to be impacted at times. The individuals making outright protests music with a strongly clear political message were mostly from “countercultures” and were more independent in their work. With the industry being fully immersed with Hollywood, it made it difficult or slim to none for those who were making music by themselves. But why? Candaele of the History Now journal brings up this point, “An artist with enough clout or record sales could occasionally get out a song with a politics or social message” (Candaele). “Occasionally” is the key word in this. Someone with a status like Bob Dylan had it easier but not completely. It is strongly suggested that record labels in the industry had a fear of angering the public and distributors, overall losing on sales and in the long run become a dying company. Which when looking in their perspective, it makes sense when aware of how controversial the events such as the Vietnam Anti War protests. However, by many on the other perspective can assume that the head of these company could have had a certain political stance and have that tone set for their company, which would most likely be true but, there is no sources to prove as such. On the terms of independent artists, Since that is how harsh the music industry itself was, folk rock and various subgenres of rock, were heard and shared more locally and socially. For example, at music festivals, protests and boycotts.

The movements that were widely known for embracing the music and culture of rock were the ones driven by the youth and the students. The younger generation were more accepting to things than the older generations with topics such as civil rights or more peaceful when on the topic of war. The movements that were lead by students mainly surrounded social change and were most known for the protests against Kennedy’s policies and actions, Vietnam war, and racial discrimination. The culture of the youth grew more and more due to the creation of countercultures that went along with the political beliefs. For example, hippies. The counterculture was all about peace and the acceptance of drug use and sex to ‘open the mind’ so to speak. It was created from the oppositional stance against wars and common violence and riots from politics. With these countercultures, there was of course the music within them. Folk rock, protest music from the movements, and psychedelic rock from the hippies all have something in common. It’s that the goal of using music was to persuade and bring the community closer together. It was a peaceful take on spreading the word as peace as a whole was what the youth was striving for. There was no true harm intended from this music, although , the older generation, specifically parents of the youth weren’t very pleased. As Cadaele said in her History Now article, the parents had labeled rock and roll simply just “noise”. In an journal entry made by Arlene Mark, proposes that rock music lyrics give the young generation a strong comprehension on “mood altering drugs” , prompting them to be persuaded into using these drugs. The suggestion is that the technique in rock music lyrics is to appeal to the youth’s beliefs then push them towards “tools”. Even though her entry was mainly on the youth and drug usage, it gives some insight on how parents or adults thought of the younger generations music. That these youth led movements were “dangerous”, that rock wasn’t beneficial or “appropriate” for the younger generation to listen to. All the while the majority of the protest music, was more about persuading others to listen to the younger voices, to push their beliefs that changes needed to be made for a better community. When talking about the youth culture and community, Linda Churney in her essay says that, “Almost every college student of the 1960s was affected by the youth culture in some way. Although the majority of students did not share every aspect of the culture completely, most students participated in it to some degree”(Churney). With this being true, it can be argued that the usage of music was successful among the youth socially regardless of the disagreements, which is probably why the student led protests were so huge in size. The youth as a counterculture itself embraces the different beliefs while still maintaining the structure of the culture. The youth was meant to be a counterculture to highlight acceptance and freedom even if it mean having to go against their parents or elders. With the movement of the youth always being large in numbers, due to the inclusion and mix of all beliefs and types of people, the movement itself is much more powerful and most talked about to this day on how the younger generation changes the flow of society.

The emergence of rock music in the 1960s was not just a cultural phenomenon, it was a movement that transformed society. The music had a way of bringing people together, uniting them behind a common cause. The youth-led movements that embraced rock music were the driving force behind social change, and they protested against the injustices of the time. They stood up against the Vietnam War, racial discrimination, and other policies that they felt were unjust. The music was not just a way to express themselves, it was a means of persuasion. It was a peaceful tool that the youth used to spread their message of love and peace. They believed that music could unite people and help bring about social change.

The counterculture that emerged from the youth movements was a rejection of the status quo. It was a way to push back against the establishment and embrace new ideas. The hippie movement was one of the most iconic examples of the counterculture. It was a movement that embraced peace, love, and a rejection of materialism. The hippies were not just about music, they were about a way of life. They believed that they could change the world through their actions and their beliefs.

The music of the counterculture was diverse and represented many different styles. Folk rock and protest music were popular among the student-led movements, and they were a way to express the frustrations of the youth. Psychedelic rock was popular among the hippies, and it was a way to embrace the counterculture's rejection of the establishment. The music was not just entertainment; it was a tool that the youth used to spread their message.

However, not everyone was pleased with the youth culture and the music that went along with it. Many adults saw the counterculture as a threat to the traditional values that they held. They believed that the youth were being led astray by the music and the counterculture's rejection of authority. They saw the music as a way to promote drug use and other dangerous behaviors.

Despite the opposition, the youth culture and the music that went along with it had a profound impact on society. The protests led by the youth were some of the largest in history, and they helped to bring about social change. The youth culture of the 1960s continues to influence society today, and it serves as a reminder of the power of music and the importance of social movements. The music of the counterculture was more than just entertainment; it was a tool that the youth used to change the world.

Women of the 60’s were fed up with the traditional gender roles that society had imposed on them. They were expected to be quiet, polite, and subservient housewives who had no say in important matters. This was a time when men held all the power in the workplace and in society as a whole. It was no wonder that women were frustrated and angry at their treatment. This frustration led to the rise of second wave feminism, which lasted for at least two decades. Feminism was loud, vulgar, and rebellious at the time, and it challenged the standard of the quiet and polite housewives. It was a movement that was not afraid to speak out against male dominance in the workplace and in society. Like the youth culture of the time, feminism also had its own subgenres of rock that were meant to empower women.

When it comes to male dominance in the rock music genre, it is a well-known fact that men have historically been considered the main players. According to Tristan Burfield in his journal article, many conservative fans and practitioners have believed that certain physical and mental characteristics such as aggression, power, and physical strength are required to play rock music. This common belief, combined with the societal expectations of women at the time, suggested that rock was a male-dominated genre of music. This prompted feminists in the 70s to challenge the mainstream over rock and create their own subgenre of punk rock named Riot Grrrls with the R’s intended.

Punk rock was developed in the early to mid-1970s, and it was a genre and style that embraced what society saw as 'ugly.' The trend was all about wild hairstyles and dyed, uncommon colors, with a biker type of undertone in the dark leather clothing. It was a style that screamed rebellious, and its music was fast and aggressive. Feminists saw this counterculture and subgenre as another way of self-expression for women to turn to. According to Lisa Darms in her Riot Grrl collection book, a band named Bikini Kill stated that the whole point of the Riot Grrl was to create mediums that speak to US. They were tired of boy band after boy band, boy zine after boy zine, boy punk after boy punk after boy. They believed that a safe space needed to be created for girls where they could open their eyes and reach out to each other without being threatened by the sexist society and day-to-day bullshit.

The passion of the Riot Grrls to shake-up the system for the sake of other women to have something relatable to was contagious. Even groups such as Mecca Normal, the first of quite a few bands to have both men and women for that goal of achieving that safe space, the common cause, joined the trend. But, with positivity, there will always be negativity. These women still faced marginalization from the rock genre as a whole in the mid-70s, much like women in other parts of the workplace. For example, Noelle Bullion, who wrote a Pitchfork article on female punk songs, stated in her introduction that men were saying, 'Why write about women? Women aren't interested in music. Women don't make music. Women don't buy music.'

Surprisingly enough, even though women were still fighting for equality in music, according to Burfield, the Riot Grrl bands and singular artists in the late 70s were seen on stage even though they lacked the formal training from the Hollywood standard. This was an indication of how women were starting to break down the barriers that had been placed in front of them. Then, in the late 90s, Riot Grrl punk rock got even louder and seen even more often.

With political stances and music, it can always vary. Though, there is also the majority. The student led movements, feminism, civil rights, all were more of a democratic, liberal stance. In fact it can be argued that the revolution taking place in the 60’s through the 90’s were calls for change from the democrat side, whereas, the people who disagreed with these protests were more likely to be on the conservative and republican side. Why use music as a part of the revolution? As music can be shaped into many forms, it can easily be manipulated into a propaganda type source. In the case of the protesting and revolution, the specific technique in the music would be persuasion. The songs in those movements were often aiming to be relatable to the youth or relatable to feminists, to invite those who were not listening before to think. When looking at how people communicate with music, its connecting the performer and the listener to exchange a message, or in this case, the campaign and the listener. Exchanging a message meaning, the artist gives their thoughts, and the listener will respond positively or negatively. This leads into the fact that a message can be interpreted in multiple ways and leave a various types of impressions on a listener. However, this doesn’t mean every listener will understand what they are listening to. The difference between the youth, or hippie, music and the feminist punk rock music is the tone and writing of the songs. The music associated with hippies were song lyrics that were philosophical, relaxed, having metaphors with deeper meanings whereas the Riot Grrls were clear cut, aggressive and harsh in their lyrics. Omari Stringer in her honor thesis suggests, “Unless the music is overtly a protest song or has a clear message, often times the audience simply does not understand the message and focuses on the beat or melody (Edwards & Singletary, 1989; Fox & Williams, 1974)”. Even with that being possibly true that messages can simply go over people’s head, the majority can usually connect the dots that the catchy song is associated with this or that group of people. When specifically looking at protest music, the music not only gave the personal experience but then, depending on the song, makes the listener think outside from their personal thoughts from the music. Besides, typically, a song to convey a message can be a lot faster in delivery than a long extended speech. Colleen Wilkowski made a case study on protest music and stated the quote, “Brummett argues that cultural literature, including popular music, “metonymize complex issues into understandable form”(Brummett, 1967, p. 122)”. Sure, the issue of Berkeley university students protesting for peace not war isn’t that complex, however, it is more about that music simply just makes it easier than screaming at the public with picket signs. With this logic it can be argued that music was extremely impactful for these movements due to the fact they mainly needed the public to listen to them. Music increased the awareness of the situation regardless of whether they agreed or not, they still listened. If a song has no listeners then it’s not fulfilling its purpose to spread that message, It can be suggested that because of that fact, that could be another reason why the hollywood music industry was so harsh on these rising artists with strong political motives. If they can prevent music from coming in, then can prevent the music from being heard.

Music has been a powerful tool in bringing about change and social justice movements throughout history. From the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to the #MeToo movement of recent times, music has played a vital role in giving voice to the oppressed and marginalized. The impact of protest music can still be seen in modern-day activism, where artists are continuing to use music as a medium to amplify their message. With the rise of social media and the internet, music has become even more accessible, making it easier for artists to reach a global audience and spread their message beyond their local communities. The influence of music on social and political movements has also led to the development of new sub-genres and styles, as artists continue to experiment with different sounds and messages. The power of music to unite people from different backgrounds and cultures is a testament to its ability to transcend boundaries and inspire change. Despite the criticisms and resistance that protest music has faced, it has proven to be a resilient and effective tool for activism, and it will continue to be a powerful force for social change in the years to come.