Blues

Between the two short stories, “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin and “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, they reveal similarities and differences. Both stories are similar in the importance of family ties and the way they view family, but differ in sibling relations. In “Sonny’s Blues”, the siblings want to recreate their brotherly bond again, but in “Everyday Use” there is no sign of healing the hole between Dee, Maggie, and Mama. First, we will look at the importance of family ties between both stories. In “Everyday Use” the characters have strong connections with family ties and their heritage. Not ‘Dee,’Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo! ” (280). Dee changing her name to Wangero tells the reader that Dee believes by changing her name to a more “African” name is confirming her African heritage. Having this new name, Wangero “kills” Dee, so theoretically by changing her name she is killing off her own family heritage. Similarly, in “Sonny’s Blues” the two brothers have importance in family ties too. When the narrator’s mother says, “You got to hold on to your brother,” she said, “and don’t let him fall, no matter what it looks like is happening to him and no matter how evil you gets with him.

You going to be evil with him many a time. But don’t you forget what I told you, you hear? ” (264-265). The mother makes the narrator (brother) promise her to take care of Sonny no matter what. This shows us the unconditional love of the family, or family in general. All the mother wants is for Sonny to be taken care of and looked after when she can no longer look after him anymore. Also, from the article To the Deep Water James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” by McParland, Robert P. , he says “Sonny has reached a point of breakthrough and he is giving his life back in music.

Here Baldwin provides a beautifully lyrical passage suggesting generation and memory, as Sonny plays. Sonny’s music restores to the narrator memory, community, and family. ” This here is another reference towards family and family ties. Except this time it is through Sonny’s new found talent, music. His music was so powerful, he abstractly injects his own family memories into the music and makes the narrator (brother) remember his mother’s face and his father. From another article called, In Spite of It All: Reading of Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use. By Whitsitt, Sam, he states, “When the flashy Dee finally does return, greeting her mother in Arabic and declaring that she no longer bears the name “Dee,” but the African name “Wangero,” and that “Dee,” ” ‘She’s dead’ ” (29)–it’s as if there is not even a tombstone to mark the presence of her absence. Her return seems less a return than a passing by; she appears a curious visitor who has momentarily stopped off a road which began and ends elsewhere. ” I agree with what Whitsitt says about Dee. He says that because of her changing her name to “Wangero”, her return back home to visit should not be called a return, but merely a passing by.

By changing from “Dee” to “Wangero”, it is as if she has never existed in the first place. Another similarity I found is a bit complex, but also relates to a sense of family. It occurs when Dee says, “I couldn’t bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me. ” (280). This means that Dee feels she is being held back from her culture not being named something more close to what her background is and that she is basically being suppressed by the white man for having a name like Dee.

Similarly, in “Sonny’s Blues” the notion of being suppressed black males is also given to Sonny and his brother. It is depicted by the description of the father’s brother’s death. “This car was full of white men. They was all drunk, and when they seen your father’s brother they let out a great whoop and holler and they aimed the car straight at him. They was having fun, they just wanted to scare him, the way they do sometimes, you know. But they was drunk. And I guess the boy, being drunk, too, and scared, kind of lost his head.

By the time he jumped it was too late. ” (264). The mother interprets the position and situation of a black male when she tells us what the fathers attitude is after the death of the his brother, “Till the day he died he weren’t sure but that every white man he saw was the man that killed his brother. ” (264). This exposes to us the suppressed fear and hatred that was hidden inside of the father towards the whites. In the article James Baldwin’s ‘Sonny’s Blues’: Complicated and Simple by Murray, Donald C. he says “His brother responds deeply to Sonny’s music because he knows that he is with his black brothers and is watching his own brother, grinning and “soaking wet. ” This further proves that the aspect of family can be seen differently. By looking at it as heritage, the author explains that the narrator of “Sonny’s Blues” is greatly affected by the music Sonny plays because he feels at home now, or “with his black brothers” as he denotes it. One difference between the stories is that in Walker’s “Everyday Use”, the relationship among siblings nearly dominates the story because it is shown is several places.

For example, “How long ago was it that the other house burned? Ten, twelve years? Sometimes I can still hear the flames and feel Maggie’s arms sticking to me, her hair smoking and her dress falling off her in little black papery flakes. Her eyes seemed stretched open, blazed open by the flames reflected in them. And Dee. I see her standing off under the sweet gum tree she used to dig gum out of; a look of concentration on her face as she watched the last dingy gray board of the house fall in toward the red-hot brick chimney. Why don’t you do a dance around the ashes?

I’d wanted to ask her. She had hated the house that much. ” (279). We can deduce from this that there was some tension going on between the Dee, Maggie, and the mother. The fact that Dee was standing alone to the side, it tells us that there was some tension or hatred going on between Dee, Maggie, and mother. In addition, it is also important to note the fact that Dee being well educated contributes to her thinking she is better than Maggie or mother. Now, compared to “Sonny’s Blues”, Sonny and the narrator are extremely different.

We do not feel any tension or hate happening, but a sense of recovery. For example, when the narrator says, “The seven years’ difference in our ages lay between us like a chasm: I wondered if these years would ever operate between us as a bridge. I was remembering, and it made it hard to catch my breath, that I had been there when he was born; and I had heard the first words he had ever spoken. When he started to walk, he walked from our mother straight to me. I caught him just before he fell when he took the first steps he ever took in this world. (259). This insinuates that Sonny’s brother wants to mend the opening that has developed in their relationship with one another and attempt to get closer to Sonny. In the article Alice Walker’s Everyday Use by Nancy Tuten, she states “It is not surprising, then, that Mama, mistrustful of language expresses herself in the climactic scene of the story not through words but through deeds: she HUGS Maggie to her, DRAGS her in the room where Dee sits holding the quilts, SNATCHES the quilts from Dee, and DUMPS them into Maggie’s lap.

Only as an afterthought does she speak at all, telling Dee to “take one or two of the others. ” Mama’s actions, not her words, silence the daughter who has, up to this point, used language to control others and separate herself from the community: Mama tells us that Dee turns and leaves the room “without a word”. This quote depicts an image of tension and anger because Mama is not using her words to express her anger, but instead through actions. We can clearly see now that there is indeed a rift between Dee and the rest of her family, but Dee is not willing to mend the wounds in their relationship.

Despite the differences in sibling/family relations brought up in James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” and Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”, they have the same view on family ties and the way they view family. Every family is different regardless of race, ethnicity, or what have you. Every individual is different and the same in their own ways. That is why the contrast between two loving brothers and two conflicting sisters and mother will all have their differences and similarities. Some characteristics will just be more dominant, but you both will share the good times and hard times.

The focal point of the paper is to analyze and evaluate the British Invasion or the musical movement of the mid-1960s composed of British rock-and-roll (“beat”) groups whose popularity spread rapidly throughout England and the United States. For the purpose it is important to understand the socio political equilibrium of the time. This is because the main factors in this movement are predominantly three fold. The first one is changing social pattern after the Great War. The second important factor is the aspect of cultural contacts and third aspect is the changing face of market and economy in UK and US.

It could be mentioned in the initial stages that it was degeneration time. Imperialism had taken its tolls on the world, which was grilling on the last fires of the Second World War. The losses were too heavy, and the shocks, almost unbearable. People just lived through a test of the extent organized cruelty and purposeful ruthlessness could reach. As far as the future was concerned, the initial tremors of what would lead to a massive cross across the globe were being felt – the crack that broke it up into three distinctly different worlds, the first, the second and the third.

In this context it would be relevant to mention that the generation was not finding their existence worth while or in other words they wanted more out of their life. This extra bit was searched everywhere and at every aspects of life and music was no different. The Beat movement came to this need of the hour with quite a few new faces budding with musical talents and a whole new genus of music called the rock ‘n’ roll. (Prawer, 221-5)

It was regeneration time. Ideological conflicts and military interests were shaking civilization right up to its foundations. The doubts, dilemmas and confusions were gradually, quite slowly indeed, giving way to a new and unique cultural revolution. It was happening all across the United Kingdom and the United States. People suddenly seemed to realize that there was enough of political warfare to disgrace humanity. The prevailing standards suddenly seemed to be meaningless, and the insurgent youths wanted something different to happen.

United Kingdom and its Beat Movement was no exception to this movement. As a matter of fact, it was one of the cores of it. The presence of a large number of African-Americans in the city was pushing it ahead to initiate the Civil Rights Movement. Something that had laid its roots in the human mind over a few millennia, apartheid that is, was gradually being uprooted by the new wave of what started being called the rock ‘n’ roll movement.  The existing musical trends, blues and country, did not suffice in expressing the protests and grievances of the new generation, which started looking at itself as a victim of political conspiracies. (Powell, 49-53)

It could be stated that the focal point of this paper is realizing that what occurred in United Kingdom during the era of 1960s that was instrumental in giving the birth of rock n’ roll. This was deeply influenced by the presence of the freshly migrated African American population in United Kingdom and influenced the musical development by a huge margin with musical forms that incorporated jazz meshing with country music.

But the basic background of this movement started much earlier and it would be relevant to mention that the black community contributed hugely to this movement. African American history and the context in this case is the great migration during the mid 1900s. While looking into the matter it can primary be mentioned that migration is a subject that is studied on all levels when dealing with humanity and its idiosyncrasies. In order to understand migration we must understand the various components involved in migration, including internal migration, external migration, immigration and both refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. During the twentieth century, especially in the middle decades, it was found that the population of Southern UK with specification of African American origin has doubled within a p of 10 years after the Second World War.

The population escalated to a high note and this time the immigrants were there in the region to put their hands on the industrial boom. This was obviously not at par with any single industry like Manchester but the cumulative sum total of the gross output became quite high and the settlements showed the white population of the area that there was more to music than usual traditional themes.

These people use to gather around at the evening and presented their compositions to themselves. It was a leisurely approach but people like McCartney or Lennon soon found out that these rural touch of music can be polished and urbanized to develop into a new form of musical genera that was ultimately to be known as Rock ’n’ roll and as these people were from smaller towns and this part was to harvest most of the credit of this new form of music.  (Tyerman, 233-37)

The life styles of the early 1960’s through the later 1960’s have emerged as fallout of the booming economy that is represented by the generation of ‘baby boomers’. The hardship during the days of the Second World War gave birth to the newest possible philosophies that state it is obvious to follow the trend of open market economy with all its perception of high yielding materialism. This hard cored materialism and pro life oriented attitude was previously known in the western world but now it came into a maximized form which sociologist refer as a pro active action against the mass destruction and insecurity of the last great war. The latest philosophy was to obtain as much as possible that life has to offer. Every social aspect changed with it and along with it changed the world around them.

Plays and writer were no different. Colours became more vibrant and approach became more outrageous to keep up with the society. Joe Orton’s plays were a product of this period. UK and US was ready for this change and it only needed a spark to ignite its whole new musical genus. This was provided by the endowments of talented musicians like Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins, John Lennon and Elvis Presley. These people were to become the pride of the youth and the era soon came to be known as the cradle of Rock ‘n’ roll. (Manning, 279)

The funny side of this approach was however different from the basic perception of the life styles of the early 1960’s through the later 1960 were a confluence of conflicting philosophies. As it was mentioned earlier that the idea of materialism was at its had hitting best but alternatively the simplicities of eastern philosophies, specifically Indian philosophies, were highly acclaimed though it was concentrated within a certain group of people. As a result, the poets and the writers, as least a section of them, who took their inspirations from life and society it self, inclined themselves towards the approach of simplistic formations of art forms.

It is a well known fact and it has been shown time and again by many literary historians and researchers that the main targeted audience were the baby boomers who had all the opportunities to take all the advantages of almost any and every marketing gimmicks. UK and its music were not far behind in this era. The musicians of this time needed something more vibrant and colorful and Rock ’n’ Roll came out as the product of the time.  (Dollard, 116-7)

It should be remembered that this was the era of the beginning of the ‘cold wars’ too and fascination of the authorities towards the space age race and nuclear future was overwhelming. So, it is obvious that the common demography of the country started mimicking the perception of the authorities taking the concept of space age right to their likings. As a result the musical designers could not be left far behind. They associated their music with the latest gizmos and presented the feature of Rock ’n’ Roll as new age revolution.

The problem was that the new generation was unable to recognize themselves with the usual blues and other traditional forms. They wanted something exclusively that is easily identifiable to them. Rock ‘n’ Roll Music provided that element which included the latest approach to music with more flair and flamboyance. This music possessed more swings and action and this was what the generation of 1960’s wanted. The Beat movement provided this exact genus of music. (Knott, 188-9)

The innovative and diversified methodology utilized between these two decades reflects a change in society’s considerations. The choice to change furniture styles reflects a great deal on the emotional status of the era and the need to recover from a series of devastating events. Those devastating events included World War II and a very emotional roller coaster in the depression era which wrought havoc in many ways on the methods of production and the economic infrastructure of the United States and UK. The devastation involved during World War II provided impetus for the designers from various European countries to flee to the United States and UK for sanctuary and freedom of expression. This is where the innovation for the new modern style of music was managed.

The 1950’s period was indeed a lively decade for arts and technology where many forces emerged influencing changes in musical design. The push of space travel, the defense industry and consumer booms provided impetus toward increased influences of fashion in lifestyle design. Cheap yet fashionable articles made to be thrown away afterwards became fashionable for household interiors. Youths of the era became a strong influence on this era of design by attacking the principles of tradition in many ways including interior design. Designers were intrigued and influenced by fantasy films, space travel and its mystique and more. Later this attitude was becoming more relevant with pop art culture, the Beatles, Woodstock, Peace, Love, Psycadelia and the Youth Force. (Kumar, 334)

In conclusion it can well be stated that it is true that the movement of music in the form of Rock ‘n’ roll developed and reached at a great height but at the same time it is also a fact that it died out soon in its original form. However, the music of this era left a long standing legacy for generations to come in different forms and designs of music along with different issues to protest along with cultural homogeneous forms and changing socio economic and philosophical context, the basic causes of the development of this musical movement.

Works Sited:

Dollard, John; Zenith and Zero Points of History (New Haven and London: Yale University Press. 2004) pp 116-7

Knott, P; Development of Analysis of US & UK Economy (Dhaka: Dasgupta & Chatterjee 2005) pp 188-9

Kumar, H; Justice of Winners: Win Some, Lose None (Auckland: HBT & Brooks Ltd. 2005) pp 334

Manning, C S; Principals and Practices of Hollywood Industry (Christchurch: National Book Trust. 2004) pp 279

Powell, M; Anatomy of Modern Culture: Independence of Economy (Wellington: ABP Ltd 2001) pp 49-53

Prawer, H A; The Kingdom of Rock’n’Roll (Dunedin: Allied Publishers 2004) pp 221-5

Tyerman, J; Invention of the Musical Crusades (Dunedin: Allied Publications 2001) pp 233-37

THE BIRTH OF ROCK n’ ROLL – A CASE OF RACIAL CONFLICT The term rock ‘n’ roll has been traced back as far as the 1920s in black music, but it became an accepted when disc jockey Alan Freed began used it to describe the character of the rhythm and blues he played on his radio program in the mid-‘50s. The term “Rockin’ and Rollin” were originally used as slang for sex, in black pop music. However, it went on to become the name for a new, salacious musical genre.

Innovation in audio technology, new instruments, fresh talent, business savvy record producers, and a young population of new consumers created by post-war economic prosperity helped turn “race music” into “rock and roll”. The roots of Rock & Roll can be traced back to rhythm and blues and country rock. We must note the political context of the rock n’ roll movement before delving deeper into the recesses of the genre.

Black people were beginning to identify and assert themselves racially supported by a series of Supreme Court judgments in favour of integration and the Black community in general Rock n’ roll became a symbol of Black empowerment to the Whites, especially to the segregationists who were accustomed to and valued a separation of the races, but were now legally forced to operate against those segregationist values. The resistance to rock n’ roll music, highly enjoyed by young White kids, was a culmination of all the hostility and tension of the Civil Rights movement.

There was a certain White resistance to such music in the form of The Ku Klux Klan and other White-supremacist organizations that openly preached the exaggerated consequences of listening to rock n’ roll music. The term “jungle music” was used to describe the rock n’ roll beat, declaring it would cause the White youth to lose their sense of humanity and dignity while mixing races. This kind of resistance to the rock n’ roll movement often came to physical assaults on Black performers. There have been reports of assaults such as the one on Nat King Cole, arguably one of the most docile African American performers of the time.

While performing at a Whites-only venue, a mob rushed the stage and beat him. Nat King Cole not only suffered the bruising from the White audience who ambushed him, but also a tongue lashing from Black activists who reprimanded him for not demanding integrated venues. The conflicts of rock n’ roll music are direct reflections of both the institutional resistances of Whites to integration and the widespread exploitations of Blacks across the country in many industries. The post-war economic boom ushered in a new era in radio broadcasting.

With greater competition, national radio networks gave way to a horde of new independent, locally based stations hosting a variety of entertainment programs. White radio producers would hide Black performers from White audiences. They would often choose a tune with potential from a Black artist, and have a White singer perform the song without the provocative dancing or emotive moaning of the original version. This proved to be a multiple win for the Whites as the Black artist would be kept away from the spotlight, the White producer was making the money, and White kids were idolizing the White singer.

It is widely believed that iconic artists like Pat Boone, Elvis and Georgia Gibbs began by assisting in the exploitation of Black artists who were replaced by more-polished, White impersonators. Many observers suggest that rock n’ roll would never have been so controversial had it not been for the sexual revolutions and conflicts going on throughout the mid 1900s. The rock n’ roll revolution coincided with the institutional revolution of acknowledging youth sex. Rock n’ roll music often ended up portraying sex as a new, fun activity, something that normally happens when young people fall in love.

The older generations were quite averse to such music and used many tactics to resist the trend. Magazine campaigning became very popular among the older generations; parental guides and “girl talks” were printed to show that people still valued pre-marital abstinence. The situation eventually escalated into full censorship, until disc jockeys and music hall owners refused to play Black records in general. There were petitions and requests for radio stations to not play sexually-explicit lyrics, but the response was relatively weak. The truth is that the White artists, who impersonated the Blacks, saved the movement.

They cleaned up the sound and look of rock n’ roll, until White parents would accept it. Parents did not want their sons and daughters listening to wild rocker Little Richard Penniman, but would let them listen to Pat Boone. Soon, White faces like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lewis were reintroducing the sexuality of rock n’ roll music and launched it into mainstream legend. Black popular music—everything from jazz and blues to boogie-woogie and rhythm and blues—stood at odds to the white pop songs and artists that epitomized post-world war conservatism. By comparison, rock n’ roll was raunchy, unrestrained, rowdy, and even evolutionary. That which was categorized by the record industry as “race music” stood as a powerful cultural alternative to the tight-lipped, conformist values. Black Rock n’ Roll music also reflected major social and cultural changes brought on by post war urbanization, including youthful rebellion. By contrast, white pop music had ignored or watered down these transformations. American youth, inspired by nonconformist icons like James Dean, Marlon Brando, and Natalie Wood, naturally gravitated toward the more edgy black tunes which they felt spoke of their frustrations.

These young whites made black music their own by learning the dances, memorizing the slang, and copying the cool swagger of African-American boogie-woogie and rhythm and blues artists. They claimed as their own a genre scorned by most whites born before World War II. Thus, Rock n’ Roll was indeed reflective of the Civil Rights movement. It stirred up a whole generation and shows that a culture conflict usually always has a deeper context to be found.

Society has changed dramatically since the 1970’s, especially for teenagers and the newer generations. Although in some ways it is still similar. It seems the biggest impact on these changes all result from technology. The introduction of the internet, mobile phones and social networking, in my eyes, has changed everything. The way families communicate is one of the major differences I have noticed after watching ‘Puberty Blues’, a television series set in the 1970’s, about a series of families and teenagers making their way through life, puberty and problems they might encounter on a daily basis.

The show previewed the way people communicated with each other, always using a voice. Either they called each other via home phone, which meant minimum privacy from your parents. Or talking face-to-face… In one scene, the family were sitting down to dinner when the phone kept ringing, her mother, assuming it was her best friend, said it can wait. It was then from a murmur that it was established by the parents that it was in fact a boyfriend calling for her.

These forms of communications are in itself rare today as a majority of teenagers and adolescents text or message each other and these portable devices with locks and codes means maximum privacy. Today, we meet people on Facebook and other social networking sites. And it’s from these profiles that you can establish many things about a person and make a first judgement. Statistics show 34% of Australia’s population with a Facebook account are of those between 13 and 24. Not to mention the issue of fake accounts and predators online that can ‘groom’ vulnerable teenagers and drain personal information out of them.

School during these two different periods of time are quite similar. Cliche groups were very noticeable, the popular kids ECT. For instance in the show, the ‘North Cronulla’ teenagers were picked on and seen as weird, not as cool. You had the students who truanted, rebelled against their teachers although it was noticed how much bullying occurred back in the day, where as now, it is frowned upon, a majority of students are against it and will defend one-another. Another difference noticed was of sexual relationships, boyfriends and girlfriends, expectations and behaviour.

Knowledge about sex and expectations has been learnt very differently in the past. School sex education is important, yet most of us learn little of what we know about sex from our schooling especially in the 1970’s. We’re it appeared everything was learn from friends, from family whereas today the media has an effect on our knowledge and recourses. Professor Michael Reiss said the following about sex education in the 70’s… ‘By the start of the 1970s, school sex education was beginning to change significantly, no doubt largely in response to the great social changes of the 1960s and ‘70s.

Biology textbooks started to provide fuller accounts of the human reproductive systems, while methods of contraception began to be taught more widely. The emphasis was mostly on the provision of accurate information, and aims of sex education programmes included a decrease in ignorance, guilt, embarrassment and anxiety. Issues to do with relationships were probably more often discussed in programmes of personal and social education, or their equivalents, rather than in biology lessons. In the case of ‘Puberty Blues’ the relationships were based very much on sex life. The males had high expectations of the females, it didn’t seen to affect the kids (except some females) if they didn’t talk or have fun as it was all about sexual activities. A majority of the males treated the girls horribly and talked disrespectfully to their mates about their sexual encounters. The girls would do anything to be accepted, to have a good relationship (although the standard of a decent relationship wasn’t very high).

In the case of the protagonists in the series, they both began as regular students, in no particular group; they were at first bullied by the ‘cool kids’. It was then that they started participating in dangerous activities just to fit in (drinking alcohol and smoking), this wasn’t quite peer pressure, but under the circumstances of wanting to fit in, they felt it was necessary, which sadly worked for them. The pressure began after they had been accepted and became romantic with other boys; they were forced into sex by not only the males but the more experienced girls in the group.

The consequences that came with these actions included hurting their self respect and general morals, sneaking behind parents backs that wouldn’t approve and having to give their black-mailing brother cigarettes to keep him quiet. They may have also gained a reputation in societies eyes, especially other parents and their own. Today, relationships are entirely different for teenagers. Yes in some cases there is an expectation for sexual activity down the track but nothing immediate like in ‘Puberty Blues’.

It’s more important to have a healthy and trustworthy relationship, to be able to talk and have fun, enjoy each other’s company. I can’t exactly speak on behalf of males but I still feel there is a touch of disrespect towards women in terms of the privacy of relationship details. According to ‘Teens Health’ the 7 necessities for a healthy relationship are- Mutual Respect, trust, honesty, support, fairness/equality, separate identities and good communications which the relationships in ‘Puberty Blues’ and even most today were lacking some or a lot of. Other risk taking behaviour included drink driving and smoking for adults too.

At this stage in time, the severity and impacts smoking can have on someone had not been specified or broadcasted compared to what it is today. The only restriction was to younger people, not that it stopped them. Quote Terry Martin (article writer, 70’s smoker) – ‘When I was a young smoker back in the mid 70s, attitudes about tobacco were a lot different than they are today. A person could light up just about anywhere, and while we all knew that cigarette smoking was hazardous to our health, we were in the dark ages about just how dangerous it really was.

Smokers were accepted by society and smoking was tolerated to a degree we can’t fathom today. ’ Drink driving was also swept under the carpet, it wasn’t seen as quite a big deal, whereas after many crashes and lives lost over the years, people started to spread awareness and bring in stronger law enforcement into place. Lastly, drug use was showed a lot on the series , notably by the teenage boys mainly smoking weed, as it is also quite relevant still today in high school students. In both scenarios it has been and is still illegal although this remains to change little to the situation.

Overall a lot has changed over the years, but this sense of rebellion by the younger generation remains and will continue too. We can only hope that after seeing so much improvement over the years after watching ‘Puberty Blues’ that we can appreciate it and continue to improve it for years to come. http://www. socialbakers. com/facebook-statistics/australia http://www. open. edu/openlearn/body-mind/health/health-studies/brief-history-sex-education http://quitsmoking. about. com/od/antismokingresources/a/tobaccoepidemic. htm

Music creates invigorating environments and atmospheres in nightclubs, homes, churches, picnics, cars and everywhere else on this planet. Music industry attracts creative, imaginative minds who has the capability of developing ideas that fascinates everyone. Many years ago, music consisted of one category, classical. From classical, Jazz, Blues, Ragtime, Rock and Roll, Pop, Hip-Hop were invented. The music bringing in the most money are the music that stays up with the current trends. This type of music has a bigger audience. Today, we have several music types that can be divided into popular classifications.

Updated audio technology enhances sounds of notes played, chord progressions and vocal techniques more distinctively. Music appealing to popular cultures consistently changes with current trends. Today’s popular music categories appealing to young generations, staying with current trends can be classified as Hip-Hop or Rap, Pop, or progressive Rhythm and Blues. Popular artists such as Kayne West, Hurricane Chris and 50 cent play music classified as Hip-Hop or Rap. Jazz, Rock and Roll, mixed with international African Drumming and Latino cultures shaped the personality of Hip-Hop.

Hip-Hops tonality is formed by constant heavily accented beats and strong notes. The constant backbeat defining Rock and Roll carried over to Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop arranges the instruments to put stronger emphases on the backbeat, creating an atmosphere of invigoration and energy. Teen music audiences are vibrant and energetic. “We could say that music perception is measured and studied as though it is the ability to perceive features of music” (Dorrel, 2006). Heavy accents on instrumentation intrigue young music audiences. Energetic rhythms, provided by percussion are youth oriented, and are easily perceived by young people.

Hip-Hop in the future may become faster, have many more rhythms playing simultaneously, and become more integrated with other nations. The number of notes written into Hip-Hop’s musical scores will increase. There is a new dance trend popularized by Hip-Hop (and Madonna) called Krumping. Hip-Hop music steadily influences development of new dance styles, both in the studios and in the nightclubs. Other artists of another division of the pop music classification are Fergie, Rihanna and Gwen Stefani. Pop music sometimes follows the same time signatures as Hip-Hop.

The duration of the accents, frequency’s and pitches are comparable to Hip-Hops style. Identical Hip-Hop sheet music may be used for pop. The emphases on the instruments defines the difference. Pop artists singing voices are more accented, above the percussion. The audible focus emphasize different instruments. Electronic instruments (Keyboard, Organ) are emphasized while percussions provide the steady ongoing pulse. As time progresses, all popular music note’s and rhythms speed and frequency increase. For current music trends to stay on top of the music field, they must constantly create new themes, new overall tonality’s.

One of the changes inevitably coming along is the ways music is brought to us. Music will be available through radios, devices requiring service contracts without downloadable device and concert shows. Artists will start touring more or only agreeing to make albums requiring a service contract. There will be more competition to create stunning shows. The artists will have to “make it (concert) memorable. Give them ups and downs, highs and lows, mix the comfortable with the unexpected” (Elmy, 2003). In the new millennium, pop bands may be putting shows together with rap bands.

The final classification of music is Rhythm and Blues. Some Rhythm and Blues singers are Beyonce, Janet Jackson and Ciara. The melody and electronic instruments are emphasized in R&B. Musical theatre, Jazz and Big Band influenced R&B. Dancing, and types of dancing defined and characterized Musical Theatre, Jazz, Big Band. In today’s R&B videos, artists uses distinctive dance styles. In Rihanna’s video, Umbrella (also R&B), you can see the Fosse technique in her solo dancing, specifically from All That Jazz. Future Rhythm and Blues will continue return to its roots from Big Band and Jazz, which was played in musical theatres.

Popular music, is music appealing to the average ages from children to late twenties. Children are never to young to become a fan of popular music produced by the music industry. Some two year olds love Hurricane Chris and KISS. The artists appealing to younger generations may be any age. Record label’s executives are conducting professional music business to appeal to younger people. The music trends constantly change, continuously inventing ways to hold audiences with short attention ps. If music shows are designed to hold the attention of ADD five years old, it will certainly hold adult audiences.

When applying for an executive position, the straightlaced interview rules no longer apply. “It’s no accident labels are hiring producers. These guys have the sense to stay on top of market changes and deliver sales. You’ve definitely gotta hire someone who’s going to bring a little more content to what people are doing nowadays, because if you don’t, you’re going to get pushed out of the race” (Marshall, 2007). Future of music will bring more breakthrough techniques including improvement of vocal quality, musical arrangements of songs, and recording technology. Artists are now refusing to make albums.

Madonna recently left her lifetime record label, Warner Brothers because Live Nation promotes concert tours. These live performances will likely eliminate any music sales to individuals. Legitimate businesses are going to be the primary purchasers of hard copies of music. Today, only dance studios with 2000 students purchase the required licenses to play and use copyrighted music. The smaller dance studios do not abide with these laws. Artists advantage to producing music is currently getting eliminated. The reality shows, American Idol, Dancing With the Stars can be very misleading.

Why is Paula Abdul no longer singing and making albums, since she is a bridge to music contracts? Younger people may lack money to purchase all favorite tunes. However, the cost of getting music to them costs a small fortune. The popular music can currently be divided into three classifications. The most creative people combined Rhythm and Blues coming from classic musical theatre, jazz and blues originating in 1920’s and marketed current popular cultures. Notes; Elmy, T. (2003, May). Playing Live: How To Structure A Kick-Ass Set. Canadian Musician, 25(3), 60. Retrieved November 17, 2007,

from Academic Search Complete database. http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=a9h&AN=10303241&site=ehost-live Phillip Dorrel, (2006 October 15) Music Perception: What Is It That We Perceive When We Perceive Music? Retrieved November 17, 2007 http://www. 1729. com/blog/MusicPerception. html Marshall, S. (2007, February 26). MUSIC LABELS’ NEW LEADERS. Crain’s New York Business, 23(9), 1-8. Retrieved November 17, 2007, from Regional Business News database. http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=bwh&AN=24351670&site=ehost-live