Teen Culture

Teen Culture

Teens: An Independent subculture Teen population: 13 million Total income: $7 billion a year $10.55 a week “ Rock and roll” spoke to teens’ style, slang, love, independence from parents

Teen population: 13 million

Total income: $7 billion a year

$10.55 a week

“ Rock and roll” spoke to teens’ style, slang, love, independence from parents

Technology

New Technology Transistor radio The only regret I have about the transistor is its use for rock and roll.” --Walter Brattain, inventor of the transistor

Transistor radio

New Technology Portable record players

Portable record players

New Technology 45s

45s

New Technology TV

TV

The Promoters

Alan Freed Cleveland disc jockey; “Moondog” Coins the term “rock and roll”

Cleveland disc jockey; “Moondog”

Coins the term “rock and roll”

Dick Clark Hosted the popular show “American Bandstand”—aired daily at 3:30

Hosted the popular show “American Bandstand”—aired daily at 3:30

The Rock Stars

The Rock Stars

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Maybellene Chuck Berry

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Tutti Frutti Little Richard

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Pat Boone

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Sh-Boom Chords/Crew Cuts

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls of Fire

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Wake Up Little Susie The Everly Brothers

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Rock Around the Clock Bill Haley and the Comets

“ Before Elvis, there was nothing.” --John Lennon

“ Before Elvis, there was nothing.”

--John Lennon

“ Elvis Presley is the greatest cultural force of the 20 th century.” --Leonard Bernstein

“ Elvis Presley is the greatest cultural force of the 20 th century.”

--Leonard Bernstein

“ the most brutal, ugly, degenerate, vicious form of expression it has been my displeasure to hear. It fosters almost totally negative and destructive reactions in young people. It smells phony and false. It is sung, played and written for the most part by cretinous goons.” –Frank Sinatra Time magazine likened rock concerts to Hitler’s mass meetings “ a menace to morals” – Music Journal J. Edgar Hoover called it “a corrupting influence”

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Hound Dog Elvis Presley

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Jailhouse Rock Elvis Presley

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles All Shook Up Elvis Presley

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles That’ll Be the Day Buddy Holly

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles La Bamba Ritchie Valens

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Chantilly Lace The Big Bopper

Don McLean memorializes this crash— “the day the music died”—in his song “American Pie.”

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Tequilla The Champs

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles There Goes My Baby The Drifters

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Only You The Platters

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Blueberry Hill Fats Domino

50’s Playlist Artists and Titles Artists and Titles Ricky Nelson

Rock and Roll’s Obstacles in the late 1950s

Rock and Roll’s Obstacles in the late 1950s

Payola Scandal