1. Pop Music & YouthCulture
“Through the 20th century and beyond, pop music --- whether in the form of rock and roll, grunge or
rap, to name but a few genres --- has been linked closely with youth culture. With many of the
consumers of popular music being young people, it's no surprise that youth have been shaped and
influenced by the themes, artists and activities which pop music involves.”
History
“The history of pop music's interactions with youth culture can be seen to stem from the beginnings
of the 20th century, where swing music ignited in young people a passion for dance during the
1920s. Crazes amongst the youth for forms of pop music continued into the 1930s and beyond,
where young people flocked to concerts by performers such as Benny Goodman. Later, artists such
as Elvis Presley thrilled young audiences, while the youth were crucial in the popularity of The
Beatles, creating the social craze known as Beatlemania. Beatlemania is a term that originated
during the 1960s to describe the intense fan frenzy directed toward The Beatles during the early
years of their success. The word is similar to the much earlier term 'Lisztomania', used to describe
fan reaction to the concerts of pianist Franz Liszt.The consumption of the music of these artists by so
many young people led the music industry to identify the youth as an important market segment all
of its own. Some artists --- for example, boy bands including Take That and 'N Sync --- have since
been marketed towards youth in particular.”