MU121 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Alan Freed, Federal Communications Commission, Wanda Jackson
Document Summary
1955 is the first year of rock and roll. When rhythm and blues broke into the mainstream in 1955, rock and roll was born. Rock and roll played a crucial role in challenging tin pan alley"s dominance of the music business and removing the divisions between the three industry markets: mainstream pop, country and western, and rhythm and blues. In 1955 and the years that followed, songs and records moved freely among these three markets and astounded the major labels. The rise of youth culture in the 1950s. The first wave of war babies reach adolescence (this is not your father"s pop music) The end of wwii saw the rise of a new and significant phenomenon in american society: a pop culture devoted exclusively to teenagers. In the 1950s white, middle-class teens were allowed to avoid adult responsibility longer than any group in history. Post wwii, teens had money to spend on leisure activities and luxury items.
