Pop culture refers to the entirety of attitudes, ideas, images, perspectives as well as other phenomena within a given popular culture. This is evident in the early to mid 20th century as well as the emerging global mainstreams of the 20th century. Many scholars attempt to trace the emergence of popular culture to the emergence of middle class culture when popular culture started merging with mass culture. There are two opposing theories employed in explanation of popular culture. In one perspective, it is seen to be related to the elites who try to control and influence the behavior in the society. In a different perspective, pop culture is viewed as a hopeless product that is developed for the mass market. This study focuses on the music industry on the music industry. Music groups such as the Beatles significantly influenced music in the pop industry in the past decades. The team developed rock music. It is worth noting that the adoption of popular culture in the United Kingdom differed significantly from the adoption of the same culture in the United States of America, although there were some similarities. The most significant similarities and differences between rock music in the UK and Us are briefly described below:
Similarities
In both US and UK music industries, organizations ensured that the goal of entertainment was enhanced through differing themes. Pop culture, particularly rock music, was also used in influencing the behavior of individuals in the society.
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Through pop culture especially rock music, the dressing styles among the youth as well as the manner of talking significantly changed both in the US and UK. This led to a scenario where the youths in both countries adopted the use of slang language as well as dressing styles that reflected the pop culture in the market. In the process, pop music was significantly influenced in the industry (Martin, 2012).
The British rock music features an array of musical styles, which is also the case in the US pop music. It has emerged as a great source of influence to the cultural practices in the United Kingdom as well as in the US. In both countries, rock music has impacted significantly on several traditions and practices.
Rock music emerged as one of the leading forms of music in 1960s through the seventies in the United Kingdom of Britain. This was the same time it emerged in the US. One of the major impacts of its emergency and widespread was the shaping and re-shaping of the opinions and attitudes as well as political views `among in the United Kingdom residents. This was the case in the UK.
The pop music was nevertheless impactful in increasing the prevalence of prostitution in both US and UK. It also acted as a source of entertainment involving the political issues that were adversely affecting both American and British societies at that time (Martin, 2012).
Selection of Beatles as the leading rock group both in UK and US is based on a number of key factors. Unlike other music groups that relied primarily on recorded music, the Beatles engaged in live presentation rather than music recording. Beatles also spread rock music in similar versions through live presentations during this period.
Below is a picture of the UK Beatles group presenting their rock music in the 17th Century (Martin, 2012).
The above group was highly affected by the then ongoing political and social battles in the US and UK. They were advocating for mysticism among other political agendas. In the United Kingdom of Britain, they not only focused on influencing the social environment but also advocated for the end of political malpractices that were affecting people. In so doing, rock music played an important role in influencing young people towards a particular political inclination.
In the American rock music industry, there has been no clear indication of the origin of the rock music. Overtime, the blues muted to the rock music. As a result, there are significant similarities of rock music that existed between the United States of America and Britain.
Differences
Due to lack of clear origin of rock music in the United States and UK, there have been some minor differences in the performance of rock music between the two countries.
Preparation and presentation of rock music in the UK varies significantly from the way rock music is prepared and presented in the US. While rock music is presented in a cool and rather collaborative style in the UK, its presentation in US is associated with more vigor in terms of both tune and dancing style.
The British rock dance is more complex and hard to learn compared to the US rock music. This is because US rock music is composed of largely free styles and approaches as compared to the UK complicated styles of dancing and music composition.
In the UK rock music industry, the music environment had underground rock music compared to the US rock music industry which was largely characterized with the blues that were developed in the US rock industry.
While rock music was viewed as a source of entertainment in the US, it was majorly viewed as source of political and social change within Britain.
There is a remarkable difference in the rock music perspectives in both US and UK. While the rock music has its version in the UK, development of the rough approach to rock music was initiated in the United States of America. The vigor in which the Americans presented the rock music through dancing was higher compared to the vigor of rock music dancing that was adopted by American rock music presenters. This difference resulted in the marked difference in the dancing style of rock music in both countries.
Interaction and Influence of Rock Music in US and UK
` The American rock music has been significantly influenced by British rock music. Although the exact origin of rock music cannot termed as apparent to US or UK as already mentioned, some scholars argue that rock music actually has its roots in the United States of America. Scholars who hold this opinion indicate that rock music was established in the US in 1940s and 1960s. The first American singers of rock music were musicians such as Elvis Presley and Muddy Waters. Eventually, the American roll and rock music was imitated by the British Groups. In spite of these assertions, in Britain, rock music was significantly enhanced during its refinement and improvement. When the rock music was being established in the UK, it led to the emergency and development of the blues in England. As a result of these relations, the British and American rock music developed concurrently, culminating into modern approaches to rock music.
Most differences evident between the US and UK rock music are merely as a result of subtle cultural differences between the two countries. America tends to have one of the best solo artists of rock music as compared to the United Kingdom of Britain. The British rock artists have also been found to write more impressionist music. On the other hand, the Americans tend to write a more heartfelt music than the British artists. The British cycles of music equally tend to change faster as compared to the American rock lyrics. It is thus difficult to adhere and keep pace with the changing rate of rock music in Britain (Reising, 2012). These differences in rock music development, composition and presentation cause significant interactions and exchange in the features of rock music between the two countries.
The development of rock music in both the United States of America and Britain is based on the universal cultural and moral values and principles that are commonly shared between the two countries. For instance, people in both countries are against oppression, discrimination of individuals and in the recent past, both countries have adopted a hypo culture. Rock music is therefore one of the major avenues through which values are shared between US and UK. The development of rock music in these countries tends to influence one another in song development and performance. While the players in the rock music industry tend to have similar styles and intensities of dancing, in spite of the differences presented, it is evident that these similarities have been as a result of interaction between the rock music artists in these two countries (Martin, 2012). This interaction is encouraged as long as it leads to the exchange of universally acceptable values between UK and US.
Conclusion
From the above presented facts about UK and US rock music industries, it is evident that there existed significant differences in the manner in which rock music was created and presented in the UK as opposed to the United States of America. Rock music attracts a huge audience and significantly shapes the social as well as political life of individuals. The adoption of rock music in different aspects of the society brings about tremendous transformations in the society and is geared towards ensuring the general well-being of the society members. Although there have been negative effects of rock music in the US and UK societies, it is through the same rock music that correctional measures can be communicated to the society in order to achieve the desired change. The interaction between US and UK residents and singers is greatly impactful, and if the rock music in both cultures is made to selectively embrace the good and deny the socially unacceptable vices, then the true glory of rock music will be realized in these two influential countries of the world. Eventually, positive values will be spread to other parts of the world. Rock music can thus be said to be an element of pop culture that has influenced and still influences human societies in terms of social behavior and political affiliations. Music is presented in this study as an important element of conveying important cultural values.
References
Martin, B. (2012). Avant rock: Experimental music from the Beatles to Björk . Chicago: Open Court.
Reising, R. (2012). Every sound there is: The Beatles' Revolver and the transformation of rock and roll . Aldershot Hants, England: Ashgate
Wald, E. (2009). How the Beatles destroyed rock 'n' roll: An alternative history of American popular music . Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.
