The PRogression of Violence in MUsic
The PRogression of Violence in MUsicA Condensed Progression of Violence in Music
In the late 1950s, Elvis Presley revolutionized the music industry and took the world by surprise. His rock-and-roll rhythms and gyrating style dance fascinated many teenagers yet disturbed many parents. When the singer appeared on Ed Sullivan's variety show, Presley's hips were kept out of the camera range because his movements were considered "too suggestive". Reflecting on the Presley-Sullivan incident, numerous people are amused at the innocence of the time and the severity of the situation. Since the Elvis age, society has witnessed the correlation of music and violence and this trend is escalating at a quick rate. Today, people are increasingly concerned about how music might affect individuals and society as a whole; however, we can observe past trends, seen in 1969, to help determine the progression of violence generated from the music industry. In retrospect, 1969 was a year that possibly initiated the concept of using music to corrupt social values and employed music as a motive for violence. These trends, established in the late 1960s have heightened in severity and are partially responsible for today's violence in music.
It is apparent that music has the power of influence, for the act of listening indirectly takes the listener away from other activities. The Parents Music Resource Center reports that American teenagers listen to an estimated 10,500 hours of rock music between the 7th and 12th grades alone - just 500 hours less than they spend in school over twelve years. It is clear that their listening time could be put towards other productive means, but the listener chooses to listen rather than engage in other activities. The frequency of exposure to music may create immediate or long-term effects. Immediate responses encompass emotional reactions during listening, and respective repercussions may take form in dreams or unnecessary excitement. The long-range effects concern the learning that is produced. One could learn from the song content, such as vocabulary or beliefs, and may result in the strengthening or weakening of certain personality traits including aggressiveness. Listeners actively select what music materials to which he/she will expose him/herself and will absorb material accordingly. The listener may appear calm while listening to stirring music but the fact is that he/she is sharing the musical experience with the musician to some extent. This allows the listener to identify with the artist. Since listeners tend to differently interpret musical experiences, the impact of music varies from one listener to the next . It is proven that music can assist in child development by creating distinguishable matter in which the child can further recognize as its repeated. Similarly, a grown adult can experience stability in music and if this music stimulates aggressive behavior chances are that repeated listening will heighten the aggression. Music's power also resides in its lyrics. Lyrics can often penetrate the subconscious and this often creates unintended hostility. As psychologist, Linda Rocco once noted, "All societies are bound...
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