Pop Music and Teens

[SuperTed]

Hello all, I'm studying media at A2 and I'm doing a study on popular music and youth culture.

I was just wondering what your opinions are on this hypothesis:

"Does pop music encourage teens to conform to mainstream culture?"

Please note that "pop" music includes rock, indie, emo, chart rap music and anything else that's in the top 40 really. And conform is meaning to act in a certain way, or copy what the music is saying you should do (if the music is telling you to go out and party and go after girls/boys then thats what you do)

Any help with this and your own views would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Ted

[saz]

Pop music is mainstream.

If you look at Hip-hop music for example, it isn't just music, it represents a way of life, a culture that is intricately woven into every aspect of daily life. Hip-hop, like Rock 'n' Roll before it, is not just a genre of music, but also a complex system of ideas, values and concepts that people buy into. With hip-hop culture, you're also rapping about your environment and material possessions are part of this environment.

I think everything in popular culture is a social factor in influencing opinions, tastes and behaviour.

[hel2d]

EMO is another example of how listeners follow the attitudes and ideals/ fashion/language etc of the artists. However, it depends on 'audience theory' and how easily you think the audience are manipulated or influenced.