Music and Rituals

Music & Family: 

Growing up my parents heavily influenced and shaped my appreciation for music  which is why I chose to interview them both for this particular blog. As a child I remember our house as always being lively, we always had our radio on no matter what time of day and that still remains the same. I used to think of the music playing as just background noise, but as I have grown older I now realize that music is a way to establish connections between generations. My parents' love for almost every form of music has allowed for not only me but my entire family to create memories to last a lifetime. In this blog I plan to unfold music through my parents point of view and give a glimpse of the music and artists during the 1970’s and 80’s as well as some of the cultural and social significance of music at that time. My parents initiated with emphasizing that growing up in the 1970‘s accessing music was a completely different experience from what it is now. Since then there has been a dramatic shift in technology aiding in new and improved way we so easily access music from almost anywhere at any time. In the 1970’s listeners relied heavily on radio, and physical media. As I interviewed my parents they both remember relying heavily on the use of vinyl records and radios to enjoy their music. They described the process of setting up a record to be played, and I believe it is too complicated and requires too much time to only be able to listen to one album at a time. Alternatively my dad specifically said that a cassette tape “changed the game” for listening to music on the go. Cassettes were portable and personal, allowing for individual and personalized listening experiences. This new medium for music initiated and facilitated the sharing and listening to music in social settings.

After some research I never realized how many of the artists and bands I was actually familiar with emerged during this time, which led to my next question. I asked my parents if there was one artist or group from their generation that they could agree was an all-time favorite, and after MUCH deliberation they finally decided on The Jackson 5. The Jackson 5 was an iconic American pop band constructed of five brothers. Signing with Motown Records in 1968 The Jackson 5 quickly rose to fame and this influence left major cultural and societal changes within the music industry. I didn’t know much about music in this generation at the time but I definitely agreed on their choice, as I enjoy this group myself. The Jackson five was one of the first African American groups to achieve success in the mainstream music industry, and paved the way for future African American Artists. Their unique sound, fashion, and choreography stamped a lasting impact for the success of Motown's financial success but most importantly the pop culture.  

One of the last questions I presented to my parents was how they think music brought people together during their generation. Again this question took a while for them to answer but I believe the answer was well worth waiting for. To sum up their response and tie this blog together, music in the 1970’s served as a form of unification and allowed shared experiences to be created. Music allowed for individuals from different walks of life to come together, enjoy music, to let everything go and just enjoy what was presented to them. The shared listening experiences helped people connect and build relationships over common tastes and the effects of early music still stands today. Ultimately music during this time served as a power instrument for social unity and provided common ground and mutual understanding for people to come together and express themselves.