Hernandez 1

Nohely Hernandez
Gango-6
English 12
October 14, 2015
Rock: A Gift to the World
Josh is your everyday average student. Secretly, he has an intense love for rock, but is afraid to
express his emotions because he fears people's judgment. One day, he meets up with a close
friend and tells him about his fear. The type of music you listen to defines you, its your
personality. Imagine a world without rock. You wouldnt really think the way you do now. Rock,
while on the surface, seems to be for devil-worshippers, it is actually a very creative and
community-friendly genre. People should try to appreciate rock for its origin and incredible
progression instead of stereotyping an entire community of people.
Rock n roll originated in the United States in the 1940s and started changing in the mid-to-late
1960s. The very beginnings of rock were incredibly honorable because it allowed some Black
people to be successful. People such as Jimi Hendrix started to make their way into the music
scene. At first, Jimi Hendrix experienced a great amount of racism. He said that, the idea of
doing that [performing] came to me...in Tennessee. Down there you have to play with your teeth
or else you get shot. (Shapiro) In other words, Hendrix really had to impress his audience so
that they would not hurt him. Hendrix found that being a solo artist was one of the first ways he
could have an important role in society, as a black person. The birth of rock music permitted
black people such as Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Harry Belafonte to pursue their musical

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dreams. (Schallau) Rock music started to spread through Europe and across the world. Over the
years, rock evolved and new genres started appearing, such as indie rock which was much slower
and had an upbeat sound. According to the article, The History of Rock: Episode 6, Plugging In,
since 1970 rock music has spawned numerous styles and spin-off genres, such as; punk, metal,
new wave, and grunge. (McGovern) Rock inspired music genres like hardcore rock and post
hardcore rock (which has a faster beat and screaming). Rock began with small bands like the
group known as the Delta Blues. Overtime, it grew and helped the Black community have a
voice and important position in the music industry. For these reasons, rock should be
appreciated.
Rock should be admired for the way that it helped the United States to progress in equality.
According to The History of Rock: Episode 6, Plugging In, in the United States, rock music
could no longer ignore social conditions, and musicians who had largely steered clear of
commentary were compelled to consider politics as a subject for their work. (McGovern) It was
inevitable for rock to collide with politics because many famous people expressed their political
feelings through their music. The article, Politics and Punk Rock, says that under manager John
Sinclair, the rock band, MC5 became one of the first politically active bands, something that
would later become characteristic of punk. (Donne) Incredibly enough, MC5 started the White
Panther Party, a political party that supported the Black Panther Party. As rock music evolved,
more and more punk bands introduced politics into their music. The birth of rock allowed people
of all groups to have a voice in politics. In addition to the White Panther Party, rock gave females
an opportunity to express the injustices they had faced. One of the most influential female bands,
Bikini Kill, created a feminist-oriented music that inspired people to investigate the topic.

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Overall, Rock music has helped a number of things progress. This is just another reason to
appreciate Rock.
While rock has had an incredible beginning and a strong voice to progress society, it is more
often than not stereotyped. When most people think about rock, they immediately think about
gothic teenagers who are always emotional. One survey shows that rock music helps about 34
to 40% of people release their anxieties and stress. (Townsend) Additionally, rock and punk
music can get a person into a more energetic mood because it gets their adrenaline
pumping.(Donne) Rather than stereotyping people who listen to rock, people should be taught
that rock is a form of releasing stress. When people understand each other, fewer problems can
exist. The Misfits, who got their name from Marilyn Monroes last movie, are known to have
aggressive lyrics and impressive vocals. While most people may quickly assume that the devil
has possessed them and that they are evil people, the Misfits write about songs that help other
people cope with their problems.(Townsend) The song, Die, Die my Darling, while it may
sound threatening, is just about a breakup and the exaggerated emotions that come from the
breakup. There were a number of musicians who were interviewed and, during that interview,
were asked on their interpretation. Following the interview, about 34 of 50 people said the song
was over a breakup. (Townsend) People tend to jump to conclusions when they think about
someone who listens to rock music. As shown here, rock can actually help people cope with
problems and release their stress.
In conclusion, rock music should be appreciated for its origin and for the impact that it
has had in advancing society, instead of stereotyping it as rebellious music. From helping the
black community, to helping others to cope with their problems, rock music has benefited

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society. People should seek to understand each other for only after that will everyone be able to
truly help one another.
Throughout the rock generation parents have disagreed with the sound and lyrics. The thought
that it was to loud and they didnt want their children listening to that type of music. Teenagers
saw this type of music to be just entertainment. In some cases it could've been because they
wanted to fit in. Though to some teens the music expressed how they felt. Music like emo rock
like the bands Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance were express and talk about depression
and negative emotions. This music seemed to lead to a higher suicide rate. Grunge artists like
Nirvana were put in the category of doing illicit drugs.
Studies have shown that teens that are happy tend to not get offended by the lyrics or are less
affected by the music. Teen that are depressed and have negative feelings against the world are
more likely to act upon their thoughts. They way it affects you depends on who are. is more
likely to energize listeners than to de-energize or mellow them out.
Though not all parents would disagree that listening to this type of music is bad for their
children. Some believed that it would be okay for their children to listen to The Rolling Stones or
The Beatles, some parents may agree that Mick Jagger from The Rolling Stones was overly
sexual with his dance moves on stage. No one now would find anything wrong with it.

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Works Cited
Donne, Sam. "Rock Music." Love To Know. Mt. Hillary College, 12 Dec. 2009. Web. 9 Mar.
2011.
McGovern, Charles F. "Rock - America's Music." Rock - America's Music. College of William
and Mary, 22 July 2008. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.
Schallau, Bob. "Rock Music News, Interviews, Reviews, and More." Rock Entertainment. 9 Dec.
2009. Web. 01 Mar. 2016.
Shapiro, Harry, and Caesar Glebbeek. Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy. New York: St. Martin's,
1991. Print.
Townsend, David N. "Changing the World: Rock 'n' Roll Culture and Ideology (Summary)."
Changing the World: Rock 'n' Roll Culture and Ideology. Runnaway Studio P.E., 5 Feb. 2013.
Web. 09 Mar. 2016.
Chiders, Chad. 10 Best Bands of All Time. Lousier. Emma Ross, 28 Sept. 2015. Web. 24 Mar.
2016