Music is one of the most frequently employed, popular media for adolescents, “devoting approximately four and five hours a day listing to music and watching music videos” (Christenson & Roberts, 1998, p. 8). In a study conducted in 1990, when high school students were asked which media they would take with them if they were stranded on a desert island, at all grade levels, music media was the preferred top choice, even over television (Roberts & Henriksen, 1990).

Uses of music

The appeal of music relates to adolescents’ uses of music (Christenson & Roberts, 1998, Dominick, 1996) for a range of different purposes:

• information about political or cultural issues or social/romantic relationships.

• diversion, relaxation, release, distraction, intensifying mood.

• constituting social relationships, either solitary, imagined experiences or sharing musical experiences with others.

• withdrawal or escape into one’s own private listening experience

• defining personal identities.

Module 9: Word document

The Value of Studying Popular Music

Purposes for Studying Popular Music as Media

Development of Recorded Popular Music

Different Music Genres

Rock

Jazz

Soul/Motown

Blues

Hip Hop/Rap

Punk

Folk

Country

Cajun/Zydeco

The Music of Protest

Music Videos

Film Music

The Economics of the Popular Music Industry

Studying Radio

Teaching Activity

References