Describe Popular Culture in Britian in the 1960s

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To many of the people at the time, they were the ‘swinging sixties’. They were a decade when fashions changed continuously and young people appeared to have more freedom than ever before. It was a time that many people look back on with fond memories, but which others blame for some of the failings of society.

Culture is an interest deeply enjoyed by ones class, race, income, wealth and religion. Popular culture is usually attributed to the working class. During the early 1960’s Britain was locked into the ideas and attitudes of the previous decade, popular culture was far more fifties than sixties. However gradually during the decade the ideas of the ‘swinging’ sixties started to be seen throughout Britain.

Since 1955, British music had been dominated by various American singers who targeted a specific audience, for example the legendary Elvis Presley targeted the young and Perry Como targeted the middle aged. However by 1961 this music was seen to have become mainstream and not at all radical. There was no distinctive sound to English popular and the talents that were British all copied Elvis Presley’s distinctive sound such as Cliff Richard and Billy Fury. However, by 1961 a group called The Quarrymen and later known as The Beatles changed the face of popular music forever. Their early songs were distinctive and their sound became unique.

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The television was dominated by the British Broadcasting Corporation (the BBC) which was controlled by John Reith. He believed every programme shown on television must be educational; this portrayed him as a very conservative and elitist man. This meant ...

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