Describe popular culture in Britain at the beginning of the 1960s

        Before the 1960s Cliff Richard and Perry Como were influenced by Elvis Pressley’s ideas and image and dominated the British music charts. There wasn’t such thing as pop music and most children listened to the same music as their parents as there wasn’t really any other choice. This all changed in 1962 when 4 Liverpool Lads formed a group called the quarrymen and later on known to be the Beatles they were huge they managed to do what Como and Richard couldn’t do give the British Music  a new unique sound this was just what Britain needed. They also did the apparent impossible by cracking the seemingly tough USA market, they were a breath of fresh air and a welcome change.

        In the 1950s television was dominated by the ideas of John Rith he said “Television had to be educational and entertaining” In the 1950s all the television presenters were white, upper class, male, privately educated, Oxbridge graduates and had southern accents. Television had plays, concerts and shows but not a wide enough variety of programmes to suit everyone. The change started in 1956 when ITV formed they brought in comedies such as I love Lucy. Another hit was Coronation Street which portrayed working class families in Manchester; this was popular as people could relate to the everyday problems. This was a welcome change from the high culture programmes that were broadcasted by the BBC. Some people called this he democratisation of television.

        Before 1960 the British film industry produced movies about their success in wars such as Dam Busters and they relied on Hollywood blockbusters to fill the cinemas such as Ben Hur and Cleopatra. In the 1960s more realistic movies were started to be produced that everyone could relate to such as Saturday Night and Sunday Morning” These films dealt with realistic problems which reflected the life of ordinary middle class people socially and economically because of this the British film industry took off.

        Before the 1960s England was largely conservative and relied on imports form the USA such as Elvis and I love Lucy but in the 1960s they took the initiative and started to produce quality media themselves such as The Beatles and Coronation Street. This was only the start though soon a dramatic culture change was on its way, and society was changed forever as it became less conservative and more open.