Cultural Artifacts

Cody Harper   |   10 August, 2021   |   306   |   3980

Artifacts are an important part of any society. Notably, they provide insight into the people's history and cultural values, as well as their evolution. When looking at the history, music is one of the key contributors. Doubtlessly, it is difficult to state exactly when human beings invented music, but it has been there since time immemorial. The fact that over the years, music remains omnipresent suggests that it does more than just entertainment. However, often, the role of music is either underestimated or even ignored. It is so not in the sense that people do not listen to it, but, in the sense that they rarely think how it influences their lives. However, the fact that music has played a critical role in shaping the culture of different societies is irrefutable. Interestingly, different genres of music influence people in various ways. In the United States of America, Blue Music is one of the dominant music genres that play a significant role of influencing and reflecting the development of the American culture.
This paper provided by case brief writing services explores how Blues has contributed to the cultural values of the USA? Blues was born out of necessity; it was a need for the illiterate black population to express its opinion. Subsequently, it is not only a music genre but also a social tool for change. During its development and popularization, Blues have had a positive multifaceted influence. In fact, some of the social changes in the American society can be traced back to the Blues. In the late 17th century, the first group of slaves made a treacherous journey across the ocean to America. To the white people, Africans were a source of chip labor; they were not supposed to have a voice. However, what Americans did not know was that Africans would influence their culture in several ways that they did not even anticipate. Blues as a music genre has its roots in the late 19th century.
It is said to be born on farms of Southern America; it was a call for action. The music borrows from a rich mix of the African-American traditional spirituals songs, folk ballads, European hymns, work songs, and contemporary dance motives. The first blues record was issued in the early 1900s. By the late 1920s, blues popularity had widely spread; consequently, it became a part of the contemporary culture. People of all genders were interested in this genre of music, and the first record by a woman was released later.
The history of Blue music starts with the race, and some would say that it also ends with the race. It is a story of frustrations and failed social reconstruction. It is an outcry over violence and social oppression in the South and the struggle of Civil Movements. However, fundamentally, it a story of race relations: a reflection of the race struggle and conflicts, on the one hand, and hope for the mutual respect and cooperation, on the other. It tells a tale of how African-Americans arrived, survived, and finally thrived in the USA. At its inception, the black music underwent a transformation and transition in order to gain its resonance, which was seen as a form of social movement. While the social movement is a product of the musical expression, it provides new ways of musical existence by generating space, in which it can thrive. At the time, the Renaissance opened the public sphere for African Americans.
It provided the Blacks with a background for fresh, new, and innovative ideas (Steinfeld, 2016). At the same time, it gave music political significance, as well as a greater cultural relevance. In fact, Blues has reflected the spirit of America since its inception. While it possesses a strong link to the African-American culture, Americans value and love it. Throughout its development and popularization, Blues has served for improving race relations. It has always been a magnet that knows no color restrictions. Therefore, to that extent, Blues is a uniting factor for Americans of all races. In such a manner, the music becomes a truth-bearer and a channel for raising awareness; it is an empowerment tool. These features make it a model of societal harmony.
Discrimination did not occur along racial and cl lines; in the past years, gender oppression was a significant problem. It is still real in some places even today. This bias manifests itself through the abuse, violence, objectification, and oppressive gender norms. However, Blues music has formed a stage for women to speak out their thoughts; it was a crucial stepping stone on the way to their independence. Before the 19th century, female musicians were almost nonexistent. The entry of Blues into the mainstream created room for women to engage in this art (Meghan, 2012). The uptake of music as a profession has caused debate. Some saw it as an erosion of the art, while others laughed it. Nevertheless, these women went on; with time, they quickly gained popularity among the blacks and later among the whites. The widespread acceptance of blues music in the American society is an indication that the community was ready to open for females and provide them with rights.
In later years, Blues played even a more critical role, especially in the 1960s. The 1960s was a turbulent era for the entire society of the United States of America. The period witnessed wars, general rebellion, the ination of the President, and the rise of the drug abuse. One of the most notable phenomena of the 1960s was the Civil Rights Movement. At that time, the blues was primarily a harmony that was ociated with African-Americans. Blues music turned out to be a dominant force in aiding the Civil Rights Movement to grow and become successful. It had contributed to the disintegration of the psychosomatic segregation barriers long before the obstacles were eradicated. Specific songs were produced at that time. These categories of songs can be identified as civil rights songs; they propelled the society ahead with a positively biased bearing as their rationale. The splendor in the blue music is that it helped not only in bringing about the change of the Civil Rights Movement but also in ending the antagonism in the years that followed.
Citizens, who generally do not like universal trends, find a common interest in their love to the blues. To date, Blues is standard entertainment; people of all walks of life meet a clear indication of cohesion and togetherness in the modern society.
Though some see blues as a historical tradition, the music genre is more of a music expression. Blues is a perfect tool for the outside influence. Like any other music genre, over the years, this music has faced mive manipulation from producers and technology that made it appropriate for the m production. Notably, despite this manipulation, the music has not lost its popularity and original charm. On the contrary, it continues to gain global acceptance and forms the basis for other types of art, as well as other music genres such as pop, which borrows from blues. The mere fact that this music is widely accepted suggests that these songs can tell a story of the society, which is open to change.
In conclusion, music says a lot about the society's culture. Blues as a favorite music genre can tell a lot about the American culture in the recent centuries. It has its origin in the African-American culture. The music was a reaction to the necessity of the then population to express the own opinion. Over the years, the music has become widely accepted by people of all races. Because Blues is a result of the racial oppression, its wide acceptability today serves as a cohesive force between different people. In modern days, it tells a different story: Americans are finally ready to accept people of different kinds. Additionally, during the Civil Rights Movement, blues portrayed a culture open to new opinions. Moreover, before in the past, female musicians were almost non-existent. However, blues offered a platform for the women empowerment; it reflected that the American culture wished to value females.