Music and Deviance

Week 4:

Throughout the 20th century many music genres in popular culture have elicited a knee-jerk reaction from the media and other observers causing a perceived moral panic within a mostly uneducated society heavily influenced by religion.

Jazz, Blues, Rock and Roll, Punk, New Wave, Reggae, Heavy Metal, 80s pop, Acid house, Dance, Electronica, Goth,  and Hip Hop have all been labelled at one time or another as deviant music genres, which left unfettered would cause the total collapse of civilization.

Some cases in point: When Punk arrived in the late 70s, with its grungy guitar sound, socially aware lyrics, outlandish fashion and an appetite for anarchy, many social observers saw it as the start of the breakdown of society. Punks embraced this perception of themselves, loving the fact that they were getting such a reaction. At the time the punk sub-culture didn't recognize the contradiction that the existence of an ordered society and the rule of law were the very things that gave them this freedom of expression.

When Bob Marley and the Wailers were due to play a concert in Dublin in the early 80s, there was a huge outcry from politicians and the media because of Marley's endorsement of marijuana use. The contradiction this time was that all the objectors readily accepted alcohol as a socially acceptable stimulant not realizing how insidious, dangerous and destructive a drug alcohol is, in comparison to marijuana.

All the sub-culture and genres which have been labelled as deviant right up to the present day are really just commentating on the parts of society they find unacceptable or unjust. And this can only be a healthy exercise. Because even though the rules and perceptions that govern our society are constantly evolving we are very far from creating a society that could be called ideal.