Top 5 Things to Know about Pop Culture in the United States

Popular Music

As popular culture changes quickly and drastically, this lesson is focused on the most recent pop

culture. Please keep in mind that this lesson was written in 2010.

Radio stations across the United States play pop music every day, and people quickly download it off

the Internet into the music players of consumers everywhere. American pop artists are also well known

all over the world. Some recent famous names include Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas, the Red Hot

Chili Peppers, Beyonce, Taylor Swift...and the list goes on. Other more iconic and historical artists

include Madonna, Jimi Hendrix, the Beach Boys, the late Michael Jackson, and many others.

Music has a big influence on society, especially among younger groups, because an identity is

associated with the type of music they listen too-something that is probably true for all music lovers

around the world. Music and the artist who produces it also influence fashion. This makes consumers

buy music and listen to an artist not only for the tune, but also for the image. An underlying theme to

much of this music and fashion is the idea of being cool and hip, which people find both fun and

superficial.

Along with popular music comes censorship. In the corner of some CD covers, there is a little square

with the words "Parental Advisory, Explicit Content." This means that the RIAA or Recording

Industry Association of America has decided that the lyrics of the music are profane. Parents who still

have control of what their children buy can immediately see this. 

Movies are a part of a casual, relaxing evening in the United States for many people, whether they

choose to go to a movie theater or they sit at home with their own entertainment system. Movies and

actors and actresses get much attention from the media in the United States, often becoming symbols

of beauty and luxury.

The film industry generates billions of dollars every year, with people always talking about the latest

and the best movies to watch. Hundreds of movies are produced every year, and many box office hits

go overseas and are translated into the respective languages of various countries. Award shows like the

Oscars are held to celebrate the best movies and the best actors and actresses who star in them.

Rental shops are also changing the way they do business by allowing people to rent movies online so

they receive a movie in the mail.

Though the audience is smaller, foreign films also receive much attention. A movie in a different

language allows a glimpse into a world that is miles away, and movies make this possible.

Popular Television

Television also fuels the life of pop culture in the United States. With home entertainment systems

advancing, TV is very different today compared to twenty years ago. TV programs range from game

shows to talk shows to dramas. Some popular titles include "Desperate Housewives," "Lost," "Family

Guy," "Grey's Anatomy," and so forth. TV is also changing in that many shows can now be watched

online whenever the viewer wants. TiVo is also popular, and it is a digital video recorder that allows

people to watch their favorite shows any time they want. TV no longer needs to be watched at a certain

time or in a certain place anymore. Foreign shows are also making it onto American TV, such as soap

operas in Spanish and Japanese anime.