CUL502 media and popular culture

Throughout popular culture, music and entertainment have been a staple to define a generation and/or even a decade!  There are musicians/celebrities around the world that have had a profound effect on popular culture as well as on society as a whole.  Remember, music and artists don’t only affect and influence their specific industry, but there are various other areas of popular culture in which can affect and influence society, sometimes, even becoming a part of history.

Choose an artist/celebrity that you feel has significantly contributed to Popular Culture and society.  Have they been a part of any social and/or political movements?

FOR EXAMPLE:  LADY GAGA has been a positive advocate of free expression and for the LGBTQ community and has been a voice for Gender and Racial equality.  In light of so many tragic events over the years, musicians/celebrities have put their voices behind a cause. This is your opinion although you will be bringing in research to back up your opinion using IN TEXT CITATION

Write a 2-4 page essay detailing a brief biography of your pop culture figure and CONNECT them to pop culture and a social/political movement in some way.  Your thesis must be clear and your essay cohesive and well organized.  You must have research from outside sources to include in your research paper.  Your opinion is welcomed in this paper, as long as you can also provide facts to support your ideas.  Overall, the purpose of this essay is to prove how an artist has contributed to popular culture.

Here are some questions to consider:

1.  How has your artist influenced music/film/etc?

2. What effects does your artist have on other areas of “popular culture?” ie/ films, advertising, television, fashion, trends…etc.

3. What cause has your artist supported…how?

4. Does/did your artist have a positive or negative influence on society?

5. Has there been any significant developments, brands, movements etc. created by your musician? (focus on social movements…equal rights, civil rights, BLM..etc)

Why do you feel that they are/were so influential?