ABSTRACT
Particular genres of popular music have sparked controversy and opposition, both upon their emergence and sporadically since: rock 'n' roll in the mid-1950s, psychedelic rock in the late 1960s, disco and punk in the 1970s, heavy metal and gangsta rap in the 1980s, and rave culture in the 1990s, to name only the better-known examples (see Martin and Seagrave 1988; Cloonan 1996; Winfield and Davidson 1999; Cohen 1997). Criticism has centred variously on the influence of such genres on youthful values, attitudes and behaviour through the music's (perceived) sexuality and sexism, nihilism and violence, obscenity, black magic and anti-Christian nature. The political edge of popular music has been partly the result of this hostile reaction often accorded to the music and its associated causes and followers, helping to politicise the musicians and their fans.
