Mass entertainment and Popular culture

• Before 1WW – Cinema + football popular with working classes, upper/middle classes didn't like to be linked to mass culture. After 1WW these attitudes started to change.
• Mass popular culture


  Entertainment, trends and fashions. This will include cinema, music, radio and TV (after WW2) and the development of youth culture.
• All these developments were helped by developments in technology and increased standard of living after WW2.
• Cinema 1920's-30's


  • 1914 = 3,000 cinemas in Britain. 1930 = 5,000 (2015 = 750)
  • 1920's = cinema was the most popular form of entertainment in the UK. Big stars e.g Charlie Chaplin
  • Increasingly films were coming from America = the 1920's saw the birth of Hollywood. Popular themes for films were gangsters and cowboys
  • 1927 Cinema Quota Act = said cinemas had to show 7.5% British films (1936 increased to 20%)
  • 1927 = first talkies
• Cinema 1920's-30's


  • By the 1930's more cinemas were built and cinemas got larger. Many of these new cinemas (or picture palaces) were smarter and appealed to more middle class people
  • Overall cinema attendance during the 1920's went up (even during the Great Depression) = escapism. It was estimated during the "hungry 30's" 80% of Glasgow's jobless went to the cinema 1 a week
  • Most of the tax earned for the government from entertainment came from cinemas (1937 = £5.6 million – at the same time football earned just under £500,000)
  • Most of the films made during the 1920/30's = escapism. Romance, history or crime. But some social films were also made e.g Great Game = a film about the conflict faced by a football club over whether to use professional players or amateurs.
• Cinema during 2WW


  • Cinemas were kept open due to popular demand
  • Film played a vital role in keeping up the morale of the nation
  • Films were often patriotic (e.g Henry V) or comedies (Let George Do it – where the main star George Formby smacked Hitler)
  • As well as the escapism and morale boosting feature films, before the main show = information films/news reports – remember this is before television
  • Pathe News was shown before films in cinemas up to the 1960's but during WW2 played a crucial role.
• Cinema 1945-79


  • 1946 69% of 16-19 year olds went to the cinema 1 wk (11% of over 60's)
  • 1950 the average person went to the cinema 28 times a year
  • Saturday morning = kids shows/films
  • People in the North of England went to the cinema 2X more than the south
  • 1928-39 BBFC (British Board of Film Censors) banned 140 films (+ ordered cuts to a lot more)
  • But by the mid 1950's cinema attendance was falling (rise of TV ownership) and many cinemas were forced to close.
• Themes in British cinema 1945-79


  • Ealing comedies (Late 40's -1950's)
  • War films (1950=-60's)
  • Spy films (1960's +)
  • Social realism (1950-60's)
  • Darker Britain (1970's)
• By the end of the 1970's, cinema was on the decline. Few blockbusters were made (except for Bond) other popular films were the Carry on movies. Film talent increasingly moved to the USA or swapped to TV. British film production fell. Film production also fell as the government cut its funding for film.
• Music 1918-45


  • 1920's Britain's most popular artist was Ivor Novello. During the songs had had played a role keeping up morale e.g "Keep the home fires burning"
  • 1930's increasing American music came into Britain. This music was jazz and swing. By 1930 there were over 20,000 dance bands in Britain. American music continued to be popular during WW2 due to the influence of the American GI's stationed here
  • During WW2 again music played an important role uniting the country and keeping up morale e.g White Cliffs of Dover sung by Vera Lynn.
• Music 1945-79 - Types


  • Rock and Roll (1950-60's)
  • Mod music (1960-70's)
  • Glam rock (1970's)
  • Reggae (1960's onwards)
  • Ska (1970's)
  • Punk (Late 1970's)
• Rock and Roll 1950-60's

  • Came from the US – black music made popular for a mass audience. Stars included Elvis and Buddy Holly
  • British rock and roll started with skiffle bands in the 1950's. Stars included Cliff Richard and Lonnie Donegan
  • Skiffle then developed in British rock and roll. The best example of this was the Beatles. 1963 the Beatles had their first number 1 (Love me do) Between 1963-9 they had 17 number 1 singles
  • 1963-66 was known as "Beatlemania" as the group had massive success. Their records sold millions as did their merchandise (such as Beatle wigs)
  • The Beatles were the first band to tap into the emerging youth culture/teenage market.
• Mod music 1960-70's


  • Mod music was a mix of soul and rhythm and blues. Combined music with fashion/a certain look. Stars included The Who.
• Glam rock 1970's


  • Androgynous – made bold statements about fashion and sexuality. These artists often challenged ideas about gender and sex. Appealed to the young and shocked the old. Seemed to fit perfectly with the growing number of young people who wanted to look different to their parents and had more disposable money. Stars included Marc Bolan and David Bowie. Bowie first big hit was in 1969 with Space Oddity. In 1972 Bowie made headlines with his appearance in Top of the Pops singing Starman. Many people were shocked by hair, make up and camp behaviour.
• Reggae 1960's onwards


  • 1950's large numbers of immigrants came to Britain from countries such as Jamaica. With them they brought reggae music. In 1969 the first reggae number 1 was "the Israelites". This showed how this music was now mainstream. By the 1970's a type of reggae called roots became increasingly popular. This was at a time of growing racial tension. One example was a song "Dread beat an blood" reflected the anger of many of these Caribbean immigrants against the National Front and Police Brutality. This music aimed at exposing racism.
• Ska 1970's


  • Linked to reggae but more aggressive. Became known as "two tone". Often bleak themes reflecting the lack of opportunities for young white and black men. Most famous group – The Specials "Ghost town"
• Punk Late 1970's


  • Angry music for angry young people. Wanted to shock and offend. Became popular at a time when unemployment was high and living standards were falling. Punk was as much about the image/style (torn clothes, piercings, spiked hair)as the music. Groups such as the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks and Clash. BUT small audience (over hyped in the media)wanted to make out punk was corrupting the youth.
• BUT the biggest acts in Britain by the end of the 1979's were the Bee Gee's, disco, Elton John, Queen and Abba = feel good music.
• Radio 1918-39


  • 1922 = 1% of British homes had a radio, this increased to 71% by 1939 and 90% by 1951
  • After 1WW the government was reluctant to have public radio = feared it could be too powerful
  • 1922 The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was licenced by government. Because of this it became linked to the government and so the government had influence over the news, music and entertainment transmitted. The role of the BBC was seen as reassuring a national sense of community. As a result the BBC in the 1920-30's didn't reflect the lives of many people living in Britain
  • 1927 the BBC got its Royal Charter = still publicly owned but now independent
  • 1932 King's first Christmas message.
• Radio during WW2


  • Radio played a crucial role in keeping up morale. Programming was aimed at uniting the country behind the war effort – even played in factories. Radio was a cheap and accessible form of propaganda. The radio was used to spread wartime hints and tips such as rationing recipes. Popular music included "run rabbit run" and "we'll meet again". Churchill used the radio to communicate with the public.
• Radio after WW2


  • After the 2WW the BBC had 3 channels. Home Programme, Light Programme and Third Programme. Broadcasting was still quite conventional. Mix of comedy (such as the Goon Show) drama (the Archers) variety shows, religious shows and daytime shows aimed at women and children's hour
  • But through the 1950/60's there was increasing competition from illegal "Pirate Radio" stations. These were radio stations that broadcast from ships just outside British waters. These stations were very popular with young people e.g Radio Caroline 1964 had 10 million listeners. These "Pirate Radio" stations played the latest songs (which no one else did) their popularity led to the BBC starting to change
  • In 1967 the BBC rebranded its stations. Radio 2, 3 and 4. It also started a new station Radio 1. Radio 1 was aimed at teenagers/young people, hired many of the pirate DJ's and played the latest hits
  • In 1967 the government passed the Marine Broadcast Offences Act.
• Churchill


  Used the radio to communicate with the public
• Radio after WW2


  • BBC had 3 channels: Home Programme, Light Programme and Third Programme
  • Broadcasting was still quite conventional
  • Mix of comedy, drama, variety shows, religious shows, daytime shows, children's hour
• Pirate Radio stations


  • Broadcast from ships just outside British waters
  • Very popular with young people
  • Played the latest songs
• Radio Caroline 1964 had 10 million listeners
• Popularity of pirate radio stations


  Led to the BBC starting to change
• BBC rebranding in 1967


  • Radio 2, 3 and 4
  • Started Radio 1 aimed at teenagers/young people, hired pirate DJs, played latest hits
• In 1967 the government passed the Marine Broadcast Offences Act which banned pirate radio
• Commercial radio started in 1973


  Radio with adverts
• Radio in different forms


  Played a role shaping fashion, music and trends, but by the 1960's it was being eclipsed by television
• Television


  • Had the biggest impact of any medium since WW2
  • Became an established part of everyday life
  • Shaped attitudes, consumption habits and behaviour
• Percentage of population owning a TV set


  • 1950=4%
  • 1955=40%
  • 1960=80%
  • 1970=90%
• TV in the UK started in the 1930's but cost a lot of money
• During WW2 the TV signal was switched off
• After WW2 and early 1950s

  Austerity, TV ownership was still rare
• 1953 Coronation of Elizabeth II


  • Shown live on TV, had a massive TV audience (8 million), many rented TV sets just to watch it
• After the Coronation many people bought TV sets, by 1955 40% of homes had a TV
• 1954 Television Act


  Allowed for the start of commercial TV
• Only one station - BBC 1, but by 1955 commercial TV (ITV) started
• ITV


  Paid for by adverts, didn't try to impose values, just entertain - the more people that watched the more they could charge for advertising, was a big success