Back in 1966, John Lennon was pilloried viciously in this country for his, "we're more popular than Jesus now" remarks in an interview. He was not far wrong, of course, but could perhaps, have been more accurate if he had talked in general terms and referred to "rock music"1 as more popular than any religion among young people. Although rock music has not quite won recognition as a formal religion in the ensuing years, young people in the United States and most other parts of the world spend more time listening to2 and discussing rock music than to any religion or a religious figure, including Jesus. Since the time of the Beatles, it has influenced youth culture, fashion, attitudes, and even political views of young people in more profound ways than any political or religious figure could ever hope to equal. And in the first decade of the 21st century, more than 50 years after the phenomenon started, all indications are that "rock 'n' roll is here to stay." In this essay, I shall discuss the social and political impact of rock music with particular reference to the effect it had on the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War in the 1960s and the ways in which it has influenced the youth culture in the Western society.

             The Power of Music.

             Music is perhaps unparalleled among all art forms in its power to refine, uplift, and concentrate the senses. It has an undeniable power that affects the mind, emotions, and even the physical body in ways that are still not fully understood. Even the famous Greek philosophers realized the immense power of music; Plato once remarked, "When modes of music change the fundamental laws of the state change with them." And Aristotle noted that music has "the power to form character." (Quoted by Holmberg) Others like Lenin, the Soviet revolutionary leader, emphasized the dark influence of music by his observation: "One quick way to destroy a society is through its music.