During the 1950s-1960s Australia's popular culture was heavily influenced by American culture, trends and images. The 50s and 60s was the era of Rock 'n' Roll, Hippies, Rebellious teenagers, and drugs. These themes were all part of America's culture and were portrayed to the rest of the world as important elements of American culture. These important elements of culture heavily influenced the growing nation of Australia - particularly during this period. Teenagers were the prominent generation of this time, with the consumers market aimed strait at them. The 60s saw the uprising of a new generation who strived to be different from their elders.
During the 1950s-1960s American artists, American themes and American styles of music dominated the Australian music scene. Australian charts were packed with foreign American hits, Australian acts rarely making it into the Australian top ten. Radio stations devoted much less time to talking so they could fit in more American music, because that is what the Australian people wanted to hear.
United States
English: Elvis Presley meeting Richard Nixon. On D...
Promotional photograph of Elvis Presley, taken in ...American artists such as Elvis Presley and Bill Haley (and his band 'The Comets') we hugely popular in Australia and were idols for the teenagers generation. During this time, Australia's most notorious rock 'n' roll singer rose to fame - Johnny O'Keefe, Heavily influenced by American rock 'n' roll artists.
The 50s and 60s saw the birth of a new generation - hippies. Hippies were a generation mainly composed of young people, either in their teens or early twenties. A generation of 'free spirits', whose main goals in life was to just be one with Mother Nature and promote peace and love. Hippies were looked down upon by older people because most hippies did not seem to care much about a stable, settled-down life. Hippies were usually involved in drugs (LSD was popular)...