On May 25, 1977, in a galaxy (not so) far away, the first Star Wars film captivated audiences worldwide and became a cultural phenomenon that has shaped the genre of science-fiction films as we know it today. That same year, another sector of popular culture was revolutionized with the release of the Atari video game system. A decade later in the 1980s, new wave music was blaring through thousands of radio stations and portable Walkman audio players.
Though these are just a few of the significant trends and events that made up 20th century pop culture, this slice of history is widely covered in the media and other sources on the internet today. The difficult question for researchers is how to find reliable resources to turn to when searching for first-hand accounts and information.
Magazine archives offer researchers a broad perspective on 20th century life and events, including pop culture. Popular magazines from the time provide cover to cover issues dating all the way back to the beginning of the century up through the 2000s. This means that researchers also have the ability to track pop culture trends over time and study the evolution of film and television, music, art, fashion, video games and more.
Below are some examples of the coverage available in EBSCO’s magazine archives that researchers can use for further exploration of pop culture topics.
1. Andy Warhol and the Pop Art Movement
Even if you’re not an art enthusiast, the name Andy Warhol rings familiar. One of the most prominently recognized artists in the 20th century, Warhol was known for revolutionizing a form of painting called pop art, which reflected popular trends of the time and depicted them in symbolism and bright color. Some of his most famous pieces included silkscreen paintings of a Campbell’s soup can and an image of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe, known as the Marilyn Diptych. From the 1960s on, Warhol’s work and the pop art movement gained traction in popular magazines. Warhol and his art were the subject of many articles and interviews that appeared in magazines during the height of the pop art movement. Even after his passing in 1987, Warhol’s life and work was still covered in the media, proving that his legacy resonated in pop culture.
2. The Social, Political and Cultural Impact of Star Wars
Just five days after it was released, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was praised as the year’s best movie. Eight more films were added to the franchise over the following four decades, cementing Star Wars as a piece of American culture that remained consistently relevant. Its characters became icons – Yoda and Darth Vader had their fair share of cover stories – and its themes were connected to commentary on business and politics. Some examples of the broad coverage of Star Wars include articles on the impact of Star Wars on the science fiction genre, successful merchandising efforts and the advancement of film technology through George Lucas’ innovative filming techniques. Additionally, many magazines honed in on the themes of the films and how they reflected trends and events in politics- not just in America, but across the globe as well.
3. Atari and Early Game Systems
Gaming has become a popular pastime for many people around the world, making it a recognizable component of our culture. Today many game consoles and video games are available, but it all began with the creation of the first home video game console – Atari. Nintendo followed soon after by releasing their own console released in 1983, marking the beginning of the brand we know today. Video games were a new and exciting topic for the public, so many magazines featured articles about the growth of the video game industry. Companies such as Nintendo and Sega were also popular topics due to the new products and video game systems they were creating. As video games continued to take over pop culture, many magazines began to feature articles discussing growing concerns about the relationship between video games and children. Still a relevant topic today, early commentary can be found in magazine issues from the late 1990s.
These are just a few examples of the multitude of pop culture topics with deep histories to explore within magazine archives. There are many more subjects to explore, more perspectives to be gained, and more history to be unearthed from these unique resources.
