The passing of Dick Clark this week has sent me on one of those nostalgic trips through my childhood that makes me think how great some things seemed then, but also how much better and worse things are now.
American Bandstand was a simple enough concept — play some new music and show kids dancing to it — but its cultural significance was a result of the way it brought people together, both inside the studio walls and outside. Millions of people gathered around their TV screens to see what this group of kids were digging and how they danced. “It's got a good beat and you can dance to it” became a punchline largely because, for most big rock and roll songs of the time — and still today, really — it was truth.
Dick Clark stood at the center of this with a clear understanding of music's ability to unite people. In an era where racial segregation was the norm, he brought Caucasian & African-American performers onto the show seamlessly, pushing boundaries without feeling the least bit unobtrusive. “The Twist” was just a dance, after all. Anyone could do it. Just as importantly, though, Clark had a keen ear for what music was worth playing. American Bandstand found good songs and made them hits. If all those viewers saw those kids really digging a record, they wanted it.
Who has that influence now? Who's out there looking for new music and showing the world what's good? Who are the modern tastemakers?
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