Postwar prosperity gave many young people more spending money.
That money could be used to buy records, clothing, magazines, movie tickets, and other products associated with youth culture.
Music became a way to express identity.
A teenager could communicate something about themselves simply by choosing which records to buy.
Rock and roll became particularly powerful because it sounded different from the music many parents preferred.
For young people, that difference was part of its appeal.
It represented independence.
It suggested that the younger generation had its own voice.
## The Radio Revolution
Radio remained one of the most important ways Americans discovered music.
A song could move from a local station to national attention rapidly.
Jukeboxes also played an important role, particularly in diners, restaurants, bars, and other gathering places.
A teenager did not need to attend a concert to experience a new musical style.
A few coins could bring the latest hit to life.
