Rock highlighted the age gap between teenagers and adults, and dealt expressly with the teenage experience.... It also echoed and shaped the youth's thoughts and actions. (Aquila, pp. 18-20)
Some.of the popular rock stars of this early period included Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, Bo Diddley, Bill Haley and the Comets, the Coasters, Dion and the Belmonts, Chubby Checker, Ricky Nelson, Del Shannon, the Ronettes, and, of course, Elvis Presley. Many popular songs of the era addressed teenagers directly- for example, "A Teenager's Romance" (Ricky Nelson); "A Teenager in Love" (Dion and the Belmonts); "Teenage Heaven" (Eddie Cochran); and "Teen Angel" (Mark Dinning).
In "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?," Joyce Carol Oates constantly refers to the rhythmic music in the background of the central character Connie's life. During the 1950s and '60s, radio stations that played rock music exclusively popped up all across the country, and gained a listening audience made up almost exclusively of teenagers. In the short story, rock music serves as a constant element in Connie's environment, whether at home or at the drive-in:
They sat at the counter and crossed their legs at the ankles, their thin shoulders rigid with excitement, and listened to the music that made everything so good: the music was always in the background, like music at a church service; it was something to depend upon.
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