James's Topic Proposal

1. What is your topic and how does it relate to the overall theme of trends and culture?
Since the beginning of music, sex has always been a symbol and used throughout to express and also sell records. As of late, the trend continues to exist, except times have changed, and artists have adjusted to these times.

2. What is the main controversy? Who are the participants in the debate?
When do these artists go too far? Certain aspects of the sex-selling and sex symbolism is not only a bad influence to the future of our country and our world, but also gives false images and faulty mindsets to those who view and listen to the music.

3. Please list all the causes/effects you intend to explore in your essay. Obviously, you might come up with other causes/effects based on your research, but it is useful to know what you have to start with.
In order to sell records, artists "bare" it all
In the 50's, due to the nation-wide mindset, sex played a huge role in early stages of rock and roll
In a time of censorship, artists thrive to rebel and push the limits
People want to see it, therefore people show it, simply put

4. What approach will you be using? Please explain if you plan to combine approaches.
By providing many examples and basic effects should be sufficient. The problem would be to narrow down the choices, because there are so many. I'll probably include statistics like the rise in record sales, public appearances and public reactions, and just newspaper articles covering artist's ideas and mentalities.

5. What information will you be looking for as you start researching the topic?
General opinion of the artists and their fans. Statistical plots of record sales after certain events. And just man examples which play a role in the way sex is exposed and used in the musical entertainment world today.