One of the most widely known explosions of the 1960s in Western Europe was that of pop culture. The development of radio increased the opportunities for sharing information, which led to young people’s growing interest in popular trends. New possibilities were opening for Europeans due to “rising seas of new technology” in which communism “drowned.” Some historians viewed this period as the development of new cultural norms and lifestyles. They were the embodiment of the break with the past. Meanwhile, others considered that new trends promoted loosening morals among the youth. Thus, along with the fall of this political system in many European countries, authorities of Eastern European states were worried about the possibility of pop culture developing in Western Europe to spread among their citizens.
The main alterations were traced in the spheres of music and style. Along with those, the notion of the generation gap came into living. It became an acute issue in many countries. Teenagers, adolescents, and young adults were listening to their parents much less in what concerned the questions of style and taste. Therefore, the spread of consumerism was promoted by the needs of these groups of individuals searching for their unique style. Due to young people’s interest in novelty rather than the durability of clothes, the fashion industry produced new trends with unusual speed. Fashion became the means of expressing one’s individuality and social identity. Clothes were made of different styles and materials, including both new and traditional textiles.
Important changes were noticed in the sphere of pop culture with the emergence of rock-and-roll music and other innovative trends. Musicians not only reflected young people’s tastes but also helped to define them. Many trends that originated at that period produced lasting changes. These directions include rock-and-roll, high fashion, and the presence of African American models in the fashion world. However, the pop culture explosion had more implications than altering the general attitude of people toward music and style. The sexual revolution, which was quickly spreading over Western Europe, had two major directions: hedonism and authenticity. The former was focused on searching pleasure for oneself while the latter combined the need for self-expression and critique of the adult world. The sexual revolution was probably what Eastern European authorities viewed as the largest threat.