1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
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1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything is a documentary series that focuses on how musicians thrived in an era of cultural and political upheaval. The series stitches together archival footage and interviews in order to put popular songs like Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On?" and John Lennon's "Imagine" into the context of the times, including the Vietnam War, Nixon's presidency, and political movements such as the Black Panther party. Gun violence and images of war are shown, including the shootings at Kent State in 1970 and footage of the war in Vietnam. There are some glimpses of nudity, such as John Lennon sitting on a toilet, and profanity is used sporadically throughout (some bleeped, others like "f--k" and "c--ksucker" aren't). People are seen drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes and cigars. Drug use is discussed, and intoxicated people are shown. The series excels at using music as a springboard to explain recent history in a compelling and accessible way. Even without explicitly drawing parallels, its specific stories about protest and activism feel relevant to the present.
Community Reviews
Interesting intersection of rock music and history with harsh footage
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What's the Story?
1971: THE YEAR THAT MUSIC CHANGED EVERYTHING takes a close look at a time when American music became politically and culturally supercharged, thanks to Nixon's presidency and activism against the Vietnam War and other atrocities. Artists like Marvin Gaye, John Lennon, Sly Stone, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Gil Scott-Heron and many others used their platforms to advocate for peace and illustrate the civil unrest in the U.S. In doing so, they proved that musicians could be activists, while still retaining their immense popularity.
Is It Any Good?
This documentary excels at putting the music of the early '70s into historical context, showing how many popular acts straddled the line between artists and activists. 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything shows a fervent time for American art, as popular culture became as progressive as it's ever been. It's a "pure" documentary in that it only uses footage from the time, overlaying old interviews instead of using new talking heads. So 1971 feels immersive, and allows viewers to understand how art could be created out of tumult and conflict. It also doesn't hurt that it focuses on some of the most enduring songs of all time, and includes not only the obvious choices but relatively fringe artists like Gil Scott-Heron and Iggy Pop.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about 1971. What do you know about America 50 years ago? Are you familiar with the Vietnam War, Watergate, the Kent State shootings, or the other events discussed in the documentary? What were your impressions of these events before and after the documentary?
How familiar are you with the musicians in the documentary? Why are they considered iconic? Do you agree with the title -- did music create change? In what ways is America different than it was 50 years ago? In what ways is it the same?
What inspired these musicians to become politically active? How did they push for change? In which ways were they successful or unsuccessful? Do they remind you of any current musicians? What are the similarities between the music of 1971 and the music of 2021?
TV Details
- Premiere date: May 21, 2021
- Network: Apple TV+
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: Activism, History, Music and Sing-Along
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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