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Requiems for a City: Popular Music's Response to 9/11

2009; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 32; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/03007760802191508

1740-1712

Christine Lee Gengaro,

Rhetoric and Communication Studies

Historically, music has provided a voice for protest, solidarity, and hope during and in the aftermath of difficult times. In this paper, I discuss two popular albums which respond to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. At the time of each album's release, Springsteen's The Rising and the Beastie Boys' To the Five Boroughs offered unique opportunities for listeners to engage in a process of mourning and empowerment. As such, these works can and should be viewed as part of a larger context of popular music as a forum for both public grief and collective healing in the wake of tragedy.