Radio and Great Depression

During the time of the Great Depression, many citizens faced many hardships. But even through the hardships, people wanted to be entertained. They enjoyed many variations of inexpensive entertainment because of the financial crisis due to the banking crisis, stock market crash, and shortage of jobs. Many families found themselves homeless, hungry, hopeless and in belief that there was no way out of the struggle they were experiencing. Music, comedy, and overall entertainment during this time were one of the few outlets people had to forget about all their problems. Entertainment gave them means to escape the harsh realities they faced and gave them hope for a better future.

Songwriters often wrote musical lyrics alongside rythmatical beats that their audience could identify with and relate to. Woodie Guthrie is a prime example of one of these songwriters who used his song lyrics to tell stories about the harsh conditions in the Great Plains of America due to the dust storms. One of his songs, “The Dust Storm,” was reflective of the plight many families dealt during the dust storm “Our relatives were huddled into their oil boom shacks and the children they was cryin' as it whistled through the cracks. And the family it was crowded into their little room, they thought the world had ended, and they thought it was their doom.” Other popular music selections uplifted and gave encouragement to the American people. Popular music correlated with the mood, emotion, and experience people felt and illustrated an honest portrayal of the difficulties they faced.