Bailey’s Snippet
(By Peter Bailey, Manager of Wine Sector Intelligence at Wine Australia)
Music often acts as a mirror of the society that creates it. In the 2020s, the inexplicable popularity of artists such as Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran reflects a world shaped by digital platforms, social media and recommendation algorithms. How else does an artist called Bad Bunny become one of the most streamed musicians in history? I must be having a bad hare day.
The contrast with the 1960s is striking. That decade was defined by youth movements, civil rights activism, anti-war protests and a widespread belief that society could be transformed through collective action. Music reflected these aspirations through psychedelic experimentation, political folk songs and messages of peace, freedom and social change.
This spirit reached its symbolic peak at Woodstock in 1969, promoted as “An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music”. This certainly sounds more enjoyable than a Spanish Inquisition. Woodstock was not simply a music festival; it embodied the optimism of an era when many young people believed music could help create a better world. Yet by 1970 that optimism was fading. The Vietnam War continued, political divisions deepened and economic uncertainty grew. In Britain, inflation and industrial unrest fuelled a sense that the promises of the 1960s had fallen short.
The changing mood was reflected in music. Psychedelic idealism gave way to glam rock, which embraced spectacle, fantasy and reinvention. Rather than calling for revolution, artists such as David Bowie, Roxy Music, Slade and The Sweet invited audiences to imagine alternative versions of themselves.
No act symbolised this transition better than T. Rex. If Woodstock represented the peak of 1960s idealism, then their 1971 classic album Electric Warrior marked the beginning of a new era. Its hit single Jeepster was playful rather than political, celebrating style and self-expression over social change. At almost the same time, the Philippine Jeepney represented a similar transformation. Built from surplus American military Jeeps, Jeepneys evolved into brightly decorated vehicles that reflected the creativity and individuality of their owners. While Jeepster carried listeners into the glittering world of glam rock, the Jeepney carried passengers through the streets of Manila.
This theme of transformation remains relevant today. In a recent market bulletin, Wine Australia reports that the Philippines is one of Southeast Asia’s most promising wine markets, with wine increasingly becoming a vehicle for self-expression, aspiration and participation in global culture. Like Jeepster and the iconic Jeepney, familiar things are continually reinvented to reflect changing tastes, identities and ambitions.
https://www.wineaustralia.com/news/market-bulletin/issue-372