Meanings of the home in popular song lyrics: A feminist critique examining rock and country music

The paper examines the meanings of home as portrayed in the lyrics of popular country and rock songs. These two genres were selected because they loosely represent two American subcultural traditions. The home was chosen because of the central role that it plays in most people's lives and because it is commonly mentioned in the lyrics of popular songs. Because the main role of women in American society is integrally associated with their position and activities in the home, it is hard to separate the two. The authors use an interpretive approach and a feminist perspective to analyze the treatment of women's roles in the home in popular music lyrics. They conclude that, while some representations of women are being questioned by both the performers and the lyric writers, the popular music industry, with its many gatekeepers, continues to promote predominantly stereotypical and traditional images of women.