Can popular music be a genuine force for political change?

I think popular music can be a genuine force for political change. Not so much in the music or lyrics to the songs, but from the power music has in everyday life. Music is a collaborative medium which unites people in many different circumstances. By using music as a way of getting huge amounts of people together for a period of time, it gives singers or other people a chance to speak to a large group of people about something important. If the people listen and take action for the issue, it can lead to political change because the government has to satisfy the people.
Some people might argue that popular music isn’t a genuine force for political change, but I definitely think it has the potential. For example when the law was changed because of the dangerous, drug-induced raves that meant certain types of music couldn’t be played in a place where a certain number of people were together.

Are youth subcultures genuine signs of revolt or simply the manifestation of style?

I think youth subcultures are simply a manifestation of style. However I do think that the originators of each subculture were being rebellious and original and the people that follow their trends are just copying them.
I think that famous people are a big reason as to why different people conform to different youth subcultures. If a teenager sees a famous person wearing something or hears them singing a certain type of music, they might feel like they have to dress like that or enjoy that type of music because that is what is ‘in fashion.’ I think this relates to peer pressure, especially at school, where youths feel pressurised into conforming to a particular youth subculture because all their friends are. This means that the individuals do not think they are rebelling against anyone, they are only conforming to that style because they feel like they have to.