The Image Of A Woman In Russian Songs As A Sociocultural Reflection

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the change in the image of a woman in the texts of popular songs by Soviet and Russian performers. Musical culture, being a part of the general socio-cultural system, concentrates and reflects the ideas and values existing in society. The article is based on the results of a content analysis of the sixty most famous songs in Russia over the past half century, from 1970 to 2020 (based on popularity in the hit parades and charts), reflecting the change in ideas about women in musical culture. The study of popular culture (popular songs) helps to understand the changes taking place in society, not only at the level of gender models, but also from the point of view of the entire social system. The transition from traditional ideas about a woman (pronounced femininity in the external image and behavioral style, idealization of motherhood, the emphasized importance of external attractiveness, romanticization of the female image, the need to conquer a woman as a lover) to the modern model (egalitarian partnership of a man and a woman, mercantilism and rational foundations in relationships, sexual objectification of women, a decrease in the importance of the maternal role component in the image of a woman, exaggeration of external data combined with ignorance of internal qualities, a general degradation of attitude towards a woman). Based on the identified dynamics of the female image, a conclusion is drawn about the change in the socio-cultural system in Russian society.