The role of authenticity in the social and musical evolution of folk music in the first half of the 1960's

This thesis examines the importance of authenticity in the evolution of folk music through the activity and achievements of Bob Dylan in the first half of the 1960's. I will prove that Dylan's unbroken authenticity made him the "spokesman" of a whole generation and by following fashion, he transmitted real values to the actual trends and youngsters. Using historical facts, social investigations and comparisons of contemporary lyrics, I will demonstrate that while the search for authenticity was in the centre of the young people's interest, it was a missing phenomenon from the music business of the mid sixties. As a consequence, by meeting the requirements of the masses, Bob Dylan became the ideological leader of the youth.