The Hippie Aesthetic Era was an important period in rock and roll during the late 1960s and early 1980s. It was a time when rock had a purpose. They sang about the problems plaguing the country. It was also a time when technology would play a major role in the sound of music, with advancements in recording and synthesizer technology (Covach, “The Hippie Aesthetic”). The hippie aesthetic was not immune to the advancement of music. This essay will examine three songs that represent different aspects of this era. It will look at a song that is predominantly hippie aesthetic, a song that is a little of both, and finally a song that has no trace of hippie aesthetic. “Missionary Man” by The Eurhythimics, http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=0-Q3cp3cp88, is a good example of hippie aesthetic. Eurhythimics were a British synthesizer band who used a mixture of various instruments during the recording of "Missionary Man" ("Songfacts"). This song included the use of synthesizers, guitars, a harmonica, and some backwards noises at the beginning ("Songfacts"). The video has a touch of psychedelia with the strange unzipping of the skin and with Lennox getting hit throughout the video. Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" is a great example of a song that finds itself in the middle. “Billie Jean”, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi_XLOBDo_Y), is a song written by Michael Jackson that was a bit of a hippie and non-hippie aesthetic. It's about a woman who stalked Jackson and claimed that he is the father of her baby (Covach, "Introduction to Rock"). This is represented in the chorus: “Billie Jean is not my lover. She's just a girl who says I'm the one, but the baby's not my son” (“Lyricsmania”). Jac...... middle of paper ......k in Black” is a song that is pure old school rock and roll. All they use are a drum kit, an electric guitar and a singer who rules the stage. There are no high-tech synthesizers, extravagant outfits or colorful props when performed live. These were three examples of the variations of the hippie aesthetic. This essay took a look at several songs and how they fit into certain categories to determine if they were a hippie aesthetic. They ranged from completely to none. It was a time in music where artists and bands were trying to find themselves and not be part of the mainstream. The hippie aesthetic involved individuals willing to take risks and break the mold. They were risk takers in their time. The hippie aesthetic has influenced some of the music you hear today and will continue into the future.