Argues that since its inception, popular music has been a product of mass media and consumption. The audience of rock music is influenced by the media and their own experiences, particularly the distinction between "street" and "suburban" cultures. Relevant to my paper, many Latino Morrissey fans, especially in the LA area, seem to relate to both identities. He cites class and ideologies, as well as ethnicity, as critical for understanding the contexts of rock music.

Though Strausbaugh's volume is essentially a diatribe against aging rock artists who continue performing through middle age, it is a sentiment echoed by many critics and fans alike. His main argument is that rock has essentially been a music of political rebellion (though Morrissey as a "rock" artist is debatable, for these purposes he qualifies under this definition). Interestingly, though Morrissey has been often criticized, using Straughsbaugh's definitions, Morrissey is still "rebelling": his beliefs have never seemed to be controlled by a record label or manager, and he claims to still have the beliefs that he sings about in 20-year-old songs.