A study on the visual style and cultural identity of rock music in the 1960s1970s

Based on Barthes' semiotic analysis model of Mythologies, combined with subculture and social identity theories, this paper adopts the case study method to research rock visual texts from the 1960s to the 1970s. In the first-level semiotic system, rock visual style generates symbolic rebellious language through the reconstruction of mainstream symbols, the disruption of signification structures, and the mediated resistance of the body. In the second-level system, the interaction between visual style and socio-cultural context enables young people to complete the social identity process of "categorization-identification-comparison", thus forming group identity. Eventually, it realizes symbolic resistance to the existing discourse system. Rock visual style is a cultural resource that can be continuously reinterpreted and recoded. It helps inspire young people to conduct self-construction through visual style and promote the continuous generation of the meaning of "rock and roll".