American Top 40 Mythology: A Soundtrack to Individuation

Abstract

Discovering one’s myth may be difficult for both depth psychotherapists and clients unfamiliar with ancient world cultures, the source depth psychology has traditionally turned to for archetypal patterns. Contemporary lived mythologies are emerging to widen and expand the mythic lens of depth psychology, answer life’s truths and basic questions, and gain insight into one’s inner workings. This alchemical hermeneutic study focuses on the importance of the seminal radio show American Top 40 (AT40) as a contemporary mythology that facilitates the individuation process for the baby boom generation. This study explores psychological themes found in historical and sociological studies of AT40. Delving deeper into the early formative years of the weekly countdown show, the research will examine the stories, biographies, introductions, myths, lyrics, music, trivia, and letters transmitted within the radio shows between 1970 and 1975 in the oral tradition by the modern day messenger Casey Kasem. Engaging these texts within a depth psychological lens using a Jungian, archetypal, and mythological perspective via synchronicities, active imagination, transference dialogues, dreams, and reflecting coins of change, the goal attempts to assess and analyze the influence and impact of the work on the researcher’s own individuation process.