Youth Culture and Trends in 2013

What’s been going on in the world of teenagers so far in 2013?

If you’ve been “checked out” for the summer, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s the highlights from just some of our 16 Youth Culture Windowarticles and countless blog posts I’ve written about youth culture & trends in 2013:

Responding to The Jonas Brothers’ New Music Video, Jonathan’s Blog (August 5, 2013)

• New music from Katy Perry and Lady Gaga have hit the top 10 lately… so why is it that the new The Jonas Brothers music video is the one that caught my attention? Find out what’s new from these three pastor’s kids.

The Naked Truth, by Jonathan McKee (7/19/2013)

• In this candid article, Jonathan unveiled the truth about the rise of sex and nudity in America. Do you know which state it’s legal for women to go topless? Do you know which music video with nudity was banned from YouTube, and which one was labeled art? All this and more in this article.

The Zombie Craze, by Jonathan McKee and Mark Oestreicher (7/6/2013)

The Walking Dead, World War Z, Warm Bodies… Why is America so interested in the undead? Marko interviews Jonathan about this recent zombie craze and the two discuss how they are using the fad to springboard conversations about real life and the truth of the scriptures.

The Paradoxical World of Teens, by Mark Oestreicher (6/26/2013)

• If you have a young teen living in your home, you gain a whole new appreciation for the concept of paradox. These wonderful kids completely embody every meaning of the word. In so many areas, they seem to be both one thing, as well as the polar opposite! This article details a few paradoxes you might notice.

5 Years of Miley, Jonathan’s Blog (6/25/ 2013)

• Miley is a young woman with enormous potential, but her standing as a role model for young girls is rapidly morphing from Hannah Montana to Lindsey Lohan. It’s been sad watching Miley’s moral decline over the past 5 years. Take a peek at quick-links to Miley’s antics over the past 5 years.

Bang With Friends, by David R. Smith (5/23/2013)

• It’s a new Facebook app for the “hookup” generation. The tagline says it all: “Anonymously find friends who are down for the night.”

“I Met Him on Instagram”, by Jonathan McKee (5/8/2013)

You might have heard the horror stories, girl meets boy online, they talk, eventually exchange numbers. The relationship gets more serious, boy sends pictures…

not of his face

• … and come to find out… it’s not a teen boy at all, it’s a pedophile. Is this just an urban legend to scare little girls from chatting, or is this a real concern? Do you know what apps your kids have on their phone? Do you know what social media they use? Conversations with your kids can help them learn to discern.

SmartPhone Safety Nets, Jonathans Blog (5/7/2013)

• When we teach our kids to drive, we make them study safety guidelines and rules, we sit next to them for six months and give them instructions, then we eventually let them drive. With phones, we often just hand them this powerful little device and say, “Don’t break it.” What are some guardrails we can help set with their phones, especially as our kids are younger? In this post Jonathan shows you how to “enable restrictions” on a phone.

Real Beauty Sketches, Jonathans Blog (5/2/2013)

A brand new video from Dove about self esteem was posted April 14th, and within two weeks it already had over 30 million views. The message was simple:

“You are more beautiful than you think.”

Top Words Used by Teenagers, Jonathan’s Blog (4/30/2013)

• What’s the most common word or phrase you hear teenagers say? Here’s a handful of the newest terms we’ve added to our slang dictionary, and responses from my readers of what they’re hearing on the front lines.

The Great and Powerful Franco, Jonathan’s Blog (4/3/2013)

What mark are teen idols like James Franco leaving? Will kids remember him as

OZ: The Great and Powerful

, or as Saul, one of the potheads from the 2008 film

Pineapple Express

… or maybe as the drug and arms dealer in

Spring Breakers

• , where among other escapades, he does a threesome with Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Benson?

Christianity on Cable TV, by David R. Smith (3/21/2013)

Duck Dynasty, Preachers Daughters, The American Bible Challenge… is this a new trend? What kind of Christianity are these viewers seeing from each of these?

Mobile Internet Users, Jonathan’s Blog, (3/19/2013)

Pew Research just released a brand new report last week,

Teens and Technology 2013

• . The study found a growing number of teenagers to be smartphone owners, and a rise in the percentage of “cell mostly” internet users. I like the report’s conclusions… but I can’t help wonder if their numbers are a little low. Here’s why.

The Music Genre Kids Like, Jonathans Blog, (3/14/2013)

• Rock, Hip-Hop, Pop… Country? Which genre is young people’s music of choice? I always hate to answer that question, because it never ceases to make people angry. Maybe that’s because some people don’t like the answer: Rap/hip-hop. Take a peek.

Cover Your Ears, by Jonathan McKee and David R. Smith (3/8/2013)

• From Macklemore & Ryan Lewis to Drake and Lil Wayne, what are kids hearing from some of the top songs—when rampant vulgarity rules the charts.

Binge Drinking… Unrecognized, by Jonathan McKee (2/7/2013)

• Do you know how many high school girls binge drink? What about college girls? And take a “sobering” peek at a study unveiling exactly what percentage of girls are going from sober to binging by their first year of higher education.

Teenagers and Their Screens, Jonathans Blog (2/6/2013)

• Which screens are teenagers clocking the most time in front of? The answer has always overwhelmingly been the traditional TV. But, as a guy who spends a few hours a day researching youth culture, I’m not sure that it’s going to stay that way. Here’s why.

The Big Problem of Teen Suicide, by David R. Smith (1/25/2013)

1-in-25 American teens have attempted suicide and an even 1-in-8 have considered it. How can parents and youth workers respond to this growing problem?