Since Elvis, the bonding-and-catharsis element of mass media has expanded to outdo anything that any politician can deliver. We describe an especially popular politician today as looking “like a rock star,” rather than the other way around, after all. (Could there be a worse insult than describing a rock musician as looking “like a Congressman?” I can’t think of one.) And if you’re a working-class guy with lousy prospects, well, you can learn to play guitar, or to make music on your computer, and then you, too have a chance at being the guy under
the lights – and without having to invade Russia.
Music took over the airwaves, and today in most of the world a crazed orator would have a hard time getting enough listeners to take over a country no matter how persuasive his spiel. After Elvis, the commercial culture of rock and roll simply occupied the mindspace that totalitarians need, and it out-competed them.
Not surprisingly, totalitarians have always hated rock and roll.
I am a US Citizen living in Milwaukee WI. I have interests in IT, information security, CyberWar, national security, fifth generation warfare (5GW), history, public policy, entrepreneurship, economics, pop culture and the future.
PurpleSlog - The Future Will Be Kludged 
I wish this alt-history was true:
http://jonh-ingham.blogspot.com/2007/08/elvis-at-72.html
Elvis vs. the Fascists!
Elvis Wins! Elvis Wins!
http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=082102B