(PASADENA, CA)-- From Elvis, ``Sweet Little Sixteen'' and The Twist, through ``Sticky Fingers,'' groupies and ``I Touch Myself,'' pop music has consistently sent one unmistakable message: It's about S-E-X.

In popular culture, music sets the trends while the rest follow. And nowhere is this fact more evident than in the sexual revolution. ``The History of Sex and Music'' traces the sexual saturation of contemporary culture in the past five decades -- and takes the provocative premise that music has been responsible for it all -- in this five-hour, five-part special, slated to debut on VH1 later this year, it was announced by Jeff Gaspin, Executive Vice President, Programming & Production, VH1.

A series of five themed, non-chronological hours, ``The History of Sex and Music'' looks at how music and sexual attitudes have been profoundly connected, beginning with the genesis of rock in the '50s, straight through to the porn metal rap of today:

* Shake Your Moneymaker -- Ever since the days of Elvis and "American Bandstand," dancing has served as music's direct physical connection to sex, channeled through the Watusi and The Twist, "Footloose" and "Private Dancer," booty call and Kid Rock.

* Peacock Rock -- In the animal world, it's the male of the species that enjoys all the feathered finery. It's no different in rock, where hair, makeup, strutting -- and the ultimate six-string electric phallic symbol -- have long been the domain of guys.

* Bitchin' Brain Babes -- Complex though not always subtle, female sexuality in rock has evolved from object of male desire, to riot girl, midriff lolita and other self-commodifying, self-exploiting objects.

* Gender Benders -- Music is the medium that explores every imaginable permutation of sexuality -- including the twilight zone of cross-gender. Flowering broadly in the '70s with glam rock, Bowie, Disco, the New Romantics, gay "Pink Rock" and more, gender-bending continues today dressed up as shock-rocker Marilyn Manson.

* Baring All: Sex and the Censors -- The battle between stripping off and covering up: cultural outrage and government regulation fight a rearguard action against increasing permissiveness advocated by marketers and artists, from Madonna to 2 Live Crew to Alanis, D'Angelo, Red Hot Chili Peppers and beyond.


``The History of Sex and Music'' is a production of World of Wonder. Lauren Zalaznick, Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato are Executive Producers.

VH1 produces and programs a wide variety of music-based series, specials, live events and acquisition-based programming that keep viewers in touch with the music they love. VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc. MTV Networks owns and operates the cable television programming services MTV: Music Television, MTV 2: Music Television, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, TV Land and VH1 as well as The Suite from MTV Networks, a package of ten digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also has joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide.