Rock music
In 1951, Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed began playing rhythm and blues music for a multi-racial audience. He is credited with first using the phrase rock and roll to describe this new sound. The genre originated in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s as a fusion of African-American musical genres like blues and gospel with country and western music. Contenders for the title of the first rock and roll record include Sister Rosetta Tharpe's Strange Things Happening Every Day from 1944 and Arthur Crudup's That's All Right from 1946. Elvis Presley later covered Crudup's song in 1954, bringing it to wider attention. Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock became the first rock and roll song to top Billboard magazine charts in 1954. This track opened the door worldwide for a new wave of popular culture that would soon dominate American record sales. Artists like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Gene Vincent followed with major hits. By 1959, the era seemed to end following the death of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens in a plane crash. Elvis entered the army while Little Richard retired to become a preacher. Prosecutions of Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry along with the payola scandal implicated figures like Alan Freed in bribery.
Cliff Richard is credited with one of the first rock and roll hits outside North America with his 1959 single Move It. Tommy Steele toured Britain, Scandinavia, Australia, the USSR, and South Africa between 1955 and 1957 influencing globalisation. The British rock scene began around 1962 with beat groups like the Beatles from Liverpool and Gerry & the Pacemakers. These bands drew on American influences including 1950s rock and roll, soul, rhythm and blues, and surf music. The Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds formed in London were more directly influenced by rhythm and blues. In February 1964, the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show drawing an estimated 73 million viewers. During the week of the 4th of April 1964, the Beatles held twelve positions on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart including the entire top five. They became the biggest selling rock band of all time. Other major acts that followed included the Kinks, the Who, and the Dave Clark Five. The British Invasion helped internationalize production of rock and roll opening doors for subsequent performers to achieve success globally. It dented careers of established R&B acts like Fats Domino and Chubby Checker while temporarily derailing Elvis Presley's chart success. Following the example set by the Beatles' 1965 LP Rubber Soul other British rock acts released albums intended as artistic statements in 1966.
The first group to advertise themselves as psychedelic rock were the 13th Floor Elevators from Texas. Jimi Hendrix did extended distorted feedback-filled jams which became a key feature of psychedelia. The Beatles introduced many elements such as guitar feedback, the Indian sitar, and backmasking sound effects. Their definitive psychedelic statement Sgt Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band arrived in 1967 including the track Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. The Rolling Stones responded later that year with Their Satanic Majesties Request while Pink Floyd debuted with The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Key recordings included Jefferson Airplane Surrealistic Pillow and the Doors self-titled debut album. These trends peaked in the 1969 Woodstock festival which saw performances by most major psychedelic acts. Folk rock took off with the Byrds recording Dylan Mr Tambourine Man which topped charts in 1965. Members adopted rock instrumentation including drums and 12-string Rickenbacker guitars. Later that year Dylan adopted electric instruments much to outrage of folk purists with his Like a Rolling Stone becoming a US hit single. Progressive rock moved beyond established formulas by experimenting with different instruments song types and forms. King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King mixed powerful guitar riffs and mellotron with jazz and symphonic music helping widespread adoption of the genre in early 1970s.
From late 1960s it became common to divide mainstream rock into soft and hard rock. Hard rock was more often derived from blues-rock played louder with more intensity emphasizing electric guitar using simple repetitive riffs as well as solo lead instrument likely used with distortion. Key acts included Cream Jimi Hendrix and the Jeff Beck Group. The term heavy metal began to be used to describe some hard rock played with even more volume first as adjective then noun by early 1970s. Steppenwolf Born to Be Wild from 1967 first used the term in music. Bands like San Francisco Blue Cheer Cleveland James Gang and Michigan Grand Funk Railroad associated with the term. By 1970 three key British bands developed characteristic sounds shaping subgenre. Led Zeppelin added elements of fantasy to riff laden blues rock while Deep Purple brought symphonic medieval interests from progressive phase. Black Sabbath introduced facets gothic modal harmony producing darker sound. These elements taken up second generation including Judas Priest UFO Motörhead Rainbow from Britain plus Kiss Ted Nugent Blue Öyster Cult from US Rush Canada Scorpions Germany marking expansion popularity among adolescent working class males North America Europe. In 1980s bands Bon Jovi Guns N Roses Metallica Mötley Crüe Def Leppard saw mainstream success.
In second half 1970s punk rock reacted producing stripped down energetic social political critiques. Punk was influence on new wave post-punk eventually alternative rock. Garage rock was raw form prevalent mid-1960s so called because rehearsed suburban family garage. Songs often revolved traumas high school life lyrics delivery aggressive growled shouted vocals dissolving into incoherent screaming. Ranged crude one chord music like Seeds near studio musician quality including Knickerbockers Remains Fifth Estate. Regional variations flourished California Texas. Tall Cool One by Wailers Tacoma Washington and Louie Louie Kingsmen Portland Oregon mainstream examples formative stages. By 1963 garage band singles creeping national charts greater numbers including Paul Revere Raiders Boise Trashmen Minneapolis Rivieras South Bend Indiana. Sonics Tacoma Washington never reached Billboard Hot 100. Style peaked commercially artistically around 1966 largely disappeared national charts local level by 1968. New styles evolved replace garage rock. From 1990s alternative rock began dominate rock break mainstream grunge Britpop indie rock. Further subgenres emerged pop-punk electronic rap rock rap metal.
Robert Christgau wrote Rock saw greater commodification during early 1970s turning multibillion dollar industry doubling market suffering significant loss cultural prestige. Maybe Bee Gees became more popular Beatles never more popular Jesus he said. Insofar music retained mythic power myth self-referential lots songs about rock roll life few how could change world except new brand painkiller. Powerful took over as rock industrialists capitalized national mood reduce potent music reactionary species entertainment transmute popular base audience to market. Rock has embodied served vehicle cultural social movements leading major subcultures mods rockers U.K hippie movement wider western counterculture spread San Francisco U.S 1960s latter continues today. Similarly 1970s punk culture spawned goth punk emo subcultures. Inheriting folk tradition protest song associated political activism changes social attitudes race sex drug use often seen expression youth revolt adult conformity. At same time commercially highly successful leading accusations selling out. Since 2010s rock lost position pre-eminent popular music genre world culture remains commercially successful. Increased influence hip-hop electronic dance music seen techno-pop scene early 2010s pop-punk-hip-hop revival 2020s.
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Common questions
When did rock music originate and who first used the phrase rock and roll?
Rock music originated in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed is credited with first using the phrase rock and roll to describe this new sound.
What was the first rock and roll record and when did it appear?
Sister Rosetta Tharpe's Strange Things Happening Every Day from 1944 is a contender for the title of the first rock and roll record. Arthur Crudup's That's All Right from 1946 is another contender that Elvis Presley later covered in 1954.
How did the British Invasion impact American rock charts in 1964?
The Beatles held twelve positions on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart during the week of the 4th of April 1964 including the entire top five. This event helped internationalize production of rock and roll while denting careers of established R&B acts like Fats Domino and Chubby Checker.
Which band created the term heavy metal and when was it first used?
Steppenwolf Born to Be Wild from 1967 first used the term heavy metal in music. The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath further developed characteristic sounds shaping the subgenre by 1970.
When did garage rock peak commercially and what happened to it by 1968?
Garage rock style peaked commercially and artistically around 1966 before largely disappearing from national charts by 1968. New styles evolved to replace garage rock as regional variations flourished across California and Texas.