Rock Music Page 1

Rock Music

How would you describe the music of Elvis Presley, Nirvana or U2? You would find their
records in the rock section of a record store, but the artists sound very different from each
other. Today, the term “rock music” covers a whole range of musical styles. In fact, ever
since it began rock music has borrowed from many other types of music, including blues,
rhythm and blues (R&B), gospel, country and western and world music.

Rock music began in the 1950s as rock and roll, a term invented by disc jockey Alan Freed.
Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and the Comets, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and Little Richard were
among the first rock-and-roll stars, and Bill Haley had the first big rock-and-roll hit with
“Rock Around The Clock” in 1954. Chuck Berry wrote a number of rock-and-roll classics,
including some famous guitar riffs (phrases), and became a major influence on rock
guitarists who came afterwards.

Elvis Presley’s powerful vocals and sensational stage performances made him a star at a
young age. He sang gospel, country, blues and R&B with a passion and energy that had
never been heard in a white singer before, and he soon became known as the King of Rock
and Roll. Elvis made his first recordings with Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records.
Phillips also recorded Carl Perkins, who wrote “Blue Suede Shoes”, and the wild pianist
Jerry Lee Lewis.

THE BEATLES, THE STONES AND BOB DYLAN

Elvis joined the United States Army in 1958; Little Richard abandoned rock and roll for religion; Jerry
Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry fell foul of the law and Buddy Holly died in a plane crash in 1959. With
the loss of so many of its stars, the first wave of rock and roll came to an end. It did not become
really exciting again until the rise of Bob Dylan and the Beatles.

Bob Dylan, originally a folk singer, sang songs with hard-hitting, imaginative lyrics. He accompanied
himself on acoustic guitar and harmonica. The Beatles wrote catchy songs, had a fresh image and
were very good harmony singers. After hearing their records, Dylan was inspired to start using
electric instruments.

Many people thought the Beatles were too sweet and wholesome and preferred the Rolling Stones,
who had a much tougher image. The Stones (as people sometimes call them) started their career
playing cover versions of R&B and blues numbers. These covers, along with those by other British
R&B bands such as the Animals and the Yardbirds, introduced a new generation to classic blues and
R&B songs for the first time.

There was a musical British invasion of the United States in the mid-1960s. Many British groups
became very successful there, such as The Who. This original group combined memorable,
aggressively played songs with a dramatic stage act in which members often smashed up their
instruments onstage at the end of a concert.

In 1965, an American group called the Byrds had a worldwide number one hit with “Mr Tambourine
Man”, a Bob Dylan song. The Byrds played folk rock—music that mixed the thoughtful lyrics of folk
music with the electric guitars and strong beats of rock.

PSYCHEDELIA AND THE LATE 1960S

Performers such as Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys, the Byrds and the Beatles transformed rock and roll,
making it more sophisticated and varied. By 1967 most people called rock and roll simply “rock”.

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Rock Music Page 2

Psychedelic music became popular after 1966. It featured unusual lyrics and strange sounds created
in the recording studio. Concerts included dramatic light shows and special effects. This rapidly
developed into progressive rock, which had longer songs, long instrumental solos and whole albums
based around a particular idea. We call these records concept albums. Many people regard the
Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) as the first concept album.

Jimi Hendrix’s appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 revolutionized rock music. Jimi was
an exceptionally talented guitar player, but he also used guitar effects and amplification to create
sounds that no one had ever heard before. At the Woodstock Festival in the United States in 1969,
thousands of fans gathered to watch performances by their favourite groups. The Who and Jimi
Hendrix were big hits at Woodstock, as was the group Santana, which played exciting, Latin
American-influenced rock.

The music of groups such as Cream (featuring the talented British guitarist Eric Clapton) and the Jimi
Hendrix Experience was based on the blues. These groups used very powerful amplifiers, which
boosted the sounds of their guitars. This led to heavy metal music in the late 1960s, with loud,
pounding drums, fast, punchy guitar riffs and dramatic vocals. Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led
Zeppelin all became world-famous heavy metal acts.

In the early 1970s came singer-songwriters such as Neil Young, James Taylor and Joni Mitchell.
These performers often used acoustic instruments and wrote intimate songs with thoughtful lyrics.

INTO THE 1970S

Glam rock began in Britain in the early 1970s. It introduced a theatrical element to rock music.
Artists such as David Bowie, T-Rex (led by Marc Bolan) and Roxy Music wore make-up and glitter and
dressed in over-the-top costumes. Glam only lasted a few years, but it made rock fun again.

In the early 1970s Bob Marley became the first world music superstar. Marley and his group the
Wailers played reggae, a Jamaican musical style with a distinctive rhythm. Bob Marley was the first
person to bring this music to a worldwide audience.

By the mid-1970s many rock fans felt frustrated by their musical heroes. Groups such as Pink Floyd,
Genesis and Yes were now superstars, but seemed to have lost touch with their audience. Punk rock
exploded on to the scene in 1976, as a reaction to this. The Sex Pistols and the Clash wore ripped
clothing, sometimes held together with safety pins, and had cropped, spiky haircuts. They played
short, guitar-driven songs that often had a political or social message, such as the Sex Pistols’
“Anarchy In The UK”.

By the end of the decade, “new wave” had grown out of punk. New wave stars Blondie were
originally part of the New York punk scene—which also included the Ramones, Television and Talking
Heads. Blondie combined the energy of punk with catchy pop tunes and had many hits.

In Britain, the rise of punk rock was followed by a ska revival. Ska was an early form of reggae that
was popular in Jamaica in the 1960s. British bands such as Madness and the Specials wore suits and
hats in the style of the original 1960s ska musicians, but added a punky edge to their music.

FROM NEW ROMANTICS TO RAP

The early 1980s saw the rise of the new romantics in Britain. New romantic bands such as Duran
Duran and Spandau Ballet dressed extravagantly and wore make-up. Their music grew out of new
wave, but was also influenced by disco.

The Smiths, from Manchester, became one of the most important rock bands of the 1980s. Singer
Morrissey’s witty lyrics coupled with the talented guitar playing of Johnny Marr were to influence a
number of later stars, such as Brett Anderson of Suede and Noel Gallagher of Oasis. Later in the

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Rock Music Page 3

decade, Manchester produced the Stone Roses and the Happy Mondays, who combined rock music
with dance music to produce an exciting sound that no one had heard before.

The international rock scene in the 1980s was dominated by individual stars, including Michael
Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Prince and Madonna. Guitar bands such as Bon Jovi and Guns N’ Roses
were also popular worldwide; their music owed much to heavy metal.

In 1986 hip-hop act Run-DMC collaborated with rock act Aerosmith on the worldwide hit “Walk This
Way”. No one had combined rapping with rock guitars before. The hit helped to introduce rap to a
rock audience. It also showed how a new form of music could be created from a combination of very
different styles.

Alternative rock emerged in the early 1990s. The music of alternative rock acts such as R.E.M. had
its roots in punk and heavy metal, but they also wrote lyrics that sounded rather mysterious. Grunge
became a popular form of alternative rock. Nirvana’s album Nevermind became a worldwide best-
seller and fellow grunge acts Pearl Jam and Soundgarden also sold millions of records.

THE 1990S TO NOW

Britpop began in Britain in the 1990s. A number of rock acts were inspired by their country’s musical
past. Oasis was influenced by the Beatles, although the band’s aggressive sound also owed much to
acts such as the Sex Pistols. Blur, led by Damon Albarn, had a greater number of influences, but
clearly had its roots in the music of 1960s bands such as the Kinks and the Small Faces.

Like pop, rock music now includes many varied styles. Today, people use the term “rock music” to
describe the nu-metal of Limp Bizkit, the rap of Eminem and even records by stars such as Madonna
and Christina Aguilera. The recent success of groups such as the Strokes and the White Stripes
proves that rock music is nothing without electric guitars!

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.