Rock and roll is one of the most famous music genres of all. While many people dismiss rock and roll as ‘old school’ and irrelevant, the very fact that we are still talking about it today tells you all you need to know about how it has endured through the years.

Rock and roll was actually the perfect embodiment of ‘flash in the pan,’ although it gave rise to some of the most successful artists of all time, many of whom still sell millions of records today, including Elvis Presley, and also inspired several other heavyweight artists like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who.

Rock and Roll’s Origins

The definitive origin of rock and roll is hotly debated by music fans and commentators, although it is generally accepted that it merged from traditional rhythm and blues and country music styles that were popular in post-war America during the 1940s and 1950s. These genres grew into rock and roll when musicians started adding influences from jazz and gospel backgrounds. Again, there is fierce debate about which genres actually added more to what would become rock and roll.

The Evolution of Rock and Roll

With no definitive starting point of rock and roll, several songs and artists are pointed to as being the first examples of the genre. “Rock the Joint,” released by Jimmy Preston in 1949 and by Bill Haley & His Comets as a cover three years later, is one of the tracks seen as an early example of rock and roll music, although their legendary track “Rock Around the Clock” is regarded as the most important early milestone for rock and roll.

Rock and Roll Sub Genres

There are two main sub genres that emerged from rock and roll in the 1950s, rockabilly and doo wop.

Rockabilly is usually used to refer to music by white musicians. Presley is clearly the most famous, but Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash were among others who would enjoy huge success. While the likes of Fats Domino and Little Richard would release and be successful with a similar sound, their background as black rhythm and blues artists meant they are not generally considered in this sub-genre.

Doo wop was actually a popular rhythm and blues sub-genre from the 1950s, but was the inspiration for many groups to enjoy crossover success in the rhythm and blues charts during this decade, including The Crows and The Penguins. Doo wop is famous today for bringing many one hit wonders into the charts, with very few groups, like The Coasters, actually achieving long-term success.

Evolution into Rock

By the end of the 1950s, the rock and roll peak had already passed, and music moved towards a rockier style which would be pioneered by The Beatles and later made heavier by The Rolling Stones and acts such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.

Rock and roll inspirations are still regularly seen in popular music today, and are regularly cited by the world’s top artists as having provided great direction to their work.

Image Author: Heinrich Klaffs