The beginning of rock and roll is muddled and unsure, the product of a ton of different figures and music styles that came together to make it what we know today.
Another big player in the making of rock was Robert Johnson. He was a Blues musician in the 1930s whose main hit was “Terraplane Blues Artists like The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Led Zeppelin have all covered his songs.
The beginning of rock would not have gone anywhere without Sam Philips and his record label Sun Records. He recorded Ike Turner and Elvis Presley as well as Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and B.B. King. Philips recorded both black and white artists at a time of segregation. He was a true cultural pioneer.
Ike Turner with his group The Kings of Rhythm released the song “Rocket 88” in 1951, and it’s considered to be the first rock and roll recording by many. Elvis Presley made rock and roll famous and became known as The King of Rock and Roll. His first single, was “That’s All Right” in 1954, but his hit was “Heartbreak Hotel” the following year. Elvis’ music went on to influence The Beatles who brought a whole new wave of rock and roll to the world.
Rockabilly mixed early rock and roll with hillbilly music to create its own sound. Two major rockabilly stars were Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent who inspired later bands like The Stray Cats. “Blue Suede Shoes” as sung by Carl Perkins made rockabilly an international sensation in 1956 and launched rockabilly onto bigger recording labels. Jerry Lee Lewis is considered “the first punk” by classic.about.rock.com and had the big hit “Great Balls of Fire”.
Punk rock began in the 1960s and 70s as a backlash against the music industry’s commercialism. Patti Smith, The New York Dolls and The Velvet Underground headed this movement that also brought along The Ramones and Talking Heads. Another major punk rock performer is Iggy Pop whose songs include “Search and Destroy” and “TV Eye” which shows off an amazing, earth-shattering scream.
England also contributed a lot to the punk scene with The Sex Pistols who left a huge mark on the scene with their call for anarchy, total lack of conformity, and their ultimate tragedy. Punk rock’s initial purpose was to prove that anyone could get into the music business without being able to play an instrument. The Police were also considered a type of punk that actually knew how to play their instruments, and had other influences. Since they could really play they were looked down upon by many punk rockers.
Rock and roll went through a lot in the coming decades. From Jimi Hendrix to Bruce Springsteen, from hair rock to new wave, from alternative to grunge, from Metallica to Pearl Jam, there were many twists in the road.
When The Strokes came out with their album “Is This It” in 2001, they were hailed as the band that was bringing back the original meaning of rock and roll. Their album led to the most recent alternative music movement including bands such as Arcade Fire, Interpol, The Academy Is… and Panic at the Disco. England produced bands similar to The Strokes, like The Libertines whose album “Up the Bracket” came out in 2002. Their style is mimicked by The Arctic Monkeys and The Kooks. The White Stripes also led this movement, and are credited with the revival of garage rock.
The history of Rock and Roll may be a jumble, but it’s a rich history. Its original form has branched out and broken off into other genres. If anything, Rock and Roll proves that all music is connected. It has been influenced by genres that came before it, and it went on to be incorporated into other styles to create new sounds. As the song says, "Rock and roll is here to stay."
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