Development of a new art form: rock 'n' roll music
According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, rock 'n' roll music has the power to bring people together and motivate them in special ways. No other form of music has proven to be as controversial and influential to generations of people all over the world. The development of rock 'n' roll is constantly evolving, but at its roots are incredible moments and even more memorable musicians.
Early Influences
Rock 'n' roll is a cultural ideology that was developed in a melting pot of genres and lifestyles from around the world. The earliest developmens of rock 'n' roll music was not quite musical in nature. The History of Rock 'n' Roll website credits African slaves and the rhythms of plantation songs as some of the early influences of rock 'n' roll. Early jazz and blues artists also lent a special musicality, providing the genetic markers to the earliest rock 'n' roll songs.
1950s
Rock 'n' roll in the 1950s was the most glamorized period of popular music to date. Images of big, American automobiles and jukebox dances are integral to the ideology behind early rock music. Bill Haley and the Comets released a song in 1954 called "Rock Around the Clock" that became a smash hit, and one of the earliest rock 'n' roll songs to top the popular charts. Although history remembers '50s rock 'n' roll quite fondly, there were considerable roadblocks to the introduction of this new musical genre. The Classic Bands website notes that in 1955, a dance in Connecticut was canceled over fears that rock 'n' roll dances would corrupt the youth and lead to street riots.
1960s
Rock 'n' roll in the 1960s developed into a counterculture, a megaphone for voicing concerns about civil rights and anti-war sentiments. Free love and psychedelic drugs fueled some of the greatest cultural experiences that rock 'n' roll music had come to offer. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame points to the city of San Francisco as a magnet for the artists and musicians who began the '60s rock 'n' roll revolution. Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart explains that "there was a community in need of music, and music in need of a community." Audiences were connecting to the music in new ways as the era of festival concerts brought their favorite bands closer than ever. For example, the Woodstock concert of 1969 featured some of the greatest rock 'n' roll acts of the time, including Jefferson Airplane and Jimi Hendrix, which further cemented the '60s as an iconic moment in rock 'n' roll history.
The British Invasion
In 1964, British rock 'n' roll began to musically emerge and gain American popularity, sparking the term "British Invasion" by rock 'n' roll enthusiasts. The History of Rock 'n' Roll website credits the Beatles as the obvious founders of the British Invasion movement. The music of the Beatles tackled cultural and political themes during a time when doing so was notably unpopular. In 1967, the British Broadcasting Company banned "A Day In The Life" from the Beatles because of its explicit drug references. Even their long-haired, hippie appearance was visually controversial. Yet somehow during the 1960s, the Beatles experienced a sudden, meteoric rise to rock 'n' roll greatness that would forever link British influences with the traditional American artistry.
1970s
Rock 'n' roll music in the 1970s provided a more mature listening experience. As the '60s rock revolution ground to a halt, rock 'n' roll music began to shift gears toward attaining greater commercial success. Bands and solo acts were becoming iconic rock 'n' roll figures. Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" album sold more than 15 million copies based primarily on the popularity of the band's engaging concert tours. Led Zeppelin was also recently honored in Entertainment Weekly's 100 greatest moments in rock music. Their hit song "Stairway to Heaven" was a chart-topper and has become synonymous with the term "classic rock."
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