About
Rock and roll emerged in the American South in the early 1950s from the convergence of blues, gospel, country, and rhythm and blues. Chuck Berry's guitar style, Little Richard's flamboyance, and Elvis Presley's crossover appeal created the genre — and the generational divide. The Beatles' arrival in America (February 1964, the 'British Invasion') transformed rock and pop simultaneously.
Key movements: rockabilly (Elvis, Buddy Holly, 1950s); British Invasion (Beatles, Rolling Stones, 1960s); psychedelic rock (Jimi Hendrix, Doors, 1967-68); hard rock/heavy metal (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, 1969-70); punk (Sex Pistols, Clash, 1976-77); grunge (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, 1991-94); Britpop (Oasis, Blur, 1994-96). Rock's cultural impact includes the sexual revolution, anti-war protest, and the creation of the 'teenager' as a social category.
# Top 10 rock bands/artists
- 1The Beatles
- 2Rolling Stones
- 3Led Zeppelin
- 4Pink Floyd
- 5Jimi Hendrix
- 6Nirvana
- 7The Who
- 8David Bowie
- 9Queen
- 10Bob Dylan
Fascinating Facts
- ◆The Beatles held the top 5 spots on the US Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously in April 1964 — a record that has never been equaled
- ◆Jimi Hendrix was self-taught — he learned guitar left-handed on a right-handed guitar, flipping it upside down, and became history's most influential electric guitarist
- ◆Kurt Cobain wrote 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' intending to write a bad pop song — it accidentally became one of rock's most iconic anthems
More in Culture4 related
9
Culture
Mona Lisa
The most famous painting in the world — Leonardo's masterpiece of mystery.
Interest89/100
45
Culture
The Sistine Chapel
Michelangelo's masterpiece — four years on a scaffold painting the story of creation.
Interest79/100
27
Culture
Shakespeare
The greatest writer in the English language — his words still shape our world.
Interest77/100
20
Culture
Beethoven's 9th Symphony
Composed while completely deaf, the Ninth is humanity's greatest musical achievement.
Interest75/100