Rock

Rock music has a long history and, if it were a river, we could say that its tributaries are endless and have ended up soaking up many other genres. Since the origin of rock and roll in the 50s, when this music was given its name as a trend that it already was (defining some universal characteristics of the style and use of instruments), its evolution has led it to be one of the genres most important and popular of the 20th century. In the 21st century it is already another story, as it is still present in our lives, but its prominence among the best sellers is much less than it was about 30 years ago.

For a long time, a good part of music fans considers that rock is dead, but even so, its fame precedes it and nostalgia protects it from disappearance, thanks to the great classics of all decades. However, to show that there are still valid rock bands and that they maintain the good name of this genre, we have created this tag, where we talk about them and recommend their songs. Beyond this, we want to take advantage of this content to talk about the history of rock with some of the biggest names since it was born, including its origin and first steps.

Rock and roll: the origin of the term

Although it is convenient to start by saying that, for many, rock and roll is nothing more than the blues, but made by white people and consumed by them (something that would take us back a few years in time), we can say that the origin of rock took place in the 1950s. Initially, it began to spread its influence in the United States, but over time it became known throughout the world.

As for the term itself, rock and roll was an expression originally used by seafarers to refer to the rocking of a ship in the waves. However, in the early 20th century it took on a different meaning, as it was used in African-American religious songs (Gospel) as a term for swinging in the arms of God or another important religious figure. Over time, it has become a more common term and has different meanings depending on the context or the profession of the person using it. In the 1920s, for example, this was the term used to describe a type of ballroom and party. Thus, little by little, rock and roll began to be used as a name to define the musical genre in 1951.

Who gave rock and roll its name?

Ohio-born radio host Alan Freed was the first person (of whom we know of) to start using the word as a term to refer to the music he used on his broadcasts, so the term became increasingly popular, associated in turn with the success of the genre itself.

To expand it a bit further, he also helped Bill Haley with the title of his most popular song, Rock Around The Clock, when he released it in 1954 with The Comets.

The origin of rock and roll and its roots

Rock and roll as a separate trend from the term, being just music, was created by combining many genres and styles of music popular in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s. The blend of rhythm and blues created by African-American songwriters with white Americans in the country is considered the most important factor in the rise of a new genre. Of course, in addition to R&B, the influence of jazz, blues (which we already mentioned), gospel, swing, spiritual music and folk music was also significant.

In the first half of the 20th century, black people in the United States were segregated and often marginalized, so they more often drew on different cultural patterns to create different musical styles than white people. But the success and popularity of jazz, swing and rhythm and blues was such that they began to attract audiences and musicians foreign to their origin and main idiosyncrasies. Still, this was not common, so over time individual characteristics and major elements of genres were borrowed by artists and bands creating a new genre in their own way.

The development of the music industry, pop culture and the electric guitar

Another phenomenon that allowed the popularization of rock and roll was the development of the music industry, the appearance of television in the homes of many families, the success of radio formulas and the invention of the electric guitar. That’s right, the ability to drag rock would not have been possible without the appearance and diffusion of many technical solutions, such as vinyl records and jukeboxes. At the same time the appearance of numerous radio stations also influenced the popularity of this new emerging genre.

In the first half of the 20th century, black people in the United States were segregated and often marginalized, so they more often drew on different cultural patterns to create different musical styles than white people. But the success and popularity of jazz, swing and rhythm and blues was such that they began to attract audiences and musicians foreign to their origin and main idiosyncrasies. Still, this was not common, so over time individual characteristics and major elements of genres were borrowed by artists and bands creating a new genre in their own way.

The development of the music industry, pop culture and the electric guitar

Another phenomenon that allowed the popularization of rock and roll was the development of the music industry, the appearance of television in the homes of many families, the success of radio formulas and the invention of the electric guitar. That’s right, the ability to drag rock would not have been possible without the appearance and diffusion of many technical solutions, such as vinyl records and jukeboxes. At the same time the appearance of numerous radio stations also influenced the popularity of this new emerging genre.

The first half of the 20th century was a time of exceptional changes that modified the process of obtaining a following and recognition by music bands and artists, performers or composers. Before, concerts were key, while in the second half of the century recordings and discs promoted by radio announcers had become the most important process.

On the other hand, the constant improvement in the quality of the microphones and the arrival of the electric guitar were an essential part of changing the very format of the musical groups. That is, it became a revolutionary solution, thanks above all to the quality presented by the Fender company, presenting the Telecaster model with a solid wood body, which lacked the noisy drawbacks of its predecessors. The guitar also offered a very distinctive sound that greatly influenced rock and roll songs and bands.

All this helped make idols of singers like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis or Bo Didley.