Classic Rock History

Their history is a long winding road with a few hills along the way and the birth of the is just as interesting. The Beatles were British and was first known as the Quarry Men. Paul McCartney joined the Quarry Men when he was fifteen years old. John Lennon and Paul got to know a great deal about each other and became good friends, which is good because John is the head of the band. They were inspired by the Crickets and started to write songs in Buddy’s style, which was the leader of the Crickets. Paul and

The Rolling Stones, self-acclaimed and fan-supported, is “The World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band.” The Rolling Stones is well into its fifth decade performing together as a group. They are the longest lived, continuous performing band in the history of music. From the band’s early British beginnings through the present, The Rolling Stones has continued to adapt its music to the sounds and styles of the past five decades, to remain ever visible and popular in the eyes of the world. The “Stones,” as the band has become known by, was formed by the blues-loving London born, childhood friends, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Over the period following Jagger’s and Richards’ chance reunion on a train at the Dartford

Not parents, not teachers, but music changed the decade of the 1950s. Welcome to the decade, where rock ‘n’ roll music emerged. Rock ‘n’ roll changed the world, but it wasn’t just the music. The music created a movement. People were not afraid to be different. The Birth of Rock ‘n’ roll, created a major impact on many cultures and society. When I think of Rock ‘n’ roll music, I think of the music, as a stepping stone for Americans. I think of Rock ‘n roll music as a stepping stone for Americans because the music reflects on the change of America after the war. Everybody was afraid to break out and be different. Rock and roll music made it cool to be different. During the 1950s no other genre of music was accepted or despised as much a

The Beatles are one of the most innovative rock bands of all time. They have not only changed the way rock and roll is looked at, but also the way that the music is recorded. They have influenced the artists of the 60s and the 70s, and also many generations later and to come. Originating from Liverpool, England, the Beatles, or the Fab Four, consists of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Topping the charts in ’63 with “Love Me Do,” and bringing in the highest rated viewing in history while performing on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles are definitely a band that broke the sound barrier of rock

“The rise of rock ‘n’ roll and the reception of it, in fact, can tell us a lot about the culture and values of the United States in the 1950s. According to historians James Gilbert, there was a struggle throughout the decade ‘over the uses of popular culture to determine who would speak to what audience, and for what purpose”. At the center of that struggle, rock ‘n’ roll unsettled a nation had been “living in an ‘age of anxiety’” since 1945” (p.15). Altschuler talks about how music and race interlock with one another. Rock had become a “highly visible and contested arena for struggles over racial identity and cultural and economic empowerment in the United States” (p.35). Other chapters within the book state the battles involving sexuality, generational conflicts, as well as other social issues. The author states ideas that are somewhat problematic. For example, he states that there is a myth that rock ‘n’ roll went into a “lull” following the payola hearings (the practice of record promoters paying DJs or radio programmers to play their labels ' songs) of 1959 and did not come about again until the arrival of the Beatles in 1964.

The Beatles originally started off as The Quarrymen in 1957, headed by John Lennon and consisting of other musicians. That same year Paul McCartney was invited to join the group by John Lennon, and eventually joined by George Harrison. In 1958 the groups name was changed to Johnny and the Moondogs (rolling stone article). Two years in 1960 later another member was added and the group was now named The Beatles. During this time The Beatles (with Pete Best playing drums), were playing mostly cover songs of popular artists in Hamburg, until the group came back to England to where they would play at the famous Cavern Club, where their local popularity would take off.

Rock and roll has developed a long way throughout the years from a dance craze in the 1950's to a political and cultural landscape that is recognized worldwide. Rock and roll has come to define the roots of teenage rebellion, people who don't follow the norms, and have disrespect for authority. The style of rock and roll itself is a melting pot of music, a combination of sounds that include jazz, country, blues, ragtime, gospel, swing, classical, and ethnic music. It can be a simple variation of three chords to a complex chromatic scale combination. It can convey emotions such as love, hate, fear, lust, sadness, joy, disillusion, or a strong sense of reality. Many things can be said about rock but the fact is that it is the most widely

The Beatles essentially had a profound influence on America, the world’s leading force for the music industry. Because no other British music group had succeeded in America before, the Beatles were apprehensive, nevertheless gaining large renown and adulation from millions nation-wide. The Beatles also brought a new culture, a new view of music to America. They essentially took on the role of revolutionizing rock music through their original, creative compositions which spoke of love, peace, and freedom and defied the conformist society of the 1950s which restricted these controversial topics and opinions in the media. Their music captivated the world by instilling a regard for reconciliation in our hearts, and giving hope to those struggling from the pressures of Vietnam and the Cold War, racial discrimination, and depression. They left an unparalleled legacy of delightful music, influenced the sixties culture through their distinct qualities, and encouraged those to forsake violence and live in harmony with other human beings.

     The Rolling Stones were the second most successful band of the British invasion and dived into the mainstream with their hit “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” The Rolling Stones had a more aggressive style with loud guitar tones and driving rhythms. And while The Beatles touched on more clean-cut topics, the Stones shocked people with songs about casual drug use and careless sex. Other influential bands of the British Invasion include The Who, Cream, and The Kinks who are now some of rocks greatest legends.

During the 1950s African Americans migrated into the urban cities for jobs, which caused for African Americans and whites to be in close proximity to each other. This closeness created overlap in various fields including music. With the arrival of rock and roll a revolution started brewing in the world of popular music. Rock and Roll, a combination of rhythm, blues and country music took the younger generation by storm. Bill Haley and His Comets became the first group to be labelled rock and rollers. Their “Rock Around the Clock” (1955) was a smash hit. Chuck Berry was another noted black performer who blended country with rhythm and blues in “Maybellene”. Other musicians were Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P Richardson and Fats

Tupelo MS is where it all began. The birthplace of Elvis Presley, it is also the birthplace of rock-n-roll and the transformation of American culture. Now, as it was then, this small town in the north-eastern corner of the state of Missouri is rather off the beaten track. But it still attracts a steady stream of visitors, from boomers reliving their greatest years to millennials trying to understand what the fuss was all about.

During the next 10 years, the British foursome out of Liverpool went on to become the most successful musical act of all time. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, The Beatles are the best-selling musical act of all time in the United States. They released more than 40 different singles and albums that reached number one at one point or another. Rolling Stone magazine ranked them the #1 group

During the late 1950s and the 1960s, Rock and Roll blew up. The adults of this generation saw the new style of music as “socially disruptive and dangerous” (Kornhaber). It was also said that rock was the music of African Americans

The begins of rock and roll have always been challenged as to when they were first established. The most common argument is that is first started in Southern United states, the birth place of many of the first early rock and roll music hits. As the south always had a huge majority of slaves from Africa and immigrants from Europe, through the gathering of different influences that created a connection between African musical traditions with European instrumentation. Immigration of once slaves to populated urban centers including New York City and Chicago meant that both the black and white communities were living in close proximity, resulting in hearing each other's music and even ‘began to follow and impersonate each other's fashions’.

The formation of The Beatles is a long, complicated story that many do not know of. The story of The Beatles started in 1957. John Lennon, who was sixteen at the time, formed a skiffle group with several of