Invasion Of The British Invasion

​ Rock n roll came from the mix of country and rhythm and blues. The origins of rock n roll can be traced back to when the great migration brought African Americans to the U.S. with them they brought a different sound for music. After the great migration, new genres of music began to become very popular in the late 1920’s and 1930’s. These genres of music influenced the development of rock n roll such as blues, boogie-woogie, jump blues, jazz, and gospel music “Rock n Roll developed from blues and country so no one invented rock n roll” ( Tim Janis) Rock n roll was definitely influenced by African American roots. The African music tradition of storytelling using music of African origins was a big influence on the creation of blues and other genres. These genres of music soon developed into rhythm and blues. Later

Rock ‘n’ roll and 20th Century Culture      According to Philip Ennis, rock ‘n’ roll emerged from the convergence of social transformations which resulted from World War II (Ryan 927). Despite its pop culture origins, rock music is arguably one of the strongest cultural factors to develop in this century. Artists such as Lennon, McCartney and Dylan defined the emotions of a generation and, in the last decade, it as even been acknowledged by members of the establishment which it hoped to change as a major influence in the country. In order to understand how rock went from a sign of rebellion to a cultural icon, it is necessary to understand where it came from.      According to Albert

Rock ‘n’ roll music has widely influenced music and society and continues to do so today. Rock ‘n’ roll emerged in the 1950’s a time where whites and blacks were heavily segregated. Rock and roll music not only changed the nation’s current musical norms, but indicated the joy of the emerging youth culture of the generation. It influenced artists whether black or white to come into the mainstream music. Famous artists still remembered today also influenced rock and roll. Those pioneers helped change the musical norms and the overall history of music. White rock ‘n’ rollers helped build a ladder for black artists to come into the scene. It was certain that rock ‘n’ roll made it possible for greater acceptance, appreciation and a wider

The main innovation in rock was the electric guitar. It brought a loud and free-spirited feeling that came with rocking out. It loosened up the music which brought many different styles and genres within rock. It broadened the horizons to rock and roll letting people express themselves through their music. This rock craze spilled overseas into Britain where many great artists were born. The British Invasion happened in the mid 1960’s when bands moved from the United Kingdom to perform in America. The two main bands coming out of this time period were the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Both left lasting impressions on American music. Led Zeppelin, The Who, and The Animals were also a part of this important time period in rock and roll history. In this era most of America’s top music charts all topped out with rock and roll songs coming from Britain. Some notable songs are “House of the Rising Sun,” by The Animals, “Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles, and many others. Even though the British Invasion took the United States by storm, it was just the beginning.

When early rock and roll began the major American record companies did not take the british invasion seriously. The Beatles first album had to be released through small independent music companies. The success of British bands began to get to large to ignore, it changed the styles of some American musicians as well. In 1965 Bob Dylan performed at a concert in which he used electrical instruments, this alienated many folk music purists in the process of changing music forever (Unterberger pg.165). The American band the byrds combined folk and rock which created a number one hit on the billboard music charts. A Band called Buffalo Springfield blended aspects of Rock, Country and western music to create country rock in 1966.

In the early 60s, Britain was known in America for essentially the Queen and tea. However, that all changed in February of 1964 when the Beatles touched down on American soil for the first time. Their first hop across the pond was no ordinary endeavor, as most British boy bands or performers had a hard time making it in the states. However, their venture to visit The Ed Sullivan Show ultimately changed America’s future. From that point forward, Americans began on their journey to find hope and expression through the Beatles’ music and their influence. In present day America, it is hard to imagine a day that passes by without the media mentioning the British Royal Family, the famous British supermodel, Cara Delavigne, or the British pop band, One Direction. However, most of these British obsessions wouldn’t be as prevalent in America today if it weren’t for the Beatles appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show or the pop culture phenomenon that ensued thereafter. If one thing is for certain, the Beatles invasion into the U.S. masked ambivalent socioeconomic affairs in the early ‘60s and accelerated the change in American pop culture.

The Beatles and the Rolling Stones first number one hit songs in the United States, I Want To Hold Your Hand and (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction were major players in the British Invasion, a musical revolution which saw a massive spike in the popularity of British artists and culture in America. Both songs hold some similarities, most notably in the composition of the instruments, along with some conventions seen in the genre. Yet, strong differences can be found in the vocals, lyrics and general tone of the songs, showing the separation between two rising subcultures in England. Although very similar in composition, the two bands display the growing rift between the “mods” and the “rockers” - those who preferred the clean cut look and music inspired by the blues, and those who preferred the rebellious nature of a harder rock and roll.

The appearance of British rock groups in America changed our culture massively. The original Beatles invasion opened the floodgates, and provided a boost for other cultural exports such as films, art and television. British Invasion acts influenced fashion, haircuts and other manners of culture in the 1960s. It became known as the "counter-culture" because the groups gave the young "rebels" of the '60s something to relate to and thus influenced what defined a "cultural rebel."

Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll or rock 'n ' roll) is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States. The music we know as rock and roll emerged as a defined musical style in the mid 1950s, even though a form of it had been on the horizon for at least a decade or so. A quarter of the American population moved during World War II, and that is what brought southern, rural, sacred and secular traditions into contact with urban-based music and its audiences. Rock and roll drew on many different styles. It derived most directly from the rhythm and blues music of the 1940s, which it developed from earlier blues, boogie-woogie, jazz and swing music. It was also influenced by gospel, country, western, and traditional folk music. With the combinations of all of these genres of music, that help to create this new style of music excited a worldwide generation of young listeners. Even though it had the attention of young listeners it started to upset the already established social, cultural and musical authorities. With this new music style coming into full affect along with new dances and people having voicing out their own opinion caused a lot of turmoil. Many people began to question this new genre of music and labeled it as the devil music while other loved it and couldn’t help but dance

The Beatles were more than their music. They influenced the lives of millions of people unlike any musicians before them. They were the first and most popular band in one of the most important music movements in American history, the British Invasion. The year 1964 was the year both the British Invasion and “Beatlemania” came to America and forever changed the landscape of music in the United States by introducing the genre of pop, as it is today. The Beatles changed the rules of music. Many things that are considered normal now were pioneered by the Beatles such as: creating compilation albums, expressing their views on world happenings through the media, musicians in movies, and even mass media advertising. The beatles

The way America became a diverse country is similar with how the genre of music was made. Rock and roll, which is one of the genres, is also created with various influences.

American rock and roll has dominated many areas around the world, but primarily with the British music scene.

The British are coming! The British are coming! The Rolling Stones rolled right into into America during the British invasion with The Beatles and The Who. The Rolling Stones made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and are still touring after about fifty years from coming to America during the British invasion.

The British Invasion took place during the mid-1960’s. British musicians began to look toward their American counterparts for inspiration, copying their styles and advertising to fans in the United States. By this point, British youth had been interested in American rock and roll since the 1950’s, captivated by its pronounced beats and suggestive lyrics (Robbins). However, Britain did not have the same musical background as the United States. In the States, rock and roll emerged from a coalescence of Country and Western, Rhythm and Blues, and Pop music (Stuessy). Because of this, rock from the United States had deep roots, while rock from Britain before the mid-1960’s lacked depth and was simply an imitation. Eventually, rock began to take off in Britain from two main locations: Liverpool and London. This music became insanely popular in both Britain and the United States (Robbins). When studying the British Invasion, it is important to analyze the musical differences between Liverpool and London, as well as look at why this music became so popular in the United States.

Perhaps the most celebrated and most known musical group ever known "The Beatles" changed the way the world viewed rock music for generations to come. Comprised of four members; John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, "The Beatles" rose to stardom in England. With hits such as "Love me do" The Beatles quickly grew a fan base in the United Kingdom. By the mid-1960s the Beatles were taking the world by storm and leading the British invasion of the United States ' music industry. Till this day the Beatles ' music is still being played around the world today.