Rock around the clock!
By Aradhika Sekhon

ROCK music is one of the world’s most popular and adaptable musical forms. When it originated in the USA in the early 1950s, it was known as rock ‘n’ roll. From the start it was party music, dance music and music that appealed to young listeners, celebrating the joys of being young and occasionally expressing the frustrations of youth.

Many adults dismissed rock ‘n’ roll as a passing fad, even condemned it as a threat to society, but by the mid-60s, it had earned respect as a light art form. In the mid-70s, rock became big business, dominating not only the music industry but influencing everything from fashion to politics. As it became increasingly acceptable, it also lost out on rebelliousness which had been the source of its power. Since the 1980s, rock music has drawn much of its strength from international musical influences, and is now not only the music of young Americans but the music of the world.

Rock developed from a variety of different popular musical styles. The roots of rock can be heard in the rhythms of a form of blues known as rhythm and blues in the spirit of American country music. The squeaking saxophones of the dance-band jazz and the harmonies of pop music also added to the rock sound. In the 50s musicians combined these musical elements to create the revolutionary rock ‘n’ roll. It was louder, faster than the sentimental pop, and was generally performed in a wild and spontaneous manner with a more primitive and raw display of emotions.

Another important influence was the blues artiste, Chuck Berry. He was the first of the great rock song writers and a major influence on later rock performers, including the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Bill Haley and the Comets became the first famous rock band with their Rock Around The Clock, an international hit. Thus, with rock 'n' roll came a spirit of racial equality in the USA. Also rock ‘n’ roll proclaimed that teenagers were special.

By the mid-60s, the big companies stepped in, and the feel and volume of the music was toned down. The Beatles,a group from Liverpool, England, returned excitement to this music in the 60s. Their witty, sophisticated style made the music more popular than ever, and more respected artistically. ‘Beatlemania’ was the term generally used to describe the excitement generated by the Beatles. At first many parents feared the effects of Beatlemania, but the personal charm and musical appeal of the band soon conquered older listeners. The Beatles turned rock ‘n’ roll from an American-dominated musical style to an international phenomenon. Whereas Love Me Do was their first British hit, they made their American breakthrough with I Wanna Hold Your Hand.

The Rolling Stones were another significant group that followed the Beatles in the British invasion of the USA. They represented a scruffier and more rebellious alternative to the Beatles. The third major force in the 60s was Bob Dylan. The strong social messages of his songs influenced many musicians. Dylan’s poetic lyrics set to a rock beat produced a style known as ‘folk rock’. The 1960s also found instrumentalists exercising more creative freedom. Guitarists like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton began stretching a single song, previously two to four minutes long to about 10 or 20 minutes. The bands that played their music were categorised ‘Progressive rock’. Some of their music was also called ‘Acid rock’ after the drug LSD which was popular among some rock fans. Another popular style of the 60s was ‘Surf music’ popularised by the Beach Boys. ‘Soul music’ was recorded primarily by Black artistes but found popularity among both Black and White listeners with its emotional rhythm and blues style was popularised by Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder.

Rock music had growing social significance. It produced new fashions such as Beatles’ boots and hairstyle. Certain kinds of rock music encouraged the use of illegal drugs, while others evoked public protests against social and political problems like racial preference and the Vietnam War.

In 1969, a significant rock festival — The Woodstock Music and Arts Fest was held in New York. Woodstock was a communal celebration of the alternative ‘hippie’ culture. Dedicated to world peace, it drew 300,000 fans and featured three days of rock talent by top artistes — Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

In terms of quality, the early 70s was considered rock’s lowest point. But by mid-70s the music started to reclaim some of its lost glory. Bruce Springstien and the E Street Band attracted an enthusiastic following with Born To Run. Probably the most popular style in the mid 70s was ‘disco’. This style combined Latin rhythm and junk to produce a strong and steady dance beat. The disco greats included Donna Summers and Chic. Although many considered it to be mindless formula music, disco returned dancing and the spirit of fun to popular music.

The most popular new music to emerge in the 1980s was rap music. Rap is spoken rather than sung. Electronic rhythms and sounds of records being scratched provide background music. Rap’s streetwise rhythms and chants reflect the concerns of the urban youth living in a tough world. At the same time Tina Turner, REM and Pink Floyd, who had their roots in the 60s remained popular. Simultaneously many rock performers began to feature their music in short films called music videos. These included acting, dancing and striking visual images. The rise of rock video and MTV brought widespread exposure and popularity to a number of artistes, including Eurythemics, Madonna and George Michael. The popularity of videos continues into the millennium. Michael Jackson starred in several highly successful videos, and became one of the most popular performers in the history of rock. His Thriller (1982) became the largest selling record album of all time.

During the 1980s and 90s rock extended its influence for social change through a broadening interest in international concerns and in the reawakening of social idealism. Albums like Springstein’s Born in the USA and U2’s Joshua Tree dealt with socially relevant themes. Rock’s idealism and internationalism came together in such events as Live Aid, an-all day concert held in July 1985 to help feed starving people in Africa. In the 1990s various bands like Guns ‘n’ Roses and Public Enemy sparked controversies with their rebellious lyrics, aggressive music and anti-social stance. Concerned parents called for record companies to attach warning labels on albums with lyrics which may be objectionable.