by Brooklyn Fears
The timeline of rock ‘n’ roll spans nearly a century and began in the early 1920s when swing and big band jazz built the foundations of modern American rock. However, the genre did not surge into the rock ‘n’ roll many music enthusiasts know today until the 1940s and 1950s. While some music connoisseurs might credit Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley as the first pioneers of American rock, true rock ‘n’ roll historians will point to black female musicians. For example, Sister Rosetta Tharpe influenced Chuck Berry and Odetta, who influenced Bob
Dylan, and Betty Davis, are known as the Godmother of Funk, and wife of Miles Davis. Similar to much of American history, the early origins of rock ‘n’ roll have been whitewashed, and unfortunately miscredited, ignoring black female contributions. (Rolling Stone).
Luckily, the diversification of rock ‘n’ roll progressed in the 1940s and 1950s as black musicians Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown, and Marvin Gaye became household names. Music historians will credit the 1950s as the decade of rock’s birth. Phonographs were becoming widely popular, and rock music was still drenched in rhythm and blues and sprinkled with folk and country-inspired twang (Department of Arts Administration). It was Elvis Presley whose performances initially sparked controversy with his performances. The seemingly “sexual” nature of Presley's shows drew young adults into the rock music scene. Love, lust, and loss were amongst the most popular themes of music in the ’50s with chart-topping classics including “I Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash and other yearning classics such as Nat King Cole’s “Mona Lisa.”
The themes of rock ‘n’ roll were slowly changing as the Civil Rights Movement came forth, and the Vietnam War progressed. It was only fitting that political unrest would make its lyrical appearances on “The Unknown Soldier” by The Doors. More protest anthems would be released by artists including Bob Dylan, James Brown, and Sam Cooke (thepeopleofhistory.com).
One of the most paramount aspects of 1960s rock ‘n’ roll was the British Invasion, hailed by acts such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Kinks. These talents broke North America in the mid-60s and gave American acts a run for their money.
In Southern California surf rock was born, led by pioneers The Beach Boys. Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd influenced much of what is known today as psychedelic rock. This genre carried into the 1970s and was heavily associated with hippie culture which included participation in psychedelic drug use, anti-war protests, and progressive ideologies.
During the 1980s, the new wave was the latest hot subgenre of rock. Talking Heads and Blondie were the American sensations of the 1980s. Experimental and eccentric unique clothing, makeup, and hair accompanied the new wave. Hair metal was cracking its way through the surface with Van Halen, Metallica, and Iron Maiden. The hair and clothing were just as avant-garde and innovative. As the world of music was beginning to evolve, so was America’s pallet with increasing popularity in pop, hip hop, and rap.
Rock artists in the 1990s drew from new wave, and psychedelic rock, and scooped up what was left of the residual ’60s British Invasion to create contemporary alternative rock. Grunge boiled to the surface, serving as the foundations for acts such as Nirvana. The Pixies and The Smashing Pumpkins were riding the waves of alternative rock out of the 1990s until the early 2000s struck (Bobbit, 2019). Alt-rock continued to prosper with New York talents The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs serving as early 2000s inspirations for what would be years to come.
Much of modern-day rock was greatly influenced by the post-British Invasion. American rock would not be as successful if it were not for the early influences of David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, The Police, and a variety of other gifted English acts.
During the 1960s, many British artists were pulling their inspirations from early Americana rock ‘n’ roll. Rudimentary genres such as blues, classical, and folk were vital to what would be classic British rock. Arguably the most pivotal moment in English music at large was “Beatlemania.” All demographics were enthralled with the four lads from Liverpool. Most notable were the teenage girls who howled, sobbed, and passed out cold at the sight of Sir Paul McCartney (thevideoink.com). The Beatles were the trailblazers that led other rock artists such as The Kinks and The Who to American stardom and peaked on the American music charts. The sex appeal intertwined with the smashing of instruments on stage fueled the rebellious fire of youth’s bellies in both North America and the United Kingdom. This was the British Invasion (thevideoink.com).
The aesthetics, subgenres, and ambiance became more intoxicating and electrifying with icons Elton John and David Bowie spearheading their ways into the 1970s and 1980s. Post-war, the music industry witnessed a surge in record sales and an influx of music festivals. Towards the height of their careers, John and Bowie not only shook the sound fundamentals of English music but broke gender barriers as well. Bowie, with his editorial makeup, and John with his massive, sparkly glasses, both with loud, captivating, and unapologetic wardrobes. This, to many, was the birth of persona. English music was becoming a brand, a new way of artistry. English rock was so much more than the music. British music was genre-bending and was about the artists and the atmospheres they created with their music videos, live performances, and albums. This reigned true for acts like Queen, who delivered one of the most iconic and memorable performances from a British act ever for Live Aid in 1985, according to the New York Times and Rolling Stone (thevideoinkcom).
The 1990s saw a significant shift in British music, drifting away from The Smiths and The Stone Roses epoch, which stimulated much of this new period (Rodriguez, 2019). It Twas the birth of the “Britpop” era. The “Big Four” that hailed this indie movement were Suede, Pulp, and most notably, Blur and Oasis. The bands were heavily influenced by common, everyday, English life, and it was reflected in their sounds and lyrical content. The summer of 1995 sought the infamous “Battle of Britpop” where feuding bands Blur and Oasis fought to have a number one single (Blogger, 2016). Blur, releasing “Country House” from their fourth record The Great Escape, and Oasis with “Roll with it” off their sophomore release titled (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? on the same day. Although Blur ultimately won the battle by grasping a number one single, many will say that Oasis won the war. Having higher record sales, and a roster of awards and nominations, Oasis had a tighter grip on the English nation.
Post-Britpop of the late 1990s and early 2000s focused much less on the English lifestyle, and in turn, it allowed for a broader fanbase and more successful music sales overseas. Grungier English bands including Radiohead were succeeding in the United States as bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam were at their peak. Radiohead later released their toned down, melancholy, and revolutionary work OK Computer, which is recognized as one of the most influential records of all time. Radiohead continued to leave their grunge past behind them, delving into softer, indie toned works, or releasing electronic heavy records. The early 2000s witnessed the birth of Coldplay, who cite Radiohead and Oasis as their biggest influence, as well as other indie acts such as Bloc Party, Foals, and Arctic Monkeys, who continue to influence much of modern English rock today.
Returning to the United States, American rock has changed over the span of the last 60 years. Along with new acts, came new political, cultural, and socioeconomic changes and attitudes towards society at large. Rock music and the artists that create it have never shied away from how they felt about the current politics, war, and American civilization.
In the 1960s at the center of everyone's attention were the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War. Protest music spanned across the United States, fighting for the rights of African American men and women. Bob Dylan and Billie Holiday wrote pieces about segregation laws in the 1960s and advocated for black lives (teachrock.com). Marvin Gaye and Billy Joel wrote anti-war protest songs at the height of the Vietnam War. Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young wrote “Ohio'' where the band scrutinized President Nixon for sending the National Guard to Kent State University in Ohio to disrupt peaceful protests and kill four innocent students. The same massacre inspired the band Devo to form after two of the members were friends with students that were killed. As a result of this trauma, the band is of the notion that “mankind has hit a wall in evolution and is now evolving in reverse”(Georgia, H. Kilgariff, K.). More concisely, Devo stands for “De-Evolution.” Today, Devo is continuing to help aid those in need. As of 2022, the band has pledged to donate partial licensing revenue from their discography to the current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine (Minsker, 2022).
The 1970s and 1980s were a drug-induced coma. While some music enthusiasts found themselves at the center of a Kiss or Van Halen gig headbanging, others found themselves at a Grateful Dead or Jimi Hendrix concert swallowing LSD tablets. This post-war carefree era continued through the 1990s when alternative, grunge, punk, and metal bands thrived. Nirvana, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Weezer plagued the minds of college youth dressed in ripped jeans, and flannels shirts while sporting Doc Martens and greasy long locks (thepeoplehistory.com). However, social justice had never left the rock spotlight, as Southern California acts Sublime and Rage Against the Machine continued to fight for black lives and against police brutality that was rampant in the 1990s.
Across the pond in Great Britain, English bands such as The Beatles, The Kinks, and The Rolling Stones were finding themselves with mainstream American success. English acts wrote much about everyday life as a British citizen. The Beatles wrote tracks describing working-class life and the yearning for success. “Money (That’s What I Want)” off their
sophomore LP With The Beatles was a slightly frivolous, yet catchy piece that was repetitive, but simple and relatable. It was digestible for the working English class that longed for what the Fab Four sang about, the elimination of socioeconomic classism. As The Beatles matured, so did their musicianship. “Taxman” is an example of advanced songwriting, as the song is written from a taxman’s perspective. George Harrison went on the record to explain how the song describes how the working class pays far more in taxes than rich citizens. Comical, smart-aleck, and borderline geniuses of the 1966 track off their record Revolver shone through their lyricism of the bridge with, “If you drive a car, car, I'll tax the street If you try to sit, sit, I'll tax your seat If you get too cold, cold, I'll tax the heat. If you take a walk, walk, I'll tax your feet, Taxman.”
England continues to praise and push for the success of other rock artists that write about the mundane everyday life of a British citizen, working too hard for too little pay. Jumping forward to the rise of Britpop in the 1990s, Oasis and Blur once again feuded, only this time not over which single reaches number one fastest, or trivial, snide comments about the feuding band members' girlfriends. The conflict was centered around regional residence and social class. North, aka the working class vs. the South aka “posh” youth of the upper class. Oasis represented the North, while Blur represented the South. Tensions were high between their fans, as they felt the need for representation.
Today, songs on behalf of the English working class are still being written. Up-incoming Brit-star Sam Fender wrote the blues-influenced tune for his 2019 debut record Hypersonic Missiles titled “Saturday'' which is written from the perspective of a working-class citizen eager for their weekend of rest.
Both American and British rock has strongly influenced one another. Both strived to become successful mediums in each other's nations. Rock music overseas is similar to American rock in that both nations are not afraid to shy away from anarchy. Protest songs are rampant in both countries, especially those as a result of tragedies. On January 30th, 1972, the British army opened fire during a peaceful civil rights protest in Derry, Ireland. The event is known as the Bogside Massacre or “Bloody Sunday,” which took the lives of 13 Irish citizens and injured 15 others. John Lennon, of The Beatles, wrote “Sunday Bloody Sunday” about the event, crucifying the British army for killing innocent, unarmed Irish citizens.
Flash forward 20 years, in the spring of April 29, 1992, the Los Angeles Police Department killed 47-year-old African American male, Rodney King. King was unarmed and beaten to death by the LAPD, which led to riots all over the nation. Sublime retold the events in their 1990s track “April 29, 1992,” off of their self-titled record, which featured samples of police officers calling in codes for civil disturbances and looting. Rage Against the Machine released “Killing in the Name'' which compared acts committed by the police to those committed by the Ku Klux Klan, “Some of those that workforces are the same that burn crosses” (Genius.com). Lyrical analysts have decoded the band compares the beating of Rodney King by police officers to the lynching of African American men by the Ku Klux Klan, “those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they are the chosen whites.”
Both American and English rock acts do not turn away from directly scrutinizing those in power. Government officials, police, militant forces, and terrorist groups have all been singled out by musicians using their musical gifts to beautifully protest what they believe in. As technology has advanced, our planet has deteriorated, and songs of climate change have come to the forefront. As hate crimes against minorities have yet to subside in both nations, tracks advocating for LGBT+ rights have graced the discographies of queer musicians. Rock music was built on revolution and objection in the 1960s and as long as civil disruption, corrupt power, terrorism, and global warming persists, so will songs fighting against human anguish.
American rock ‘n’ roll is deeply embedded in many aspects of today’s society. Rock has been passed down through generations. Retailers such as Target, have walls lined with classic rock bands’ tees targeted toward younger generations. Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana, and Sublime’s logos are splashed across ripped, tie-dyed tees. Generation Z is writing protest songs to fight against old traditions or push for change the same way prior generations have.
As the 1960s and 1970s progressed, songs promoting global change spilled out of radios across America. The 1980s and 1990s confronted the rules of rock, by disrupting soundscape aesthetics. Rock music encouraged the American youth to practice self-expression. With an emphasis on individuality and a newfound lust for life came a sense of relief. Authenticity, and straying away from mainstream schools of thought were important to the fans of American rock. Sexuality, drugs, nihilism, guerrilla, and other taboo topics were no longer being swept under the rug of conservatism (rockandrolljournal.com). Through the late 1990s and early 2000s, rock ‘n’
roll acts continued writing songs that challenged the standards of society and the nation’s political prospects.
British rock carries much of the same momentum as American rock. Not only was the English fighting for the rights of African Americans in the 1960s, but also against global warfare. Rock acts of Great Britain had a very similar impact on their nation’s younger generations. However, there were socioeconomic dilemmas that were more prominent in English rock that affected British society. There was certain advocacy for the working class and equality (Simonelli, 2013. Glen, 2014). Where British citizens resided was also a way for classist individuals to verbally attack one another.
In British rock’s formative years, artists were a representation of their hometown. Conversations involved class identity, the scrutinizing of administrative policies, the rebellion
of adolescence, and the questioning of religion. Rock music became an outlet of expression for those experiencing the effects of their government leaving the low-income, working-class behind. This is heavily depicted in the great war between Blur and Oasis, two bands representing their social class and regional residency. Fans felt a strengthening in their parasocial relationships with the British rockers because the fans felt understood. These songs served as a megaphone, preaching to positions of authority that English citizens will advocate for higher wages, and lower taxes. This practice has been passed down through generations, as modern English acts are using their musical platform to enact vital uprisings today.
American rock has proven to be extremely successful in the United Kingdom. Without the early success of Elvis Presley and Miles Davis, the British Invasion would not have been what it was. American acts have done incredibly well at English festivals such as Reading and Leeds and Glastonbury with massive American headliners closing the festivals out with a gigantic bang.
American rock translates well in Britain because of the inspiration it drew from the British Invasion and the impact that British rock has on American rock. Culturally, there are several similarities such as the fashion, lyrical content, and glorification of drugs, sex, rebellion, and lawlessness. Additionally, there is a sense of fascination and admiration for their culture. The accents, the difference in lifestyle, and the minor distinctions that make American culture American and British culture British.
Since the British Invasion, English rock has continued to have steady success in the States. American rock has drawn heavily from The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. The content relating to collective and administrative change often does well in the states. There are even patterns of American bands playing larger venues in Britain as opposed to America, alluding that the band has greater commercial success across the globe. However, this pattern is not as strong in the United States. Of course, British bands perform well in America for the same reasons that American bands do great in Britain. The romanticization of the accents, glamorous trends set by icons, and the attitude and lifestyles depicted are paramount to the scope of rock music.
However, it can be argued that certain decades in North America were not so fond of English rock. Blur’s 1990s hit “Song 2” broke out in America, simply because of the grungy guitars, moaning vocals, and ‘try-hard’ lyrical content. This went right over Americans’ heads as this was singer Damon Albarn’s attempt at satire in response to Blur’s less than stellar reception of Britpop by Americans. This pattern occurred in the wake of the early 2010s. As grunge was dying out, indie bands were the rage. In 2013, Sheffield, England’s very own Arctic Monkeys finally broke out into mainstream American success after suppressing their early grungier and Britpop influences and traded for a more indie, alternative sound. Now, the band finds themselves selling out massive arenas in North America. Though British rock has its ups and downs in terms of American mainstream success, it has always had a special place in the hearts of Americans.
The history of rock ‘n’ roll is thick, rich, and decadent. Infused with rebellion, political unrest, and the longing for societal change. It is sprinkled with subgenres such as punk, metal, indie, new wave, alternative, and hardcore which have all been intertwined with pop, blues, and folk in one way or another. American and British rock are both successful mediums in their own right and have crossed paths and reached success in each other's territories. Without one, there would not be the other. Without the culture that rock music has created within itself, society at large would be lifeless and still.
References
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