Rock music initially had a journey from the US to the UK, where it was matured by the formation new styles; and in the late 1960s, it became a popular genre around the globe.
The first elements of rock music were formed by the rise of rock and roll in the United States. Rock and roll, which itself had roots in genres like Country, Blues, so forth, provided a new opportunities for using common rock instruments in heavy and fast rhythms. In this era, Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll, had an essential role in the popularity of rock and roll.
The international fame of the American rock and roll motivated some British musicians to perform new styles of music. Cliff Richard is famous as a British response to Elvis Presley’s rock and roll. The pioneering British band, The Beatles, caused the popularity of new-born ‘British’ rock.
The Rise of ‘Real’ Rock
Rock is indeed a broad genre with numerous sub-genres, which are based on the involvement of other genres; for example, Pop Rock, Blues Rock, Folk Rock, etc. Thus, the term ‘real rock’ is referred to as a central genre merely relying on the elements of rock music.
In the early 1960s, the rock styles were mainly mixed with rock and roll, and pop; and some pioneering works in the mid 1960s resulted in the development of rock as an independent genre with its own characteristics and features. One of the first examples is the albums by The Animals, and particularly the legendary song, The House of the Rising Sun.
When new rock bands like The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Pretty Things broke the norm to perform their music by a different way of thinking, rock achieved a considerable popularity among the youth, not only as a musical genre but also as a culture. This culture later led to social and political criticisms, protesting movements, etc.
Different characteristics elements of rock culture were spread among the fans; for example, popularity of drugs, weird fashion (which later turned to characteristic gothic black fashion by the birth of metal music and culture).
The year 1967 was an important transition between the preliminary version of rock and the so-called real rock. Some pioneering works released in this year became the most influential albums in the rock history. Although some of these bands are not leading rock bands of 1960s, their pioneering works had significant influences on the successors.
Among numerous records of 1967, one can name The Doors' The Doors, Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Jimi Hendrix's Are You Experienced?, The Rolling Stones' Between the Buttons.
