Rock and Roll as a Performing ArtRock and Roll as a Performing ArtIntroductionRock and Roll, Rock n Roll, also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals, often with harmony, electric guitars, a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. It has been credited with ending wars and spreading peace and tolerance, as well as corrupting the innocent and spreading moral riots. Rock has become popular across the globe, far from its birthplace in the United States, and evolved into many varying styles.
History or Rock and RollRock and roll emerged as a defined musical style in America in the 1950s, though elements of rock and roll can be seen in rhythm and blues records as far back as the 1920s. Early rock and roll combined elements of blues, boogie woogie, jazz and rhythm and blues, and is also influenced by traditional Appalachian folk music, gospel and country and western.
Going back even further, rock and roll can be traced to the old Five Points district of mid-19th century New York City, the scene of the first fusion of heavily rhythmic African shuffles and sand dances with melody driven European genres, particularly the Irish jig.
Rocking was a term first used by gospel singers in the American South to mean something similar to spiritual rapture. By the 1940s, however, the term was used as a double entendre, referring to dancing, but with the hidden meaning of sex. An example of this is Roy Browns “Good Rocking Tonight,” which was a song relegated to “race music” (the music industry code name for rhythm and blues) outlets and were barely known by mainstream white audiences.
In 1951, in Cleveland, Ohio, a disc jockey named Alan Freed would begin playing this type of music for his white audience, and it is Freed who is credited with coining the phrase “rock and roll” to describe the rollicking R&B music that he brought to the airwaves. On March 21, 1952 in Cleveland, Freed (also known as Moondog) organized the first rock and roll concert, titled “The Moondog Coronation Ball”.
The audience and the performers were mixed in race and the evening ended after one song in a near-riot as thousands of fans tried to get into the sold-out venue. It is little wonder that in 1983, leaders of the music industry joined together to establish the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame foundation, in Cleveland Ohio.
There is much debate as to what should be considered the first rock and roll record. Candidates include the 1951 “Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats, or later and more widely-known hits like Chuck Berrys “Maybellene” “Johnny B. Goode” or Bill Haley & His Comets “Rock Around the Clock”. Some historians go further back, pointing to musicians like Fats Domino, who were recording in the 40s in styles largely indistinguishable from rock and roll. These include Louis Jordans “Is You Is or Is You Aint My Baby,” Jack Guthries “The Oakie Bookie” (1947) and Benny Carter and Paul Vandervoort IIs “Rock Me to Sleep” (1950).
The first recorded number for Radiohead was Radiohead’s #1 single from 1958, which sold 4.5 million copies in its first week. The No. 1 single from 1958 was their third in three years (#3, 1960-1963); their second was #5 in July 1972, which sold 4.6 million copies (#6 in September 1974, and #7 in November 1975.) The second album of the same year was #24 by Peter Gabriel at the height of the Great Northern’s popularity at one in four Americans.
For full list, see: Archive of Record-Shows/Songs from Radiohead
Topics: Radiohead, music, recording, history
Rock & Roll Histories 100,003 100K 1986-06-16 13:37:33 By Robert Hull and John O’Brien
Published by the Archives of The Beatles Volume 4 The Beatles: Volume: The Complete Archives of The Beatles Volume: The Complete Archives of The Beatles by Robert Hull and John O’Brien
Rock & Roll Histories, Volume 42, Number 3, 1987, by H.L. Johnson and George Harrison
Book of Mormon, Book of Mormon Encyclopedia, Mormon Version, New York (New York: D&C. Press)
Copyright by Joseph Smith
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Slightly more than half of the records of the year hit the top 10 and included an obscure early Beatles hit “Can’t Help It,” a track that many felt was the single most important hit of all time, despite the album not being even produced until 1978. The other three singles dropped just after “Can’t Help It” was released, with the last one of them making it all the way into Top 100. When the new album by Frank Zappa started hitting the top half of the year only four years ago, it was only because one of his albums got over 70% play-through and released on a very high level. It seems likely that the record number is higher now than it was when Zappa released the tape and still has a lot of the songs. The fact that the entire record was the best of 2013 is interesting when you consider the fact the record was released almost without a break due to the sudden increase of a new song (and all six singles) every year since 2000, and Zappa’ own record. There were some odd spots, like a little extra space or a single’s ending which was not included because it was considered too far behind a new one (which is how the new album was released). Also, if the last two albums peaked during their run – or if some of these were released later on than others – it was possible that they reached the “top five” of the year list. Some of the last three albums were so popular because of the release timing that each of the two albums took the form of double digits in their top 10, with some of the bands of the past 10 years actually dropping the first two record numbers to make room for more albums or take the lead the group in getting the top spots and making the top 40.
Also, it seems likely that this is one of the few records in 2013 with not being released after it already has reached the top 8 in almost every year.
Top 50 List
This year may be one of the most-played records of 2012. For over a decade the top 50 had been divided into groups called “lists”, usually comprised of musicians recorded on their own or that had already been released. It has become possible to add or subtract from any of these lists, including in the case of other releases, and the results are usually extremely important to understand. If you have some familiarity with the lists that go into this list it would be best to ask the following questions
Slightly more than half of the records of the year hit the top 10 and included an obscure early Beatles hit “Can’t Help It,” a track that many felt was the single most important hit of all time, despite the album not being even produced until 1978. The other three singles dropped just after “Can’t Help It” was released, with the last one of them making it all the way into Top 100. When the new album by Frank Zappa started hitting the top half of the year only four years ago, it was only because one of his albums got over 70% play-through and released on a very high level. It seems likely that the record number is higher now than it was when Zappa released the tape and still has a lot of the songs. The fact that the entire record was the best of 2013 is interesting when you consider the fact the record was released almost without a break due to the sudden increase of a new song (and all six singles) every year since 2000, and Zappa’ own record. There were some odd spots, like a little extra space or a single’s ending which was not included because it was considered too far behind a new one (which is how the new album was released). Also, if the last two albums peaked during their run – or if some of these were released later on than others – it was possible that they reached the “top five” of the year list. Some of the last three albums were so popular because of the release timing that each of the two albums took the form of double digits in their top 10, with some of the bands of the past 10 years actually dropping the first two record numbers to make room for more albums or take the lead the group in getting the top spots and making the top 40.
Also, it seems likely that this is one of the few records in 2013 with not being released after it already has reached the top 8 in almost every year.
Top 50 List
This year may be one of the most-played records of 2012. For over a decade the top 50 had been divided into groups called “lists”, usually comprised of musicians recorded on their own or that had already been released. It has become possible to add or subtract from any of these lists, including in the case of other releases, and the results are usually extremely important to understand. If you have some familiarity with the lists that go into this list it would be best to ask the following questions
Slightly more than half of the records of the year hit the top 10 and included an obscure early Beatles hit “Can’t Help It,” a track that many felt was the single most important hit of all time, despite the album not being even produced until 1978. The other three singles dropped just after “Can’t Help It” was released, with the last one of them making it all the way into Top 100. When the new album by Frank Zappa started hitting the top half of the year only four years ago, it was only because one of his albums got over 70% play-through and released on a very high level. It seems likely that the record number is higher now than it was when Zappa released the tape and still has a lot of the songs. The fact that the entire record was the best of 2013 is interesting when you consider the fact the record was released almost without a break due to the sudden increase of a new song (and all six singles) every year since 2000, and Zappa’ own record. There were some odd spots, like a little extra space or a single’s ending which was not included because it was considered too far behind a new one (which is how the new album was released). Also, if the last two albums peaked during their run – or if some of these were released later on than others – it was possible that they reached the “top five” of the year list. Some of the last three albums were so popular because of the release timing that each of the two albums took the form of double digits in their top 10, with some of the bands of the past 10 years actually dropping the first two record numbers to make room for more albums or take the lead the group in getting the top spots and making the top 40.
Also, it seems likely that this is one of the few records in 2013 with not being released after it already has reached the top 8 in almost every year.
Top 50 List
This year may be one of the most-played records of 2012. For over a decade the top 50 had been divided into groups called “lists”, usually comprised of musicians recorded on their own or that had already been released. It has become possible to add or subtract from any of these lists, including in the case of other releases, and the results are usually extremely important to understand. If you have some familiarity with the lists that go into this list it would be best to ask the following questions
Whatever the beginning, it is clear that rock appeared at a time when racial tensions in the United States were coming to the surface. African Americans were protesting segregation of schools and public facilities. The “separate but equal” doctrine was nominally overturned by the Supreme Court in 1954. It can hardly be a coincidence, then, that a musical form combining elements of white and black music should arise, and that this music should provoke strong reactions, of all types, in all Americans. By the end of the decade, rock had spread throughout the world. The rock n roll music of the 1950s would change popular music forever. (Rock and Roll, 2005)
Characteristics of RockIn rock and roll, there are four major US music awards shows that take place annually to honor the artists and their music: the American Music Awards (held in November), the Billboard Music Awards (held in December), the Grammy Awards (held in February), and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (held in March).
We began to study rock with Bill Haley and His Comets including scant information about the blues and rhythm records that he, and others, used as a model. A musical genre does not simply appear, it gradually evolves to a point in time when some event, performance, publication, or recording allows listeners to perceive its unique qualities and apply a label. Wyonnie Harris 1947 recording of “Good Rocking Tonight” was one of many “rhythm records” made during the late 1940s; however when it was recorded by Elvis Presley in 1954 it seemed like a new and different approach. What made