Rock
Born from blues, gospel, and country in the 1950s, rock music became the dominant popular music form of the 20th century, branching into dozens of subgenres.
Sub-topics
Exploded in the mid-1950s from rhythm and blues, gospel, and country. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino. The cultural earthquake that launched the modern music era.
UK bands reinterpreted American blues and rock and roll for global audiences in the early-mid 1960s. The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks. Reshaped popular music worldwide.
Mid-to-late 1960s rock exploring altered consciousness through studio effects, Eastern instruments, and extended improvisation. Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors.
Late 1960s-1970s rock that incorporated classical structures, odd time signatures, concept albums, and virtuoso musicianship. Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, ELP.
Aggressive, amplified blues-rock with distorted guitars and powerful vocals, emerging in the late 1960s. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, AC/DC. The bridge between blues-rock and heavy metal.
A deliberate rejection of progressive rock's complexity, erupting in 1976-77. Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Clash. Fast, loud, stripped-down, DIY. Three chords and the truth.
Late 1970s-early 1980s movement that retained punk's energy but embraced experimentation — synthesizers, art, angular guitars. Joy Division, Siouxsie, Wire, Talking Heads.
Pop-oriented post-punk with synthesizers, quirky aesthetics, and mainstream appeal (late 1970s-1980s). Blondie, Devo, The Cars, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode.
Born from hard rock circa 1970 with Black Sabbath's debut. Distorted guitars, powerful drums, dark themes. Spawned dozens of subgenres over five decades.
Fast, aggressive metal fusing NWOBHM with hardcore punk in the early 1980s. Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax — the Big Four. Speed, precision, and socio-political anger.
Extreme metal pushing thrash to its limits in the mid-late 1980s. Growled vocals, blast beats, technical riffing. Death, Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse. Florida and Sweden scenes.
Extreme metal emphasizing atmosphere, tremolo picking, shrieked vocals, and anti-establishment ideology. Emerged in the 1980s-1990s. Bathory, Mayhem, Burzum. Norwegian scene notorious.
An umbrella term for underground rock emerging from the 1980s indie and post-punk scenes, breaking mainstream with Nirvana in 1991. R.E.M., Pixies, Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins.
Seattle sound fusing punk energy with heavy metal riffs and introspective lyrics (mid-1980s-1990s). Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains. Killed hair metal, defined Generation X.
Rock released on independent labels or with a DIY ethos, flourishing from the 1980s onward. Sonic Youth, Pavement, Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire. Aesthetic independence over commercial appeal.
Late 1980s-early 1990s UK genre defined by walls of distorted guitar, ethereal vocals, and heavy effects pedal use. My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Ride. Named for performers staring at their pedals.
Raw, energetic rock played by amateur bands in the 1960s — The Sonics, The Kingsmen, 13th Floor Elevators. Proto-punk spirit. Revived in the 2000s by The Strokes and White Stripes.
Early 1960s Southern California genre featuring reverb-drenched guitar instrumentals and beach culture themes. Dick Dale, The Beach Boys, The Ventures. Reverb as identity.
Mid-1960s fusion of folk songwriting and rock instrumentation. Bob Dylan going electric (1965), The Byrds, Simon & Garfunkel. Protest lyrics met amplified sound.
Late 1960s-1970s blend of rock with country and western elements. The Byrds (Sweetheart of the Rodeo), Gram Parsons, Eagles, Creedence Clearwater Revival.