rock
genresrok
A broad genre of popular music originating in the 1950s, built on electric guitars, bass, drums, and vocals.
Rock music emerged in the 1950s from the fusion of rhythm and blues, country, and gospel. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley were the founding figures. The core instrumentation — electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals — has remained remarkably consistent for over 70 years, though synthesizers, keyboards, and electronic production have expanded the palette.
The genre exploded into global dominance with the British Invasion led by the Beatles and Rolling Stones in the 1960s. Rock spawned dozens of subgenres: hard rock and heavy metal (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath), punk (Ramones, Sex Pistols), progressive rock (Pink Floyd, Yes), alternative and grunge (Nirvana, Radiohead), and indie rock. The electric guitar solo, the power chord, and the verse-chorus song form are its defining musical elements. Rock's cultural impact extends far beyond music into fashion, politics, and identity.
The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) is often called the first concept album in rock — though the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (1966) arguably got there first.