American Roots
Rock & roll had everything that the 1950s suburbia needed. While their parents were listening to big bands, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and other artists of the era, the younger generation was dancing to a new beat. To the shock of the older generation, their kids were actually twisting, thrusting, banging, and grinding to rock and roll music. Black American Blues and Gospel were the origins of rock and roll. The strains of rhythm and Blues drew suburban youths as the Great Migration brought many Black Americans to the northern cities. Yet, none of the top performers in the genre were able to receive significant airtime because of segregation and racial beliefs.
America was shocked by rock & roll. A group of young adolescents protested against the music their parents listened to. Older people generally detested rock and roll. Churches declared the movement to be Satan's music after being horrified by the new dance movements it inspired. Many middle-class whites thought rock and roll was unpalatable since it started among the lower classes and a separated ethnic community. Many radio stations forbade playing rock and roll music.
Elvis Presley is without a doubt the King of Rock & Roll. In 1954, the singer kicked off a musical revolution by modernizing classic genres including blues, country, and bluegrass for contemporary and younger listeners. Presley continued to be known as "the King" despite his protests, going on to become one of the most well-known and significant musicians of the 20th century. 18 of his songs that appeared on Billboard's Hot 100 pop chart debuted at number one, while 149 of his songs made the list, giving his music an unprecedented level of success. The amount of his following was enormous everywhere he went. Presley's television performances were among of the most watched of their era, and his concerts broke attendance records across North America.
Citations
“America Rocks and Rolls.” Ushistory.org, Independence Hall Association, https://www.ushistory.org/us/53d.asp.
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