Fats Domino Little Richard Click here to listen to an example of early rock 'n' roll.
Rock music is one of the world's most popular and adaptable musical forms.
From the start, it was party music, dance music, and music that appealed to young listeners. It often celebrated the joys of being young, and it occasionally expressed the frustrations of youth. Many adults dismissed rock 'n' roll as a passing fad or condemned it as a threat to society. By the mid-1960's, however, rock 'n' roll had earned wide respect as a legitimate art form. The music's popularity spread internationally and among older listeners as well.