Rock

### **History Of Genre**

Rock is a genre originally stemming from Rock n Roll which was started by African American artists in the late 1940s/early 1950s. The genre had later developed and is the base of what is considered Popular Music (not to be confused with the Pop Music subgenre)

Originally a euphemism for sex, Rock n Roll was originally a "Colored" genre of music with acts such as Big Mama Thornton and Fats Domino to be a harsher variant on blues or jazz music. But in 1955, being featured in the film 'Blackboard Jungle', Bill Haley's 'Rock Around The Clock' had made rock music become accessible to the general public, most notably the "Young white" market. With this brand new genre and the 1950s being a void from the war in the 1940s, and with the economy being consumed purely by the youth, many other acts were starting to be made and get big, such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. There was also Buddy Holly who was notable for being one of the earliest 'white' rock musicians to write his own music. With the popularity of the genre some other African-American artists were also getting popularity and were very influential such as Little Richard and Chuck Berry, who is considered the first Guitar Hero.

In the 1960s due to the sudden end to most of the major acts of the 50s (some had died, some were arrested, some were enlisted etc.), there was a void that was eventually filled by many British acts, most notably The Rolling Stones and especially The Beatles. The Beatles had done many tropes that are considered normal now such as being a full band, writing albums with an order, many specific chord progressions among many other things. Due to their popularity, they where able to make anything and it would sell so they got weird and people loved it. They also used many of the new tools for recording that were developing in the era. America had to retaliate as the Beatles wrote all their music themselves which went completely against the American way to write and release music which was very structured, so they made acts such as the Monkees, which while big, couldn't beat the Beatles.

The 1970s after the Beatles had broken up was also at the time when Rock music had started to diverge into many different subgenres, such as Prog with acts such as Pink Floyd and Rush. Glam with acts like the Sweet and David Bowie. Metal with acts such as Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. Punk which began in both American with the Ramones and Australia with the Saints before reaching Britain and becoming popular with the Sex Pistols. The Subgenres themselves had also started making subgenres such as New Wave music stemming from Punk music in the late 1970s (later in the 1980s devolved to become more synth and pop). Pop Rock itself was becoming its own genre with singer songwriters and bands such as Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel and Carol King which is arguably starting point to where Pop Music and Rock Music became different genres, although ABBA is also sited as being one of the Major acts to diverge the two. Country and Rock also had met and made Southern Rock with acts such as Hank Williams, The Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Rock just called Rock also still lived on with major acts such as Queen, Led Zepplin and Toto as examples.

The 1980s and post is where keeping track of subgenres under one big genre of Rock becomes complicated as it is too spread apart, so only either major genre developments or elements in FUSER will be mentioned. In 1980, big Australian Pub-Rock band AC/DC had made a comeback album after the original lead singers death called 'Back in Black' which to this day is the best selling Rock album. This album is now the common basis of what we call the subgenre "Rock" (not to be confused with the major genre rock the page is about) in terms of form, for how the drums are commonly played and for making the Rhythm guitarists not play Rhythm but a Pad. New Wave music became more 'synthy' and in many cases arguably more pop (this is also present in the game as some New Wave songs are listed differently, see "In Game" for more details). In the late 1980s, bands such as R.E.M, They Might be Giants and Pixies were making Alternative rock a major rock genre (one that would only go to extreme popularity in the 1990s and later). Arena Rock was also getting large with Acts such as Bon Jovi, Whitesnake and Guns 'n' Roses.

The 1990s is the decade where Grunge music had become a major player with bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam. This had eventually developed into post grunge, sometimes called "S\*\*t Rock" as the major bands of the genre such as Nickleback are controversial to enjoy. Alternative Metal steming from the very late 1980s was also becoming big with bands such as Faith no More and Deftones. This later developed into Nu-Metal with bands such as Korn and Limp Bizkit. In the 2000s, Indie Rock was becoming a major genre with bands such as the Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys and the Killers.

People are still making music of all these genres, and occasionally some will receive mainstream radio play, but most commonly it is only Pop Rock that makes it to this level in the last 15 years.

### **Aspect Of Genre**

Due to Rock having so many major subgenres with different techniques it is hard to define what is standard. Typically rock music will contain a Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums and Vocals, commonly accompanied with Piano in the 1950s and Organ in the 1960s and 1970s although this has dropped out as a necessity. The Rhythm guitar will most commonly just 'Pad' the chords while the Lead plays a major riff. The genre also commonly contains an guitar solo for the lead guitarist to shine.

Lyrically, Rock music is extremely diverse, there are songs about love, songs about making love, anger, politics, social issues, etc. There isn't a standard here, although many of the subgenres do have a standard, for example in Punk music it is standard to be Political or in Nu-Metal it is standard to talk about emotional issues, particularly with depression for examples.

### **In Game**

In game, Rock is a very diverse genre with many subgenres appearing for example

There are 'Standard Rock' songs with (Don't Fear) The Reaper.

There are Punk songs with Should I Stay Or Should I Go and Rock The Casbah

There are Metal songs with Symphony Of Destruction

There are Rap Metal songs with Killing In The Name

There are Nu-Metal songs with Bring Me To Life

There are Alternative Rock songs with Here Comes Your Man, Linger and Buddy Holly as examples

There are Indie songs with The Man, Summer Hair and Mr. Brightside as examples. Strangely Tongue Tied is listed as Pop despite it being an Indie song, but it is arguably Indie-Pop which makes it more Pop than Rock.

There are New Wave songs in the game but their genre Varies with some, Lips Like Sugar being listed as rock but others such as Take On Me and A Little Respect being listed as Pop, but it is arguable as Lips Like Sugar imitates the early form of New Wave (on which it was more Rock) where the others are later in the Synth Era.

Pop-Rock is the most controversial subgenre when it comes to listing it as either Pop or Rock in this game as there are examples in Rock, such as All Star, Clocks and Thunder but other Pop rock songs, some of which are arguably more Rock than the previously mentioned are in Pop, such as Ironic, High Hopes and Counting Stars as examples.

Also note that despite Unbelievable by being considered 'Dance-Rock' in game is considered neither Rock nor Dance but Pop. This is even more strange as in Dropmix, it is considered Rock. Also strangely in the Rock Band series, the song is considered Dance, making it the only song to appear as a different genre in the 3 different Harmonix games it has appeared in.

Also note that The Rockafeller Skank features strong Rock sound and elements but is considered Dance in the game.