Rock as a music genreBy Lucy Billington-Groom

Where did this genre originate from?

Rock music originated in 1950’s America. Rock music is an extension of rock and roll that was very popular in the 1950’s originating in America and then moving to the United Kingdom. Rock music is an incorporation of a plethora of different genres of music but the ones that have the biggest influence are blues, rhythm and blues as well as country music. The origin of the genre is from a group of people who dared to question the society they lived in and used their music to speak out and broadcast a message to a wide audience. Rock music has such a history associated with activism and rebellion that it is heavily linked to youth revolt against conformity.

How has the genre evolved over time?Over time rock music has gained more popularity through the advancements of technology. The expansion of rock music in the 1960’s began its popularity as its frequent use on television shows began to introduce the genre to a large audience on a regular basis. The so called ‘british invasion’ also increased the popularity with the introduction of bands such as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Song writing also became a more conscious action with songs conveying the message of political statements and social awareness rather than the pop love song. The 70’s brought the emergence of FM radio and car stereos which again increased the amount the public were being exposed to the rock genre. Also the success of rock bands from the 60’s such as Led Zeppelin, The Who and Pink Floyd leads to touring and the new craze of attending concerts. In the 80’s came the emergence of MTV and the prevalence of the music video. The genre revelled in its new way of presenting the ideas of the song and being able to portray a message through another medium to accompany the music. The 90’s brought about the expansion into sub-genres of rock for the institutions to appeal to larger, more mainstream audiences. The 90’s also brought about the internet and 24/7 access to music and their videos. The public became the ultimate consumers and the institution began to pursue profit rather than the distribution of a powerful message.

How are the artists in this genre represented?

Artists in the Rock genre are represented as being quite extreme people with dark imagery as their surroundings and that have a rather original view point. Rock has always been about expressing an opinion and the reputation for taking political standpoints and leading rebellions has stuck with the image after 30/40 years. The artists usually dress in dark colours and we are usually shown them to be dressed rather ruggedly to represent the hardship and struggle they are often singing about. They are also represented as negative role models as rock is often linked to youth revolt which the older generation always see as a threat therefore the artists being the ‘leaders’ of the genre are put to blame for such movements.

What are the main ideologies represented in current music videos of this genre?Currently I would say that the main ideologies of Rock music videos are of love or a struggle to do with a certain type of relationship. We often see rock artists in narrative videos featuring a male and female and representing tough relationships. Another prominent ideology is that of equal rights and standing up as a group to fight for the right thing, this being the control of government, political viewpoints, the oppression of a minority or a range of other things that threaten the state of society.

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