Rock and roll music emerged in the 1950s and greatly influenced the post-World War II society in America. When it began, some people enjoyed it, but once it began growing in popularity many groups opposed it and tried to censor those who created it. Rock music not only influenced American society and culture, but it also spread to many parts of the world and influenced their cultures as well. The rock and roll music created in the 1950s-1960s has overstepped boundaries and faced many challenges while helping change society and the music scene forever.
During the early 1950s, pop charts were being dominated by the remnants of the “big band era”- which featured artists like Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney. This all changed when a radio host in Cleveland, Ohio named Alan Freed started his “Moondog Show” where he would spin up-tempo rhythm and blues hits. This style was a mixture of key elements from electric blues, boogie, jazz, gospel, country, and R&B tunes. Alan decided to name this style “rock and roll”. Around this time, the solid
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Bill Haley is often credited with creating the first rock and roll song to hit #1 on the pop charts with his song, “Rock Around the Clock”. While this was the first song to hit the top of the charts, many people consider “Rocket ‘88” by Jackie Brenston and Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm to be the first rock and roll record ever produced. Other trailblazers of the genre include Elvis Presley, who many people threatened to censor and take his music off the radio. Despite this, he still managed to become extremely successful and is often times referred to as the “king of rock and roll”. Chuck Berry is another famous pioneer of rock and roll music. He helped refine and develop the major elements that make rock and roll music distinctive, on top of being one of the first African American musicians to become successful in the