Pink Floyd is considered to be “Classic Rock,” but many people of their time-period saw them as the blues, jazz and sometimes even punk rock. Very few bands of the time actually gained the fan following that Pink Floyd did, as they produced “One Hit Wonders” that rocketed up the charts, but failed with regard to continuity and legacy. In these aspects, Pink Floyd has separated themselves from other rock bands. Pink Floyd is an extraordinary band that has endured several changes, has intriguing artistic abilities, and has incredible musical talents. To begin, Pink Floyd is an astonishing band because they have endured several changes.
As The Beatles, they developed a local following in Liverpool clubs, and their first recordings, "Love Me Do" (1962) and "Please Please Me" (1963), quickly made them Britain's top rock group. Their early music was influenced by the American rock singers Chuck BERRY and Elvis PRESLEY, but they infused a hackneyed musical form with freshness, vitality, and wit. [pic] The release of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in 1964 marked the beginning of the phenomenon known as "Beatlemania" in the United States. The Beatles' first U.S. tour aroused a universal mob adulation. Their concerts were scenes of mass worship, and their records sold in the millions.
The mention of rock music generally brings to mind the image of a guitarist, wearing spandex with heavy black makeup playing extremely loud music. This is the perception that has been set into the mind of an average individual giving rock music an image of being just noise instead of the versatile and innovative genre of music that it really is. Inspired by the older styles of music such as Blues, Rock is generally identified by its emphasis on guitars, drums and vocals. Rock music gained popularity mostly in the 1950s and 1960s, with the emergence of musicians such as Elvis Presley and The Beatles. This form of music not only included recording albums, but also had the bands touring from country to country increasing their audience interaction and popularity.
In the earlier part of 1950s the world witnessed the birth of a popular music genre known as Rock Music. It is very difficult to pin point a particular song as the birth of rock, however, the most attention and credit goes to Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston and Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and the comets. The new form of music with electric bass guitar and drums and cymbals was becoming increasingly popular and famous. Elvis Presley, in 1954, recorded a song at a studio in Tennessee and became a singing sensation. The new type of music was liked by other artists such as Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many others.
By the year 1973, the 8-Track cassette would have been phased out making way for LP/EP (Long Play/ Extended Play). Following this was the introduction of the CD (Compact Disc) which took record sales to new heights. In the early 80s, record labels began merging, eventually forming the “Big Four”: Sony BMG, EMI, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group. With the advent of the CD, record labels were able to drive huge profits. The MP3 was created in the 90s; followed by the rise of the Internet.
The term “selling out” plays a big role in the dichotomy of underground and mainstream music across all genres and I will explain more about this term further on in the essay. Consumption and commerce interface with rebellion and expression in many ways according to Wahl (1999). Historically, hip hop didn’t gain much commercial success in the mainstream until the influential act ‘Run-DMC’ made their way onto the scene. Their album ‘Raising Hell’ in 1986 was the first hip hop product to go gold in the US. As Wahl (1999) points out, this was largely due to their hit single and cover of Aerosmith’s 1975 song, ‘Walk This Way’.
Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Elvis Pressley introduced this Genre. Classic Rock evolved in the United States and stemmed from a combination of various music genres. Those music genres that Rock stemmed from were blues, African-American genres, jump blues, jazz, and gospel music. Elvis Pressley who is an inspiring rock artist added his own twist to rock music by adding a fast paced upbeat sound and gave rock music life. Hip Hop was formed in the early 1970’s.
Led Zeppelin did not release songs from their albums as singles in the UK, as they preferred to develop the concept of "album-oriented rock". Thirty years after disbanding following Bonham's death in 1980, the band continues to be held in high regard for their artistic achievements, commercial success, and broad influence. The band have sold over 200 million albums worldwide, including 111.5 million certified units in the United States, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. They have had all of their original studio albums reach the top ten of the Billboard album chart in the US, with six reaching the number one spot. Shortly after their first tour, the group's eponymous first album was released on 12th January 1969.
<br> The song was only the first of a long string of hits for the group to feature hard rock beats, of course with pumped up bass and the scratching of a turntable. Their success carried over to their remake of Aerosmith's classic "Walk This Way", which too became an instant classic. The record also marked the first direct collaboration between a rap group and a rock band. However, while Run DMC was a hip-hop group with heavy rock influence, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are a perfect example of the exact opposite, a rock band with distinct hip-hop overtones. <br> From as early back to the mid-eighties the Chili Peppers were trendsetters.
Rock-and-roll bands that originated from England such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who were influential back then. In fact, according to Couey, they absolutely “dominated the 60’s”. Compared to now, rap has the same powerful impact on teenagers in the 21st century the same way rock influenced teenagers in the 60’s. At that time, The Beatles’ mania swept through the nation, and many people, male and female, became crazed fans. A lot of teenagers absolutely worshipped The Beatles as their idols, some even to the extent to comparing them as semi-gods.