Its origins lie in a combination of rhythm and blues, jazz, and country-western music. The first known song representing rock and roll is the Bill Hayley and His Comets song titled “Rock Around the Clock” (1954). Shortly after that song came out, a young man from Memphis, Tennessee, known as Elvis Presley, burst onto the scene and reigned for nearly 20 years as the “king” of rock and roll.

This new style of music captivated young audiences in the United States in the 1950s. It was, for them, a form of rebellion and a way to break out of the molds their parents had imposed on them. In 1964, a little-known group known as ‘THE BEATLES’ toured the United States. They became, in a very short time, the best-known and most successful rock band in history. Throughout the 1960s, African-American rock music was known as “soul” music. It got its name from the emphasis these tunes placed on gospel origins and heartfelt words.

Over time, rock music has become a term that acts as an umbrella under which an incredible variety of styles and sounds coexist. So strong has been the influence of rock that composers have tried to incorporate elements of rock and roll into musicals, choral pieces, church music, and symphonies. Rock music, like jazz, country-western, and all other musical styles, has taken elements of the music of the past and combined them in new and different ways to create an independent identity.

It is impossible to predict what will happen in the future. There are composers today who are listening to the music of the past, and many composers today are desperately seeking to be the Mozart or Schonberg of the future. Only time will tell what the music will bring us, but rest assured we will hear it loud and clear.