History of Rock

In the mid-60s, The Beatles were still number one.

The Supremes, originally featuring Donna Summer, Florence Ballard, and Mary Wilson, were huge in Motown.

The Beach Boys made it big, especially in California, singing about beach life, young love, and surfing, even though none of them knew how to surf. Their high pitched voices became the hallmark of their songs.

Elvis married Priscilla Beaulieu and was expecting a child.

All records were produced in Stereo.

The Jackson 5, featuring a very young Michael Jackson and his older brothers, became the next Motown sensation.

A second British invasion brought more men with high-pitched voices - namely, The Bee Gees, featuring the three "Brothers Gibb,"

...and Fleetwood Mac,

...and Cream, featuring guitarist Eric Clapton.

In Los Angeles, some of the popular performers were the Mamas and the Papas,

...and The Doors,

...and Buffalo Springfield.

The Grateful Dead made a name for themselves at the Monterey Pop Festival in the summer of 1967.

The Beatles didn't make an appearance. The star of the show was Jimi Hendrix.

The Beatles recorded a double album known as "The White Album" but there was strain between the members of the band.

Mexican born American Carlos Santana gained attention by performing at Woodstock, a huge concert at Yasgur's farm in upstate New York. He released his first album in 1969. Much of it was free-form instrumental music. His biggest hit was Oye Como Va.

A million people claimed to be at attendance for Woodstock, over the three-day event. Another amazing performance at the spectacle was Janis Joplin, a great early female rock singer.

Following are some notable bands which included horn sections in their music.

Chicago.

Blood, Sweat, and Tears.

Earth, Wind, and Fire.

...and Billy Joel.

The Beatles final hurrah was on a London rooftop. After this performance, they went their own ways, most starting solo careers.

Then, John Lennon was shot in 1980 at the age of 40.

A string of musicians died at the age of 27. Among them, were Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and lead singer of the Doors, Jim Morrison. They all died of drug overdoses. More recently, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana committed suicide, and Amy Winehouse died of an alcohol overdose, both also at the age of 27.

On a more light-hearted topic, some early rockers performed with crazy personalities, all to get attention.

Alice Cooper,

David Bowie,

and Kiss.

Some musicians combined rock with a softer edge, sometimes using acoustic instruments in the mix.

Here's an example with Styx, starting soft and then dialing it up.

Kansas also used acoustic instruments,

as did Jethro Tull, from the UK, featuring Ian Anderson rocking the flute,

and Heart, which includes American sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson.

Some harder rock came into the picture with the Australian band AC/DC,

...and American bands, Metallica,

...and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.

Here are a couple of groups that pioneered Southern rock:

The Allman Brothers,

...and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Another important British rock group was Queen, which earned 20 top hits in America.

Music videos were all the rage in the 1980s. Michael Jackson went solo, earning much notoriety with many of his videos.

Michael Jackson also liked to showcase his unique dance skills.

He passed away in 2009 at the age of 50, caused by a prescription overdose.

Some rockers still going strong after decades are: Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen, known as "The Boss."

There are still musicians performing rock music. Here are some examples:

Lenny Kravitz is rocking,

...as are Blink 182,

Imagine Dragons,

Disturbed,

and Panic! At the Disco,

and 21 Pilots.

Rock music was affected by the styles before it and has been infused in many styles that followed it. It may not be as strong as in its heyday, but it has made its mark on the world of music for generations to come.

What's next for rock music? Time will tell.

Thank you for reading.

Online references: Wikipedia, search engines, and YouTube.