Rock music originated in the 1950s in America as an extension of rock and roll, blending genres like blues, rhythm and blues, and country. It has evolved over time, gaining popularity through advances like television in the 1960s and FM radio/car stereos in the 1970s. Artists in the rock genre are typically represented with dark imagery and original viewpoints, seen as rebellious leaders expressing political opinions and social stances through their music.

1. Rock as a music genre
By Lucy Billington-Groom

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Wordle