Rock 'n Roll

Rock & Roll took off in America in the 50s when electric guitars replaced pianos, Chuck Berry became a household name, and Elvis’s televised hips raised eyebrows and upset the sexually repressed. The British Invasion and Beatlemania elicited more scream-swoons before modern rock emerged from artists like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, and Fleetwood Mac. Cultural reckonings there, too. And yet there was still a need to rock harder. Hair got longer and singing got louder as bands like Kiss, Guns ‘n Roses, and Whitesnake began topping charts. Does Whitesnake sound like Elvis? No. Do The Beatles sound like Kiss? Definitely not. Is it all rock & roll? Sure. From glam and classic rock to oldies and jam bands, this section is where the snare reliably provides the backbeat for rockers’ (and fans’) angst and primal passions.