Who invented rock and roll?
When tracing the origins of any given genre, it’s difficult not to feel caught in a desperate game of the chicken or the egg. For instance, we all know and understand what constitutes a good rock song, but who was the first to create one? And, more to the point, can it be attributed to a singular figure, or do genres develop more gradually? In the history and evolution of rock and roll, its emergence was undoubtedly a collective effort, but one name in particular stands out above the rest.
Although the style was already burgeoning as a sound and attitude before, rock and roll first emerged as a fully established force in the 1940s and 1950s, sparked by a small but sturdy revolution peering from the corners of different fusions within different communities. In the beginning, it sought to blend facets of jazz, blues, gospel, and country music, with a heavy focus on energetic beats and vocal delivery.
Although the music likely surfaced before the term itself, the explosion of rock and roll could not be stopped once it started. Early rock and roll signalled a complete shift, changing how music sounded and how people experienced it. Suddenly, it wasn’t art that existed solely to be listened to; it served to excite, inspire, and alter moods and feelings. In other words, the first surge propelled music into a visceral realm, where musical enjoyment no longer had to be flawless or pristine.
Although many revolutionised the movement, a handful of names almost always emerge when discussing the powerful rock and roll originators, including Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, and more. However, the first name to truly stake his claim and alter the course of rock forever was the ‘Father of Rock and Roll’ himself, Chuck Berry.
With an energy and fervour that could cut through any surface, Berry not only captured the spirit and energy of the times but did so with a distinctive sound that led the music industry into a new chapter, with innovative guitar work and charismatic showmanship that made countless others want to pick up a microphone and follow in his footsteps. Although the groundwork for the rock and roll boom had already been established before Berry’s reign, he solidified the genre’s place in mainstream culture, establishing the blueprint for the many rock legends that would follow, from The Beatles to Jimi Hendrix.
Why is Chuck Berry considered the originator of rock and roll?
John Lennon once said: “If you to give rock ‘n’ roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry.” In fact, Berry was one of the most definitive influences on bands like The Beatles, even channelling some of his earlier fervour into songs like ‘Come Together’ to emulate his signature feel and continue to represent his masterful legacy in the new era of pop music. This was a sentiment Paul McCartney once divulged, claiming Berry was also “one of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest legends” and someone who could create songs that “were more like poems than lyrics.”
A heavy aspect of this revolution was Berry’s guitar work, which, to many, seemed to be a gift sent from the high heavens. In the eyes of Keith Richards, it was. To him and countless others, Berry’s guitar work wasn’t just technically extraordinary and enthusiastic; it highlighted the power of defiance, which appeared as the ultimate act against musical conformity. “When I saw Chuck in Jazz on a Summer’s Day as a teenager, what struck me was how he was playing against the grain with a bunch of jazz guys,” Richards told Rolling Stone in 2015.
On songs like ‘Johnny B Goode’ and ‘Maybellene’, Berry blended several influences, creating a sound that was as unique as it was sonically thrilling, capturing the spirit of the many youthful and rebellious facets that defined the era and later inspired acts like The Rolling Stones. By bringing it all together effortlessly, Berry bridged the gap between tradition and innovation, establishing what would be hailed as the hallmark of rock and roll.
What was the first rock and roll song?
Although Berry’s ‘Maybellene’ is often seen as one of the first true rock and roll songs, a handful that emerged before and during Berry’s reign also deserves credit for how they revolutionised the genre during the 1950s. For instance, Jackie Brenston’s ‘Rocket 88’ incorporated the many stylistic characteristics and themes that categorised the entire genre, from its energetic rhythm to its celebratory aura of youth.
Recorded in 1951 by Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm band, ‘Rocket 88’ inspired many who have since become synonymous with rock and roll greatness, including Little Richard, who once admitted that the song was a crucial influence when it came to his career. “When I was a little boy, that song fascinated me in a big way,” he said.
This song has since been heavily associated with the origins of rock and roll, building on the earlier sounds pioneered by artists like Wynonie Harris and Hank Williams, laying the groundwork for later efforts by iconic figures such as Elvis Presley, Bill Haley & His Comets, and others. But then came Berry, who transformed these contributions into something even more electrifying, changing the course of music forever.
