Rock - Pioneers, Genres, Legends: For lexicographers and legislators alike, the purpose of definition is to grasp a meaning, to hold it in place, so that people can use a word correctly—for example, to assign a track to its proper radio outlet (rock, pop, country, jazz). The trouble is that the term rock describes an evolving musical practice informed by a variety of nonmusical arguments ... Rock became the most inclusive of musical genres; if other kinds of music—e.g., classical, jazz, easy listening, country, folk, etc.—are marketed as minority interests, rock defines the musical mainstream.

Understanding the Context

Rock's origins lie in rock and roll, a new form of American popular music in the 1950s that was personified early on by Elvis Presley. Rock music is a form of popular music that emerged in the 1950s and can be defined as “a form of music with a strong beat”—it is difficult to be much more precise. It is also called rock and roll. Rock originated in the United States in the 1950s and then spread to other English-speaking countries and across Europe in the ’60s; by the ’90s its impact was evident globally.

Key Insights

Rock - Authenticity, Commercialism, Genres: Madonna can be described as a rock star (and not just a disco performer or teen idol) because she articulated rock culture’s defining paradox: the belief that this music—produced, promoted, and sold by extremely successful and sophisticated multinational corporations—is nonetheless somehow noncommercial. It is noncommercial not in its processes ... Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.