Growing up, we all heard rock music in some way, whether it was on the radio, in stores, on TV, or while driving in the car with our dads singing along.
Rock ‘n’ roll, classic rock, hard rock, and alternative rock are types of music people enjoyed from the 1950s through the 1990s. The 1990s held some of the most influential moments in rock music. Deaths of singers, festivals and concerts, decade-specific styles, and emotional musical influence all contributed to the saying, “Rock and roll will never die.”
Besides music directly, each decade has its own distinct characteristics and overall vibe. Starting in the 1950s, Elvis Presley was one of the most popular artists and influenced many future developments in rock music. His music was the start to all of Rock music history. His impact was so powerful that there were several documentaries made about him along with his own Netflix movie, “Elvis” and “Priscilla,” about his wife and their backstory.
Moving into the 1960s, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, and The Doors were some of the biggest bands. This style of music was very optimistic and more of a laid-back vibe compared to other decades of Rock. In August 1969, the first Woodstock Music Festival took place in Bethel, New York, where around 400,000 people attended, making it a worldwide cultural phenomenon. Fires, structure climbing, fans rushing the stage, and pure chaos all went down as featured in the Netflix documentary, “Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99“. Even though this was one of the most disorderly festivals in our time, there were so many positive aspects to remember such as the community bonds, legendary performances, and true love for the music.
Throughout the 1970s, there were many major bands such as Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Eagles, and Queen. All of these bands had a very flowy, feel good, and heartfelt vibe to their music. Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd released many songs and albums with a niche style of music that doesn’t necessarily fit into most categories of a normal song. This contrasting aspect allows them to stick out more and reach listeners who deeply connect with their music. All of the other bands’ songs are mainly somewhat optimistic and happy with a catchy melody with some extremely popular songs to this day. This era of music was also well known to be associated with the “hippie” vibe and style of peace and love. This feeling allowed everyone to bond over music which may seem small, but had an everlasting effect on the future of rock.
Next, the 1980s. This was an era when louder and heavier rock evolved, and it remains one of my favorite periods. Popular bands such as AC/DC, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Van Halen, and Guns N’ Roses all approached producing their music in ways that haven’t been done before. Louder, more aggressive songs were what people loved. MTV was a huge show back then, allowing all these bands/artists to get exposure & expanding their audience. The style drastically switched from the 70s to the 80s now having crazy styled hair, face makeup, and edgy clothing. It’s super unique seeing how this era had such a spreading effect on the people listening to the music.
Finally, the 1990’s. Many well-known bands left their mark in this decade, including Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, and Soundgarden. This was the era of Alternative Rock, giving people a feeling of authenticity and true emotion. What deeply affected the community of listeners were the deaths of several band members. Kurt Cobain in Nirvana, Scott Weiland in Stone Temple Pilots, Layne Staley in Alice In Chains, and many more. Temple of the Dog is a rock band that came together as a tribute to friendship and loss formed by members of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, honoring Chris Cornell (lead singer of Soundgarden). This tribute is more than a band, it’s a moment in music history that captures raw emotion and true artistry.
In the end, rock music has had an everlasting effect on modern music and has influenced people’s lives for generations.