rock: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	rock music

Photos and Videos

The Rolling Stones

Madonna performing in 1987

Original Dreamgirls

Original 1969 Woodstock poster with a white bird perched on a blue and green guitar neck against a red background, and large text reading 3 Days of Peace & Music.

Bill Haley and His Comets

Meeting Ed Sullivan

rock music magazine covers

The true story of Priscilla Presley and Elvis

How Bob Marley brought reggae into the mainstream

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

postpunk progressive rock speed metal 2-tone arena rock do-it-yourself Influential Rock Bands Heavy metal The Birth of Beatlemania: Observing a Fifty-Year (1963–2013) Milestone rock festival country music opera jazz choral music theatre music chamber music electronic music folk music vocal music blues

Key People

default image

Alan Freed

American radio personality

default image

Jeff Buckley

American musician

default image

George Martin

British musician and producer

default image

Sam Phillips

American record producer

default image

Bruce Johnston

American musician

default image

Lee Hazlewood

American musician and record producer

default image

Iggy Pop

American musician

default image

Norman Petty

American musician and producer

default image

Jocko Henderson

American radio personality

default image

John Entwistle

British musician

default image

Larry Lujack

American disc jockey

default image

Keith Moon

British musician

default image

B. Mitchel Reed

American disc jockey

default image

David Johansen

American singer

default image

Bob Bogle

American musician

default image

Tom Donahue

American disc jockey

default image

Sandy West

American musician

default image

Pete Quaife

British musician

default image

Paul Kantner

American musician

default image

Rick Wright

British musician

Publicity still of Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock in 1957. (cinema, movies, motion pictures, film)

Rock Music and Rock ’n’ Roll

Publicity still of Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock in 1957. (cinema, movies, motion pictures, film)

Rock Music and Rock ’n’ Roll

Young girl wearing a demin jacket playing the trumpet (child, musical instruments, Asian ethnicity)

Sound Check: Musical Vocabulary Quiz

USA 2006 - 78th Annual Academy Awards. Closeup of giant Oscar statue at the entrance of the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, film movie hollywood

Pop Culture Quiz