On June 14, 1980 Bill Joel started a six-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with Glass Houses, his second US No.1 album. The album features Joel’s first song to peak at No.1 on Billboard’s Pop Singles chart, ‘It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me.’ His first No. 1 album was 52nd Street. Interestingly, Billy Joel’s 52nd Street was the first CD ever released, by Sony when they released their first CD player in 1982, along with 49 other albums from Sony’s library, including Billy Joel The Stranger, Songs in the Attic, Glass Houses, Turnstiles; Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here, Michael Jackson Off The Wall, Chicago Chicago IX: Chicago’s Greatest Hits, Earth Wind & Fire The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1, Santana Greatest Hits, Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water, and as well as a variety of classical titles from Beethoven to Mozart, Tchaikovsky to Strauss and Vivaldi.
So what was so special about 52nd Street? Was it the great collection of songs, including “Big Shot,” “Honesty,” and “My Life”? Was it because it won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Or the too cool album cover photo of Billy holding a trumpet sporting a tailored suit and his Tretorn tennis sneakers? It actually was nothing more than 52nd Street, starting with a number, came first when alphabetized in Sony’s release list.
Billy’s first number one song “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” provides the theme for today’s playlist, songs with some variation of Rock and Roll in their title. Other alternatives include Rock & Roll and Rock ’N Roll. Only the biggest of music buffs will know the difference, not that it makes a difference.
Rock & Roll was a product of the early ‘50s, first coined by Cleveland, Ohio DJ Alan Freed. Its musical style is rooted in R&B with influences from gospel, jazz, boogie-woogie, blues, swing, and folk music. The “starting 5” that received significant airplay on the first Top 40 format radio station, KOWH in Omaha, Nebraska were Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, and Fats Domino. While the genre initially more prominently featured piano and saxophone, it quickly transformed to an electric guitar led sound, largely through the efforts of Chuck Berry.
If the foundational period of Rock & Roll was the ‘50s to mid-60s, the mid-60s to late ‘70s was considered the Golden Age of Rock. The 60s brought Psychedelic Rock, Classic Rock, and the British Invasion, while the ‘70s ushered in Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk Rock, and Heavy Metal. The ‘80s brought Glam Rock, Pop Rock, and New Wave, with the ‘90s brining Alternative Rock and Grunge. The 2000s appears to be revisiting variations of several of the old genres over the years with Garage Rock Revival, Pop-Punk and Indie movements.
But for me, “I like that old time rock and roll.”
So Marty McFly epitomizes the evolution of rock over the years in just one performance, transitioning from doo-wop R&B to Chuck Berry’s R&B rock style to ‘80s rock & metal.
And summarizing my opinion on the matter is Joan Jett
Even Country Music went to the School of Rock
Some Rock & Roll song greats include Bob Seger “Old Time Rock & Roll” and “Rock And Roll Never Forgets,” Chuck Berry “Rock And Roll Music,” Joan Jett “I Love Rock ’N Roll,” Huey Lewis “The Heart of Rock And Roll,” The Rolling Stones “It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll,” Eric Clapton “I’ve Got a Rock ’N’ Roll Heart,” Boston “Rock & Roll Band,” Led Zeppelin “Rock and Roll,” Kiss “Rock And Roll All Nite,” Bad Company “Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy,” John Fogerty “Rock and Roll Girls,” Elton John “Rock And Roll Madonna,” Meat Loaf “Rock And Roll Dreams Come True,” Moody Blues “I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band),” The Kinks “A Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy,” Traffic “Rock ’N’ Roll Stew,” and Peter, Paul, and Mary “I Dig Rock and Roll Music,” among others. And that doesn’t even include the Rock & Roll releases by AC/DC and Kiss, who were so prolific they needed their own playlist.
On to the playlists, to enjoy some songs with Rock & Roll in the title. There are 3 to choose from:
Rock & Pop Rock & Roll songs:
Alternative, Punk, Techno & More Rock & Roll songs:
AC/DC & Kiss Rock & Roll Songs:
I hope that this music and my blog truly serve as a “revival: a new presentation of something old,” a springboard to return to the music of your youth, or perhaps to find artists you want to discover anew. Rediscover the passion of music in your life.
Live in the moment.
Enjoy the moment.
Love the moment.
Listen to the MUSIC!