Who invented rock'n roll?

A defining style of the 20th century, rock'n roll changed the face of modern music. A real electroshock for the American society that managed to infiltrate the whole world, its multiple ramifications still extend vertiginously today. But before all this, who really invented rock'n roll?

What if women invented rock'n'roll?

When you think of the explosive and hedonistic emergence of rock 'n' roll in the 1950s, iconic figures like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis come to mind. Male figures, then, playing to an audience of wild, screaming young women, who would make today's Justin Bieber fans look like Buddhist monks. Yet, if we trace the history of rock'n roll, we immediately see that several women have helped shape its aesthetic. The term 'Rock and Roll' first appeared as a song title in 1934 in New Orleans, sung by The Boswell Sisters.

A real hit at the time, this jazzy, pop song nevertheless contains no trace of rock'n'roll in the sense that we would hear it a few years later. Its title actually refers to the steady rhythm of the ocean waves...
At the same time in New York, however, a certain Sister Rosetta Tharpe was enjoying growing success as a gospel singer. Influenced by the rise of the blues and the technological completion of the electric guitar, she decided to sing while clutching this instrument. In 1941, her song "Rock Me" was a real hit, and her groundbreaking work influenced the biggest names in rock, earning her the nickname "Godmother of Rock".

Her guitar playing, singing in stilettos and a long coat and the content of her music should probably have made her a rock icon. But her avant-gardism, her skin colour, her gender, her love and sex life (married three times and openly bisexual) probably worked against her over time, as rock'n'roll quickly became totally masculinised.

John, Bill and Elvis would not have invented anything?

It is difficult to trace the invention of rock 'n' roll precisely, as there were so many influences. Its destiny is deeply rooted in the blues, a stylethat was all the rage in African-American communities in the 1940s. Using his saxophone, Louis Jordan simultaneously blasted swing and blues with hit after hit of catchy rhythms.

During the same period, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker electrified the blues in their own way. Their technicality on the electric guitar extends its influence to England, being the main sources of inspiration for the future Rolling Stones (who even owe their own name to a Waters song).

The influence of these black bluesmen on rock'n'roll has been strongly acknowledged in hindsight, but history was set in motion in 1954 with the release of Bill Haley & His Comets' wild hit 'Rock Around The Clock'. It is often considered the first true rock'n'roll song in history, earning Bill the nickname Father of rock'n roll.
But did his hit really invent a musical style of its own? Only our own ears can tell!

One thing is certain, the whole of America rises up to dance. A breach opened up, where blacks and whites mingled without distinction, at a time when racial segregation was still prevalent in American society. Chuck Berry's "Maybelline" followed in 1955 and was a huge success. The lyrics about the American way of life, even when sung by a black man, resonated strongly with the youth of the time. A wind of freedom began to blow, already raising the hackles of the conservatives.

If the blues had a strong influence on Berry (Muddy Waters even sponsored the young prodigy at the beginning), he was also inspired for "Maybelline" by a tune from "Ida Red", a country song by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. The ascendancy of this musical genre, thanks to a very marked rhythm, is thus strongly claimed by these new rock'n'roll pioneers.

In 1957, an artist who was also influenced by country, blues and gospelmusic gave this new musical style its credentials and was finally ready to become its undisputed superstar. Elvis Presley, the King of rock'n'roll, exploded on the American Billboard charts that year with “Jailhouse Rock". The rock'n'roll aesthetic was finally established, ready to take over the world. It was first characterised musically by the electric guitar, which was invented by jazz players (who needed to amplify the sound of the guitar in their bands). The double bass, which often accompanied country and blues artists, also became an electric bass. And finally, the drums play a major role as well, their snare drum very often providing an accentuated backbeat.

Bill Haley is said to have written the first truly rock'n'roll song, but it is clear that other icons quickly refined the genre, which has gospel, jazz, country and blues roots. In this gigantic family tree we find the most famous figures of rock'n roll, but also personalities such as Lloyd Loard, the inventor of the electric guitar, or Alan Freed, a DJ who greatly contributed to the diffusion and popularity of rock'n'roll. One thing is certain, rock'n'roll is the fruit of the convergence of several currents and spirits, which was to lead to an inevitable revolution in music and morals!

Published on: 1 July 2021