rock and roll
what it is
The eclectic combination of all popular styles, Rock and Roll defined the new movement of music just for music’s sake. Alan Freed first dubbed this combination of blues, soul, country, bluegrass, and jazz, “Rock and Roll” while working as a DJ in the 1950’s. Closely related to Pop, this diverse category is used to describe the wide range of popular music which is alternative to Country and Western.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 1 · mainstream
the pop everyone knows
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make rock and roll a playlist
turn these 34 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is rock and roll?
The eclectic combination of all popular styles, Rock and Roll defined the new movement of music just for music’s sake. Alan Freed first dubbed this combination of blues, soul, country, bluegrass, and jazz, “Rock and Roll” while working as a DJ in the 1950’s. Closely related to Pop, this diverse category is used to describe the wide range of popular music which is alternative to Country and Western.
What are good rock and roll albums to start with?
Try Elvis' Golden Records by Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry Is On Top by Chuck Berry, Here's Little Richard by Little Richard, and Bo Diddley by Bo Diddley.
Who are some women making rock and roll?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/rock-and-roll/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making rock and roll, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20