Rock & Roll is often used as a generic term, but its sound is rarely predictable. From the outset, when the early rockers merged country and blues, rock has been defined by its energy, rebellion and catchy hooks, but as the genre aged, it began to shed those very characteristics, placing equal emphasis on craftmanship and pushing the boundaries of the music. As a result, everything from Chuck Berry's pounding, three-chord rockers and the sweet harmonies of the Beatles to the jarring, atonal white noise of Sonic Youth has been categorized as "rock." That's accurate -- rock & roll had a specific sound and image for only a handful of years. For most of its life, rock has been fragmented, spinning off new styles and variations every few years, from Brill Building Pop and heavy metal to dance-pop and grunge. And that's only natural for a genre that began its life as a fusion of styles.
Pop/Rock Styles
Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Alternative Dance
Alternative Metal
- Funk Metal
- Goth Metal
- Grindcore
- Industrial Metal
- Punk Metal
- Rap-Metal
- Rap-Rock
- Sludge Metal
- Stoner Metal
Alternative Pop/Rock
- Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
- Alternative CCM
- Alternative Country-Rock
- Alternative Dance
- Alternative Metal
- Ambient Pop
- British Trad Rock
- Britpop
- C-86
- Chamber Pop
- Cocktail
- College Rock
- Cowpunk
- Dream Pop
- Emo
- Funk Metal
- Garage Punk
- Garage Rock Revival
- Goth Rock
- Grunge
- Indie Pop
- Indie Rock
- Industrial
- Industrial Metal
- Jangle Pop
- Lo-Fi
- Madchester
- Math Rock
- Neo-Glam
- Neo-Psychedelia
- New Zealand Rock
- Noise
- Noise Pop
- Noise-Rock
- Paisley Underground
- Post-Grunge
- Post-Hardcore
- Post-Rock
- Psychobilly
- Punk Revival
- Punk-Pop
- Rap-Metal
- Rap-Rock
- Riot Grrrl
- Rockabilly Revival
- Roots Rock
- Sadcore
- Shoegaze
- Ska-Punk
- Slowcore
- Space Rock
- Third Wave Ska Revival
- Twee Pop
- Urban Folk
Alternative/Indie Rock
- Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
- Alternative Country-Rock
- Alternative Dance
- Alternative Folk
- Alternative Pop/Rock
- Alternative Singer/Songwriter
- Ambient Pop
- American Underground
- British Trad Rock
- Britpop
- C-86
- Chamber Pop
- Cocktail
- College Rock
- Cowpunk
- Dream Pop
- Electro-Industrial
- Emo
- Emo-Pop
- Funk Metal
- Garage Punk
- Goth Rock
- Grunge
- Indie Electronic
- Indie Pop
- Indie Rock
- Industrial
- Industrial Dance
- Jangle Pop
- Lo-Fi
- Madchester
- Math Rock
- Neo-Glam
- Neo-Psychedelia
- New Wave/Post-Punk Revival
- New Zealand Rock
- Noise Pop
- Paisley Underground
- Post-Grunge
- Post-Hardcore
- Post-Rock
- Psychobilly
- Punk Blues
- Punk Revival
- Punk-Pop
- Queercore
- Retro Swing
- Riot Grrrl
- Sadcore
- Screamo
- Shibuya-Kei
- Shoegaze
- Ska-Punk
- Skatepunk
- Slowcore
- Space Rock
- Third Wave Ska Revival
- Twee Pop
AM Pop
American Punk
American Underground
Art-Rock/Experimental
British Folk-Rock
British Invasion
British Invasion
British Metal
British Punk
Britpop
Club/Dance
College Rock
- Anti-Folk
- C-86
- Cowpunk
- Jangle Pop
- Neo-Psychedelia
- New Zealand Rock
- Paisley Underground
- Psychobilly
- Roots Rock
- Urban Folk
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Country-Rock
Dance-Pop
Death Metal
Early Pop/Rock
Euro-Pop
Europop
Experimental Rock
Folk-Rock
Folk/Country Rock
Foreign Language Rock
- Aboriginal Rock
- Asian Pop
- French Pop
- French Rock
- Hong Kong Pop
- Italian Pop
- J-Pop
- Japanese Rock
- Rock en Español
Glam Rock
Hard Rock
- Acid Rock
- Album Rock
- Arena Rock
- Aussie Rock
- Boogie Rock
- Detroit Rock
- Glam Rock
- Proto-Punk
- Southern Rock
Hard Rock
- Album Rock
- Alternative Metal
- Arena Rock
- Aussie Rock
- Boogie Rock
- British Metal
- Christian Metal
- Death Metal
- Detroit Rock
- Doom Metal
- Glam Rock
- Glitter
- Goth Metal
- Grindcore
- Guitar Virtuoso
- Hair Metal
- Hard Rock
- Heavy Metal
- Industrial Metal
- Neo-Classical Metal
- New Wave of British Heavy Metal
- Pop-Metal
- Power Metal
- Progressive Metal
- Punk Metal
- Rap-Metal
- Rap-Rock
- Scandinavian Metal
- Sludge Metal
- Southern Rock
- Speed Metal
- Stoner Metal
- Symphonic Black Metal
Hardcore Punk
Heavy Metal
- Alternative Metal
- British Metal
- Death Metal
- Doom Metal
- Funk Metal
- Goth Metal
- Grindcore
- Guitar Virtuoso
- Hair Metal
- Industrial Metal
- Neo-Classical Metal
- New Wave of British Heavy Metal
- Pop-Metal
- Power Metal
- Progressive Metal
- Punk Metal
- Rap-Metal
- Scandinavian Metal
- Sludge Metal
- Speed Metal
- Stoner Metal
- Symphonic Black Metal
Indie Pop
Indie Rock
- Ambient Pop
- Chamber Pop
- Emo
- Garage Punk
- Indie Electronic
- Lo-Fi
- Math Rock
- New Zealand Rock
- Noise-Rock
- Post-Rock
- Queercore
- Riot Grrrl
- Sadcore
- Slowcore
- Twee Pop
Instrumental Rock
J-Pop
Neo-Psychedelia
New Wave
New York Punk
Pop-Metal
Pop/Rock
- AM Pop
- Baroque Pop
- Brill Building Pop
- Bubblegum
- Celebrity
- Christian Rock
- Comedy Rock
- Contemporary Pop/Rock
- Early Pop/Rock
- Girl Groups
- Pop Idol
- Sunshine Pop
- Teen Idols
Post-Punk
Prog-Rock
Progressive Metal
Psychedelic
Psychedelic/Garage
Punk
Punk/New Wave
- American Punk
- Anarchist Punk
- British Punk
- Christian Punk
- Garage Rock Revival
- Hardcore Punk
- L.A. Punk
- Mod Revival
- New Romantic
- New Wave
- New York Punk
- No Wave
- Oi!
- Post-Punk
- Power Pop
- Proto-Punk
- Punk
- Ska Revival
- Sophisti-Pop
- Straight-Edge
- Synth Pop
Rock & Roll
Rock & Roll/Roots
- American Trad Rock
- Bar Band
- Blues-Rock
- Frat Rock
- Heartland Rock
- Hot Rod
- Hot Rod Revival
- Instrumental Rock
- Jam Bands
- Latin Rock
- Pub Rock
- Retro-Rock
- Rock & Roll
- Rockabilly
- Rockabilly Revival
- Roots Rock
- Surf
- Surf Revival
- Swamp Pop
- Tex-Mex
Rockabilly
Rockabilly Revival
Roots Rock
Singer/Songwriter
Ska Revival
Soft Rock
Soft Rock
Surf
Synth Pop
Top Artists
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Top Songs
Click here for full listRelated Essays
- '60s Rock from Non-English Speaking Territories by Richie Unterberger
- Acid Jazz by John Bush
- Acoustic Blues (Relation to Rock & Roll) by Richie Unterberger
- All-Music Guide to Rock - Introduction by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
- American Alternative Rock / Post-Punk by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
- American Folk [Relation to Rock & Roll] by Richie Unterberger
- American Punk Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Art-Rock/Prog Rock [Short Vesion] by Bruce Eder
- Art-Rock/Progressive Rock [Long Version] by Bruce Eder
- Australian Rock by John Dougan
- Birth of Rock & Roll by Richie Unterberger
- Blue-Eyed Soul by Richie Unterberger
- Blues Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Bootleg Overview by Richie Unterberger
- Box Set by Richie Unterberger
- Brill Building Sound by Richie Unterberger
- British Alternative Rock by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
- British Invasion by Bruce Eder
- British Invasion by Richie Unterberger
- British Isles Folk Music [Relation to Rock & Roll] by Richie Unterberger
- British Psychedelic by Richie Unterberger
- British Punk by Richie Unterberger
- British Rock & Roll Before the Beatles by Richie Unterberger
- British Soul by Alex Henderson
- Bubblegum by Richie Unterberger
- Cassette Culture by Richie Unterberger
- Comedy & Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Disco by Alex Henderson
- Doo Wop by Richie Unterberger
- Early British R&B; by Richie Unterberger
- Early Rhythm & Blues by Richie Unterberger
- Electric Blues [Relation to Rock & Roll] by Richie Unterberger
- Fanzines by Richie Unterberger
- Folk Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Funk by Richie Unterberger
- Garage Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Girl Group by Richie Unterberger
- Glastonbury Festival by David Atwereboanda
- Go-Go by Alex Henderson
- Gospel [Relation to Rock & Roll] by Richie Unterberger
- Hardcore & Thrash by Richie Unterberger
- Heavy Metal by John Book
- History of Record Production Until 1950 by Eric Olsen
- House (Relation to Soul) by Alex Henderson
- Independent Labels by Richie Unterberger
- Industrial Rock by Kieran McCarthy
- Instrumental Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Jangle-Pop by Denise Sullivan
- Jazz-Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Live Albums: Capturing the Ephemeral by Bruce Eder
- Lo-Fi by Richie Unterberger
- Merseybeat by Richie Unterberger
- Mod by Richie Unterberger
- Monterey International Pop Festival by David Atwereboanda
- Motown by Richie Unterberger
- Motown by Rick A. Bueche
- Neo-Soul by Alex Henderson
- New Jack Swing by Alex Henderson
- New Orleans R&B; by Richie Unterberger
- New Wave by John Dougan
- New Wave by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
- New Zealand Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Northern Soul by Jason Ankeny
- Philly Soul by Richie Unterberger
- Portuguese Rock by M. Júlio Castro
- Post-Punk by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
- Power Pop by John Dougan
- Producers by Richie Unterberger
- Progressive Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Psychedelic Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Psychedelic Soul by Jason Ankeny
- Pub Rock by John Dougan
- Punk Music by John Dougan
- Quiet Storm by Alex Henderson
- Radio Format Terms by Rick Clark
- Rap by Jimmy James
- Record Collecting: Presley, Elvis by Neal Umphred
- Reggae [Relation to Rock & Roll] by Richie Unterberger
- Reissues by Richie Unterberger
- Remastered CDs: Why Care, and Why Buy Them by Bruce Eder
- Rock & Roll by John Floyd
- Rock Melodrama of the Late '50s and Early '60s by Richie Unterberger
- Rock Records: A Beginner's Guide and History by Bruce Eder
- Rock Records: A Beginner's Guide and History by Bruce Eder
- Rockabilly by Richie Unterberger
- Rockabilly Women by Sarah Stollak
- Roots of Punk by Richie Unterberger
- San Francisco Sound by Richie Unterberger
- Satire in Rock by Kieran McCarthy
- Session Musicians by Richie Unterberger
- Singer/Songwriters by Richie Unterberger
- Skiffle by Bruce Eder
- Soul by Richie Unterberger
- Southern Rock by Richie Unterberger
- Spoken Word and Poetry [Relation to Rock & Roll] by Richie Unterberger
- Surf by Richie Unterberger
- Techno/House/Rave by Dennis Barton
- Teen Idol by Richie Unterberger
- The Influence of Motown on Today's Music.... by Scott Schneider
- The Minneapolis Sound by Alex Henderson
- Touch and Go by Tom Schulte
- Urban by Alex Henderson
- Women in Rock by Richie Unterberger
- World Beat [Relation to Rock & Roll] by Richie Unterberger
