Rhythm and blues artists during the 1940s were creating a wild new style that had a more insistent beat and included the word "rockin'" in many of its lyrics and song titles. It wasn't until 1951, however, when Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed began playing this music on his radio show, that the music gained mainstream attention. Although Freed has been credited with coining the phrase 'rock and roll', the words were already in the musical vernacular; Wild Bill Moore, for instance, had recorded a song called "We're Gonna Rock, We're Gonna Roll" in 1947. Since then, rock 'n' roll has mutated into countless subgenres and remains some of the most viable, enduring and widespread music of the last hundred years.

Notable Artists: Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly