In its original form, rock 'n' roll is ground zero for modern music. An amalgam of blues-based yearning and rockabilly fury, the progenitors of the sound were wild-eyed showmen like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Elvis Presley. An electric guitar and a driving beat are the only constants in the world of rock, but these rules have been stretched over the years as the genre has mutated to encompass everything from the soft singer-songwriter musings of Jackson Browne to the frenzied, rap-rock fusion of Rage Against the Machine. Styles as disparate as progressive, surf, punk, rock en espanol, and heavy metal are all branches of the original family tree, while at the same time many R&B artists remain close to the original formula, creating rock and soul hybrids. Rock and pop are somewhat interchangeable terms, though pop (a.k.a. 'popular') music appears to have traded rock's rebellious attitude in exchange for more mainstream success.

Notable Artists: Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Presley, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Beatles