Read Between The Frets: The Philosophy of Rock Music

Bright Eyes - Fevers and Mirrors

Rock music as it is defined today is comprised of numerous styles which, while differing greatly in musical standards and style, share a common goal of communicating thoughts and feelings to an audience. Pop, folk, indie, alternative, punk, metal, and ska are just a few examples of these styles; each features its own subgenres, totaling hundreds of distinct musical styles under the broad category of “rock music.” The breadth of music defined as “rock” is such that artists at opposing ends seemingly have nothing in common - comparing, for example, pop singer Kelly Clarkson to metal/punk band Every Time I Die. Clarkson and ETID really don’t have anything in common, other than being musicians - yet they can both be considered to fall under the category of rock, which in turn means that they both aim to communicate a message with listeners through their music.

The reason for rock music’s existence is not readily apparent. Entertainment is certainly a factor - people want to be entertained and are willing to pay for it. In this way, rock (and all forms of music) have become a major part of the “entertainment industry,” an industry which can be quite lucrative for those musicians who achieve success with their musical endeavors. There are certainly other forces perpetuating the growth of rock music, however. The broad range of powerful emotion showcased on Bright Eyes’ Fevers and Mirrors, for example, could not have been simply manufactured in a studio for moneymaking purposes: other factors undoubtedly exist that bring about such strong messages, and rock music undoubtedly has a larger reason for existence than financial profit.

Music - rock music in particular - is perhaps the single most dynamic element of popular culture. One can easily differentiate between “70’s music” and “80’s music,” for instance, because music is constantly evolving - music produced in the seventies sounds markedly different from music produced in the eighties. This change, of course, does not happen spontaneously. Music and popular culture are inextricably intertwined; music is a catalyst for political and social change, while conversely, events in the political sphere tend to inspire rock ‘n’ roll music. Given this mutual relationship, it becomes evident that rock does not exist solely as another form of entertainment. Rock music carries a powerful message to a large audience, instigating political and social change.

The earliest findings of music’s existence date back to roughly 2000 BC, the date of the oldest known song from the ancient Sumerian city of Ur. Prehistoric music may have been based on noises observed in humankind’s environment, such as the singing of birds. During the time of the Persian Achaemenid Empire (550-330 BC), instruments such as the flute, guitar, and lute were used to play music. This music was of great import in court matters as well as religious worship. In the 10^th century, the Gregorian Chant played an important part in Western Christianity’s rituals and practices, accompanying Mass and other services.

Over the next several centuries, music grew in breadth and popularity, but was still far from its level of popularity today. In 1877, however, Thomas Edison took a tremendous step in the advancement of music with his invention of the phonograph, a device capable of playing back stored sounds. In 1915, the Chicago Automatic Machine and Tool Company introduced a jukebox that played multiple records, replacing previous styles that were limited to roughly two minutes of playback from one record. The “jukebox” earned its name either from the African-American slang “jook,” meaning “dance,” or from the synecdochal “Jukes” family, used in the late 1800s and early 1900s by proponents of eugenics to represent a family who inherited criminality. In 1929, the gramophone record (78 rpm) replaced the phonograph cylinder as the new medium of choice for recorded music; though compact discs eventually replaced it as the industry standard, gramophones continue to be manufactured and sold today, particularly for hip-hop and dance music. In 1931, Adolph Rickenbacker invented the electric guitar, which would become a staple of many rock ‘n’ roll bands; after Billboard’s first ever record sales chart was released in 1936, the stage was set for the formation of a new genre of music.

The inspiring forces for the creation of rock music were numerous. Rock’s musical style drew from popular genres of the time: blues, folk, country and gospel all played a part in the formation of this new genre. The trademark rebellious attitude of rock ‘n’ roll artists originated from the restlessness of the younger generation in the peaceful prosperity following World War II. Other recent developments in the music industry had set the stage for the emergence of rock. Louis Jordan’s “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” introduced rhythm and blues in 1942; Les Paul developed studio techniques such as echo delay and multi-tracking in 1945; and many new record labels were founded across the nation, including Cincinnati’s King Records, Los Angeles’ Modern Records, Chicago’s Chess Records, and New York City’s Atlantic Records. All of these record labels were aimed at specializing in black popular music, which was gaining popularity even before the introduction of rock music, primarily in the rhythm and blues genre.

Rock ‘n’ roll music first began in the late 1940’s-early 1950’s era. White DJs such as Cleveland’s Alan Freed broadcasted black music to young white audiences. Record companies became cognizant of the formation of a new genre; however, due to persistent racial separation in America, there was little chance of a black musician gaining significant popularity. A quote from Sam Phillips, founder of Sun Records, helps to summarize this situation: “If I could find a white man who sings with the Negro feel, I’d make a million dollars.”

While society could certainly function without rock music, it would be difficult for another medium of expression to take its place: rock music is uniquely positioned to sincerely express thoughts, experiences, and emotions in a comprehensible way, free from political or legal inhibitions. Rock music is not a congressperson bound by his or her party’s platform, nor is rock music a talk show bound by network censorship. Moreover, the nature of music is conducive to the delineation of cogent ideas: the track-album structure allows an artist to tell a story, with tracks serving as “chapters,” or create a “concept album,” in which the tracks are unified to describe one theme.

In order to make an effective case for rock ‘n’ roll’s status as a unique and powerful mode of communication, it is important to establish a basic understanding of what the word “communication” means. The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word “communication” as “the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing, or behavior.” As a form of creative expression, rock music allows the artist to express his or her thoughts, spread a message, or inform his or her listeners not only via his or her music, but also through his or her overall image. Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” is a well known “protest song” in which Dylan shares his thoughts on freedom and war by posing a series of philosophical questions. Similarly, Rihanna’s “Umbrella” teaches listeners formal rules for proper syllabication.

A musician’s image can also be a powerful means of communication. “Image” includes not only the artist’s clothing and physical appearance, but their attitude and public image as well. Britney Spears, for instance, used her public image to show her audience the stresses of juggling pop superstardom, motherhood, and a full-time drug addiction. Bono of U2 has been referred to as “the face of fusion philanthropy” for what he has done in showcasing his attitude. By working globally to lead new humanitarian relief initiatives, particularly those dealing with the AIDS crisis in Africa, Bono has established himself as one of the most famous philanthropists currently living. Thom Yorke of Radiohead has crafted an image of himself as a sensitive, deep thinker, an image which has certainly been beneficial to their record sales. Yorke, like Bono, is also a political activist, and has professed his anti-globalization, anti-WTO, and anti-war stances, in addition to fighting for reduced carbon emissions and more stringent environmental standards.

Music has been evolving for millennia, and modern rock music is the product of countless innovations and recreations. Though it is certainly a financially worthwhile enterprise, it’s not about the money, man; rock musicians create music because they have a message to share, and their music provides an effective medium of expression. Messages are spread not just through lyrics, but through every aspect of an artist’s life, including image and personal life-Bono’s fame as a philanthropist shows that these messages do not go unheard. Rock music’s powerful contributions to popular culture, as well as to national and global politics, demonstrate that rock music holds an important place in society as a boundless communicator and a vehicle for social change.

Scaruffi, Piero. “Rock’n'Roll 1951-1957.” The History of Rock Music - The beginnings. 2005.
<http://www.scaruffi.com/history/cpt11.html>

Tom Zeller, Jr., “Trying to Throw His Arms Around the World”, New York Times, 13 November 2006