Rhythm & Blues Rock
tagStarted 1951Peak 1954-1960Last big hit still active
Located in 1 route
Rock built directly on the R&B chassis: shuffle and stomp grooves, honking tenor sax, walking or boogie bass, gospel-edged shouting and twelve-bar structures. Earthier and more blues-rooted than teen pop, it foregrounds groove and vocal grit over melody, with horn sections and barrelhouse piano driving dance-hall energy straight off the R&B charts.
History
As R&B crossed to broader audiences in the early 1950s, Atlantic, Chess and King cut sides that read as both R&B and rock. Big Joe Turner, Wynonie Harris and Ruth Brown bridged jump and the new beat; Ray Charles fused gospel into the mix. These records supplied the raw material that the rock and roll boom amplified and sold to teenagers.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_and_blues
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/rhythm-blues-ma0000002809
- https://www.britannica.com/art/rhythm-and-blues