Rockabilly / Cowpunk / Psychobilly
familyStarted 1947Peak 1954–1959; 1981–1990Last big hit still active
This family contains country's most unruly rock-and-roll offspring: slapback echo, upright bass thump, train-beat propulsion, garage grit, punk speed, and retro swagger. Some branches stay vintage and danceable; others sound like the jukebox is possessed and frankly enjoying itself.
History
The line begins with hillbilly boogie and rockabilly in the 1950s, then mutates through revival rockabilly, cowpunk, psychobilly, and darker hybrid scenes. Elvis, Carl Perkins, Wanda Jackson, X, Jason & the Scorchers, The Cramps, and The Meteors anchor the continuum that fed later alt-country and roots-rock rebellion.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Britannica
- Classic Rock
- The Guardian
- cowpunk and psychobilly scene histories