Rock music

Rock music
Cultural Origins	Artania
Stylistic Origins	Rock and roll, Blues, Folk, Country
Typical Instruments	Guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboard, vocals
Subgenres	Punk rock Jazz rock

Rock music or simply rock is a broad genre of popular music which originated in the 28th century as "rock and roll". Influenced by blues, folk and country music, it dominated popular music for centuries, prior to the rise of Electronic music, which in turn gave birth to Funk, hip-hop and Disco. Additionally, Rock music was influential in the development of Ska which in turn generated Reggae. During this time it has evolved significantly and the term can be used to describe a broad and diverse range of music.

Characteristics

During its early development, rock music was characterised by songs with a simple verse-chord structure performed by a typical "rock band", composed of a vocalist, guitarist, bassist and drummer. Although this remains common, it is often complemented by other instrumentalists such as a keyboard player. Instruments are usually amplified though acoustic guitars are not uncommon in rock, particularly softer variants such as pop rock. Furthermore, artists such as the art rock band Sapphire have manipulated this, employing large numbers of classical string instruments in their live performances.

Origins

The origins of rock music lie in "rock and roll", which initially developed in northern Artania but soon spread across the globe. Rock and roll was the result of a mixing of traditional folk and country music with gospel, rhythm and blues and jazz. Over time, certain conventions within developed which have persisted through to the modern day, like the composition of a typical "rock band".

Early rock music was characterised by a lighter sound in comparison to modern perceptions. Artists such as Maik Henninger and the Traps were early pioneers of a less commercialised, more raw dynamic which would be influential on later movements in rock, such as punk and indie. In spite of this, the most successful artists of this early period were bands like New Sunset and the Happies who maintained a sound retrospectively described as "pop rock", "soft rock" or "acoustic rock".

Developments

Rock music has been utilised as a vehicle for musical and lyrical experimentation. Early innovation in rock was seen through the psychedelic and glam rock, followed by punk and hardcore and, most recently, the rise of indie and garage rock. One reason for the diversity within the rock genre is its global and commercialised nature.

Psychedelia

One of the earliest developments in rock music history was the trend towards a more experimental sound, influenced by the usage of hallucinatory drugs among leading bands of the 3000s. Several notable artists from this period, like the Matrix , sought to move away from the clean, commercialised nature of rock and add new sounds and elements to their records, such as the utilisation of diverse instrumentation and the use of feedback and distortion. Lead Guitarist from the Matrix, Henry Jamison, was known as one of the great guitar virtuosos of all time. Acid Rock, a form of Alternative Rock, began making a comeback in the 4420s as a Kalistani reaction to the Valruzian "Szarybeat" craze.

Punk

Towards the middle of the fourth millennium, there was a backlash against the perceived mainstream conventions of rock music at the time. Influenced by the Egelian band Zombie Death Cult, this new genre would become known as "punk" or "punk rock". Characterised by extensive use of distortion and relatively simple musical structure, it came to dominate popular music for around a decade.

Starting in the 40th century, punk's popularity and commercial success declined. While this led some bands to disband, others became prominent proponents of further developments in rock. The hardcore, indie rock and garage rock movements, in particular, were dominated by former punk bands.

Pop-Rock

Pop has always traveled with Rock music, and mainstream Rock itself was often indistinguishable from pop. Most pop elements, including the "Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus" format formed the backbone of most Rock throughout the history of the genre. Beginning in 4410, a subgenre of Pop Rock named "Szarybeat" emanating from Valruzia and led by the band The Beat Brothers spread across Selaya and dominated the pop charts of several countries, making its most significant impact in Kalistan, where in June 4419, all top 20 singles in the Pop Charts were Valruzian acts.