Rock History Project, Episode 1 - 1955

Welcome to a glimpse into the dawn of Rock and Roll, specifically 1955 and the pivotal years just before it.

The foundation of rock and roll was laid by blending rhythm and blues, country & western, jazz, gospel, and many other influences, giving rise to a new energetic, youth-oriented sound. Key artists like Chuck Berry and Little Richard began making waves, with Berry's Maybellene in 1955 becoming a pivotal moment, rapidly climbing both R&B and pop charts. Radio broadcasting was transformed by the "Top 40" format, pioneered in 1954 in Omaha, exposing a wider range of music to a growing teenage audience. Meanwhile, Bill Haley & His Comets' "Rock Around the Clock," though recorded in 1954, became a global phenomenon in 1955, after its feature in Blackboard Jungle, topping charts and widely considered the song that introduced rock and roll to the mainstream. This explosive new genre, with its electric guitar-driven sound, also ignited controversy, facing censorship and moral panic over its perceived links to juvenile delinquency and racial mixing.

Join us as we explore the forces that shaped this revolutionary period.