For as long as I have loved and followed Classic Rock music, the most talked about and heated discussion (other than the Paul Is Dead rumors, but that’s a whole other topic) has been about the definition of Classic Rock. What is Classic Rock? What makes an artist Classic Rock? When does the timeline start and/or end? You could ask one-hundred different music “experts” these questions and you could quite possibly get one-hundred different answers. I see Classic Rock as being an era of music with a definitive beginning and end (with the latter of the two being the hardest to distinguish). I believe this is the part of the argument that people’s opinions differ the most. It seems to me that most FM radio Classic Rock stations treat Classic Rock as a certain genre and sound, with no definitive cut off point for artists. They believe that by adding 80’s Hair Metal and 90’s Grunge to their playlists will attract new listeners. While I do not argue their logic for doing this, I cannot agree with playing artists such as Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Poison, etc. alongside the classic artists of the 60’s and 70’s. I am a firm believer that age does not constitute a band becoming “classic”. Classic Rock radio also tends to lean on the heavier side of Classic Rock and plays very little songs from the pre-Sgt. Pepper era. The Classic Rock era to me starts in 1963 with Bob Dylan releasing “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” and the Beatles releasing their first two albums “Please Please Me” and “With the Beatles.” All subsequent British rock bands who followed in the Beatles footsteps in 1963-1964 are considered Classic Rock to me. Some of these artists include: Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Searchers, The Kingsmen, The Animals, The Dave Clark Five, Manfred Mann, The Pretty Things, The Swinging Blues Jeans, and the Zombies to name a few. Artists from the second wave of British bands in the mid-1960’s as well as the garage rock and folk rock scene are included. Basically any “rock” band in the 1960’s starting with the British Invasion and folk rock movement is considered Classic Rock to me. The one band that raises the most controversy for me is the Beach Boys. I believe personally that everything pre-Good Vibrations and Pet Sounds and after their psychedelic stage is not considered Classic Rock. The early and mid 1970’s are a lot easier to sort out, but once we start getting into the punk and new wave scene are when things get a little blurry. I personally think that if a rock band was formed and released music in the 1970’s they are considered Classic Rock. This includes the original Punk Rock scene (Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Clash, etc) and the original new wave scene (Blondie, Pretenders, The Cars). This also brings up questions of bands like U2 and Def Leppard. U2 formed in 1976 while Def Leppard formed in 1977 with both releasing EP’s in 1979. Does this make them Classic Rock? No, not in my opinion because both bands’ hey-day’s were in the 1980’s and their sound was not in the style of the previous decade. With that said, rock music from the 80’s from bands who were popular and active in the 60’s and 70’s is considered Classic Rock to me as long as they stayed in the Classic Rock style. For example, all of AC/DC’s albums up to “Razor’s Edge” and all of Tom Petty’s material up to “Wildflowers” is Classic Rock.
Like I’ve said before, this is my opinion on what Classic Rock is. I would like to hear what you guys consider Classic Rock to be, whether you view it as an era or as a specific genre, or neither.
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I believe i should be cited in this due to my arguements posted in your writings
I'll think about this and get back to you. Its a much debated topic and hard to define, but I love trying to!
I always argue with myself when it comes to this question. Normally I'll think about this when Nirvana comes on my local Classic Rock station, and in the end I can never make a clear decission.
I couldn't agree more with 1963 being the starting point for classic rock. I too have always declared that as the year classic rock began, but like you said, after that things become a lot more fuzzy. I tend to view bands like U2 and even Guns N' Roses as classic rock bands, but not so much hair metal bands like Poison. I don't think the quality of hair metal was good enough to be considered classic in my opinion. When it comes to bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam I become a bit more skeptical, but I don't have a definitive opinion on it. In the end I'm pretty torn with whether there is a cut off date or whether music will continuously be encompassed into the "genre."
I think my view is much broader, but that has a lot to do with my personality. I think U2 is classic rock simply because their music is so good (imo). I expand the years a little further out in my definition thinking that anything that is 25 years or older is classic rock. You didn't mention Bruce Springsteen on your list. He first came on the scene in the early 70's and I consider all of his music classic. But, I am really easy going and seriously don't have a strong definition.
Right now, for Springsteen, I consider everything up to Tunnel of Love classic rock but that might change. Springsteen is one of my favorite artists and he has been making great music his entire career which makes it even harder to decide.
U2 is the one band which it seems like I change my mind on everyday. I really like U2 and their music is great. At the times when I do consider them classic rock, I consider everything up until Achtung Baby classic rock
I've gotten into a discussion about pop music on my blog.
I think classic rock is like pop music in that it's not really a genre, but an era. According to Wikipedia, it was created by radio. So, as time progressed and new music genres became "classic", it was quite reasonable for radio to shift what it considered classic rock.
Since the term has "rock" in it, certainly any music included should fall into the rock genre, but I guess what I'm getting at is that what's considered "classic" will continue to evolve.
Good start to your blog, by the way!
Peace.
This was a very enjoyable post. Personally, I'm not all that crazy about the term "classic rock" because it omits artists from the pre-Beatles era such as Elvis, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Little Richard. I know that their music falls into the oldies category which is fine. Still, I don't see how anyone cannot call the rock and roll made pre-1964 "classic". Instead of the term "classic rock", I prefer "album rock" or AOR (album-oriented rock) because that clearly separates the rock of the 45 rpm dominated era (pre-1963) from all that came after.
By the way, you cited subsequent British rock bands who followed the Beatles. One of the groups you listed was The Kingsmen? Are you referring to the band that did "Louie, Louie"? I ask because they are from Portland, OR.
THe Kingsmen thing was a mistake on my part, I'll fix that.
As for your comment, I have to agree that the term "classic rock" is a bad term, especially if you're trying to define it like I do. But, I wouldn't call it AOR either because everything pre-Sgt. Pepper could really be considered the 45rpm era, not just everything pre-1964. Sgt. Pepper was the album that changed the whole landscape of music and made it more about the actual album than the 45.
Carlozzi: Yeah, album rock/AOR wouldn't really work. I think that the years 1963-1967 saw the industry make the gradual transition from the 45 to the LP. Like you said, the release of Sgt. Pepper changed the landscape of pop music. However, the Beatles (along with acts like Dylan and the Stones) were releasing albums that were more than just a collection of singles. Having said that, the 45 still was the dominant format during the pre-Sgt. Pepper years.
I guess we'll all have to put our collective heads together and come up with a suitable term to replace classic rock. :-)
I forgot to add a couple of things. It's refreshing that you have started a blog devoted to some of the older music. Although I know that there are plenty of young people such as yourself who enjoy music from the 60s, 70s, etc., I don't run into them (either in person or online) all that much. Keep up the good work.
Dear Sir!
Your opinion about Classic Rock is very interesting and true. But we are at some variance. I think our lovely and great Bob Dilan is particular unique phenomenon in american music and The Classic Rock era not starts in 1963 with him. Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Searchers, The Kingsmen, The Hollies, The Animals, The Dave Clark Five, Manfred Mann, The Troggs, The Swinging Blues Jeans, The Zombies and like these – are the beat-groups (big-beat). They are my favorites forever but I think this splendid genre could not give answer to the challenge of “Sgt. Pepper…” and went out from historical scene. Main Course is the heir of the beat. Groups of Main Course creates music in kind by The Beatles (Electric Light Orchestra, Bee Gees before disco & comic-vocal period, Stealers Wheel and solo albums of Gerry Rafferty, Bread, 10 CC, Badfinger, Klaatu, etc). .Classic Rock and Main Course are very close.
Classic Rock started in the second part of 60th. I think The Beatles is unique phenomenon in the world music. And The Beatles is beyond all classifications. First names of Classic Rock: Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Ten Years After, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Free, Chicago, Grand Funk, Alice Cooper, Santana and many others. Later we got Dire Straits and Sting. I see Classic Rock realizes in contemporary time (new albums of oldies but goldies, underground groups playing art and hard and some brand new groups we say “they plays like The Classic Rock”).
I think it`s a real arrogance to bild the definition of Classic Rock. Let us attempt to clarification some bricks (elements) of this definition. The first: yes, it started in the second part of 60th. There are many genres in the Classic Rock and that is for it is specific culture occurance, embodiment of specific mode of thinking, greatest peak of human genius. The great performance abilitiy is important part of definition too. Masters of rock can sing with an acoustic guitar only, with a symphonic orchestra and without any instruments. But they have basic methods. The pattern is the great rock-groups. And I want to remind about new technologies given new sound and new record.
VaTAga (Donald Agston, Moscow)
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