Some men leave an indelible mark on the world. Decades after their reign at the top, a few choice musicians still dominate the radios and hearts of music fanatics everywhere.
Such admiration prompts the age-old question: Who is the real king of rock and roll?
Legends such as Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Bill Haley have all been labeled "The King" by their respective fans and music historians for various reasons. Bill Haley's hit "Rock Around the Clock" is thought to have spread the popularity of rock and roll and catalyzed the rise of youth culture in the 1950s. Domino's song "Blueberry Hill," on the other hand, is said to be the first of early rock songs to successfully bridge two different genres of music — creating the new genre of rock and roll.
The famous Chuck Berry is known for his success in refining and developing major elements such as focusing on teen life issues that made rock and roll distinctive from other genres of music. He also introduced guitar introductions and lead breaks that became a major influence on subsequent rock music.
In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine boldly stated that Elvis Presley deserves the title as King because of his singing style and the self-made image he created with his 1954 single "That's All Right (Mama)."
But, one has to ask, is a debate over who created rock and roll even necessary? Should a king of rock and roll even be crowned?
History shows that rock and roll music did not appear out of the blue but rather was a result of crossovers in genres during the 1950s.
In fact, rock and roll is actually a blend of gospel music, jazz, rhythm and blues, country and western. Rock and roll is what it is today because of an amalgamation of numerous influences.
Rolling Stone Magazine's stance on the first rock and roller directed many people to consider Elvis Presley as the sole creator of the eclectic genre. Elvis definitely contributed to the image of rock and roll when he became the poster boy for sex appeal and youth rebellion, but he is certainly not the originator of the beloved musical style.
Indeed, Elvis himself stated, "A lot of people seem to think I started this business, but rock ‘n' roll was here a long time before I came along. Nobody can sing that kind of music like colored people. Let's face it: I can't sing like Fats Domino can. I know that."
Every artist that has been called the king of rock and roll has had a significant influence on what rock and roll came to be.
The enormous popularity and the eventual worldwide love for rock and roll is the end product of not just one but numerous musical wonders. To crown one king would be an insult to what the music genre represents.
It would hardly do justice to all of the historical musicians who have each had their influence on the phenomenon called rock and roll.
