Music can be a creative auditory art form when used in the right way, whether it be with orchestras of various sizes or bands with guitars, a good beat and vocalists giving it their all.

Out of the various styles of music that this art form can take a hold of, the one genre I want to focus on is classic rock.

You may have history with this specific genre, whether it be listening to it on the radio or seeing live performances of Misericordia University’s very own classic rock band, Quest.

Where did this genre originate and what inspired it? Let’s dive into its history, shall we?

Before the term “classic rock” originated on radio waves in the 1980s, it was called just rock. More specifically, the bands we classify with the classic rock era come from a term known as arena rock to differentiate itself from the shake, rattle and roll style of rock common in the 1950s.

Arena rock traces back to the heyday of Beatlemania and the gigantic, screaming crowds that greeted the Beatles when they performed in the U.S. This rise in rock style also signaled the end of the hippie lifestyle following the infamous Altamont Free Concert of 1969.

As time marched on, technology marched with it. New amplification tech helped give hard rock bands the opportunity to play in larger venues with The Rolling Stones paving the way during their 1969 U.S tour. During the 70s and 80s, the genre shared its style of rock with heavy metal bands that emphasized loudness, screen vision and heavy sound.

The reason I briefly discussed the history of arena rock is because around the 1980s is when the term “classic rock” started to enter the airwaves, beginning in 1980 at with the radio station M105 in Cleveland, billing itself as “Cleveland’s Classic Rock.”

Similarly, WMET called itself “Chicago’s Classic Rock” in 1981, followed by KRBE in Houston, KRQX in Dallas-Fort Worth, WCXR in Washington, D.C and finally WZLX in Boston.

While the origins can be traced to earlier in history as elaborated before hand, 1986 is generally cited as the definitive birth of classic rock in which the success of the format resulting in oldies accounting for 60 to 80% of the music played on album rock stations. It even surpassed album rock in market share in 2001 as well as providing renewed interest of the genre by teens, according to a 2006 Rolling Stones article.

So… Allow me to Change Your Mind

I grew up with music in my soul and body, more specifically the age of classic rock with my parents’ youth being in that era. I have been exposed to music all my life.

I have grown in appreciation for classic rock rather than the technological dubstep wave of current times. I can’t put my finger on exactly why but something about the classic era of rock always makes me feel good inside.

It may be the fact that I can listen to it whenever I want and not get sick of it, unlike certain seasonal songs. It could be name-brand recognition from other sources of media that makes me look it up on my own time. Or maybe I like it because I just like it.

I do have some choices for bands if you are in a classic rock mood, including iconic classics like Led Zepplin, Rolling Stones, Blue Oyster Cult, Aerosmith, Def Leppard and, even the arena rock originators, The Beatles. Those are the ones I can name off the top of my head.

The problem is that classic rock is being shoved to the wayside to make way for the technological era of music. However, even if you have your own personal preferences, whether it be from the latter half of the 20th century to the technological wave of today, we have the possibility to accept the personal preferences rather than criticize the older or more current forms of music as not being “music.”

If you like classic rock, good. If you like techno and dubstep, that’s fine, too. But don’t criticize those who have different tastes than yours, don’t be bitter about the modern era and don’t dismiss the old days for being, well, old people music.

I want to give a special thanks to President Dan Myers for suggesting the idea for the article. Dr. Myers and his band Quest rock in a classic way.