Rock and roll is a style of popular music that emerged in America in the 1950s, combining elements of rhythm and blues, country, and gospel music. It featured a strong, driving beat, electric guitars, and energetic performances that made people want to dance and move.

Early rock and roll stars like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley created music that felt exciting and rebellious, very different from the smoother popular music their parents listened to. The music had a raw, powerful sound: Berry's guitar playing was quick and inventive, Little Richard's piano pounding was wild and joyful, and Presley's performances were famously energetic.

Rock and roll transformed music, fashion, language, and youth culture around the world. Teenagers in the 1950s saw rock and roll as their own music, something that belonged to their generation. The style evolved dramatically over the decades, spawning countless subgenres, from the British Invasion of the 1960s (the Beatles, the Rolling Stones) to punk rock in the 1970s to alternative rock in the 1990s.

People sometimes shorten the term to just rock when talking about the music or the broader cultural movement. You might hear someone say they rock out to their favorite songs, meaning they listen with enthusiasm and energy.