Conventions of a rock music genre

Rock come in many different forms. when we think of a rock music genre, we think of the typical music elements such as electric guitars, amplifiers and drums, but this is just a few of the many elements that build up the rock music genre. There are seven sub-genres of rock define the genre as we see each phase of history, bringing in new sound elements which add to the diverse genre. 

From 1963 - 1970 the first age of rock was the birth of rock music, this is regarded as more of a phase in history rather than the actual genre. Well known musicians of this time were bands and artists such as The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles. During the 60's, (the birth of rock) the music from this era of rock reflected the events that happened. The topics of events that where included in their song were events such as the Vietnam War and the death of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, these topics were heard in Jimi Hendrix's music.

 

The second stage of rock was a whole new level from 1966 - 1980, it was called art rock. It was moving away from the typical conventions of guitarists and drums, and so the second phase bought a revolution to rock music, Art rock was more theatrical and dramatic, it was no longer a group of people on stage playing instruments, instead it was a theatrical piece. Bands such as Pink Floyd and Genesis took over rock in 1967 to a different level. Making rock branch out trying different styles of music; being more expressionistic with an artistic and theatrical twist.  

From 1973 – 1980, New York and London was the birth of punk, it marked the biggest fundamental shift in popular music since Elvis. During this era, a band called Blank Generation stated the relationship between the bankrupt society of New York and the class and race-riven London in their songs. Famous bands and artists of this era included people like The Sex Pistols, Patti Smith, Buzzcocks and The Clash.

The fourth generation is the largest surviving and the loudest genre of rock, it is called the generation of Heavy Metal. It has been the most controversial and the most misunderstood of all of the rock genres. Emerging from the end of the hippy dream into the industrial England, Heavy Metal would go on to secure the most loyal fan base. From this era, the genre includes  famous band and artists such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Metallica and Iron Maiden. 

Stadium rock marked the fifth generation of rock from 1965 - 1993. It follows the development of some of the biggest  names such as queen, The Police, and Bruce Springsteen. Through events such as Live Aid and the rise of MTV, rock achieved a global influence on culture and politics. 

The rise of Alternative rock started from the 1980's - 1994 in the USA. Alternative rock is referring to a generation of musicians by their musical style as independent and a D.I.Y. ethos of punk rock. Typical artists and bands of this era of rock music are people such as The Pixies, 3 Doors Down and Gorillaz.

Beginning with The Smiths, by returning to its roots of performing in bars and clubs, bands such as Franz Ferdinand, The Liberties and The Arctic Monkeys became acceptable again. This is how the rock genre is seen today and how most popular bands in this genre are represented to the public. 

Typical Conventions of Rock Music Videos.

• Usually dark and deep colours used throughout the video.
• The music video will contain shots of the band or artist playing, performing on stage.
• There is usually no narrative, artists and bands in this genre try to keep it eerie and quirky. 
• Uneasy hand held camera movements. 
• Usually no use of special effectss