Discusses the evolution of rock music from its earliest origins to today's most influential musical styles and performers

Attempts to track rock and roll -- as music, as culture, as headline maker, as business -- from its hazy origins to the present day.

Completely updated with new entries and extensive revisions of the previous 1,800, The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia Of Rock & Roll is the authoritative volume on the world's music makers—from the one-hit wonders to the megastars. In 1983, Rolling Stone Press introduced its first Rock & Roll Encyclopedia. Almost two decades later, it has become the premier guide to the history of rock & roll, and has been selected by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum as its official source of information. Giving full coverage to all aspects of the rock scene, it tells the story of rock & roll in a clear and easy reference format, including complete discographies, personnel changes for every band, and backstage information like date and place of birth, from Elvis Presley to Eminem. Since the last edition, the music scene has exploded in every area, from boy-bands to hip-hop, electronica to indie rock. Here, the Encyclopedia explores them all—'NSync, Notorious B.I.G., Ricky Martin, Radiohead, Britney Spears, Blink-182, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Portishead, Fatboy Slim, Fiona Apple, Lil' Kim, Limp Bizkit, Oasis, Outkast, Yo La Tengo, TLC, and many, many more. The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, Third Edition includes all the facts, phenomena, and flukes that make up the history of rock. Accompanying the biographical and discographical information on the nearly 2,000 artists included in this edition are incisive essays that reveal the performers' musical influences, first breaks, and critical and commercial hits and misses, as well as evaluations of their place in rock history. Filled with hundreds of historical photos, The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia is more than just a reference book, it is the bible of rock & roll.

From iconic portraits to political cartoons, Rolling Stone magazine has cultivated an unrivaled archive of illustrated work by some of the greatest artists of recent times, from Ralph Steadman to Mark Ryden. 2020 SILVER WINNER OF THE FOREWORD INDIES AWARD IN PERFORMING ARTS/MUSIC For more than fifty years, Rolling Stone magazine has been the defining voice in musical journalism. Alongside its timeless cover images and groundbreaking criticism, the magazine's illustrations have given popular culture a new iconography. Drawing on five decades of the magazine's archives and with a focus on more contemporary artists and issues, this stunning book collects more than 200 of the most iconic illustrations to have graced its pages--from portraits of major cultural figures (from Bob Dylan to Barack Obama to Madonna) to depictions of key moments in recent history (from Woodstock to Trump's election). Some of the greatest names in art and design have defined the magazine's illustrated lexicon, from modern heroes like Milton Glaser and Ralph Steadman to subversive contemporary artists such as Christoph Niemann and Mark Ryden. Organized creatively by thematic connection--juxtaposing a legend of one world alongside another and collecting portfolios on specific subjects--and with anecdotes from some of the artists and subjects alongside the images themselves, the book presents a whimsical illustrated history of contemporary culture filtered through the Rolling Stone lens.

Examines the historical, social, and business reasons for the variety of pop musical forms fueled by the San Francisco music scene. Looks at satellite factors to the music such as radio, poster art, nightclubs, and studios. Features individual essays on the more than 100 significant recording bands to have emerged from the Bay Area.

Ed Ward covers the first half of the history of rock & roll in this sweeping and definitive narrative—from the 1920s, when the music of rambling medicine shows mingled with the songs of vaudeville and minstrel acts to create the very early sounds of country and rhythm and blues, to the rise of the first independent record labels post-World War II, and concluding in December 1963, just as an immense change in the airwaves took hold and the Beatles prepared for their first American tour. The History of Rock & Roll, Volume 1 shines a light on the far corners of the genre to reveal the stories behind the hugely influential artists who changed the musical landscape forever. In this first volume of a two-part series, Ward shares his endless depth of knowledge and through engrossing storytelling hops seamlessly from Memphis to Chicago, Detroit, England, New York, and everywhere in between. He covers the trajectories of the big name acts like Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and Ray Charles, while also filling in gaps of knowledge and celebrating forgotten heroes such as the Burnette brothers, the “5” Royales, and Marion Keisker, Sam Phillips’s assistant, who played an integral part in launching Elvis’s career. For all music lovers and rock & roll fans, Ward spins story after story of some of the most unforgettable and groundbreaking moments in rock history, introducing us along the way to the musicians, DJs, record executives, and producers who were at the forefront of the genre and had a hand in creating the music we all know and love today.