Top 10 Rock and Roll Pioneers

it’s only rock and roll but we like it

it’s only rock and roll but we like it welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10

counting down our picks for the top 10

counting down our picks for the top 10 rock and roll pioneers number 10 Ritchie

rock and roll pioneers number 10 Ritchie

rock and roll pioneers number 10 Ritchie Valens even without a full-length album

Valens even without a full-length album

Valens even without a full-length album to his name Ritchie Valens opened doors

to his name Ritchie Valens opened doors

to his name Ritchie Valens opened doors for Chicano and Latin rock all he needed

for Chicano and Latin rock all he needed

for Chicano and Latin rock all he needed was the number two hit Donna and a

was the number two hit Donna and a

was the number two hit Donna and a rockin rendition of the Mexican folk

rockin rendition of the Mexican folk

rockin rendition of the Mexican folk song la Bamba to become one of rock and

song la Bamba to become one of rock and

song la Bamba to become one of rock and roll’s first teen idols

though he died too soon in a plane crash

though he died too soon in a plane crash along with Buddy Holly and the Big

along with Buddy Holly and the Big

along with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper Valens sound continues to shape

Bopper Valens sound continues to shape

Bopper Valens sound continues to shape music today

this country boy’s dream became reality

this country boy’s dream became reality after the self-penned blue suede shoes

after the self-penned blue suede shoes

after the self-penned blue suede shoes topped country charts thanks to his

topped country charts thanks to his

topped country charts thanks to his superb guitar licks and singing style

superb guitar licks and singing style

superb guitar licks and singing style Carl Perkins became an expert at

Carl Perkins became an expert at

Carl Perkins became an expert at combining rock and country music

the king of rockabilly was also an

the king of rockabilly was also an excellent songwriter whose Tunes were

excellent songwriter whose Tunes were

excellent songwriter whose Tunes were later performed by greats like Elvis

later performed by greats like Elvis

later performed by greats like Elvis Presley Johnny Cash and Jimi Hendrix

credited with writing and performing one

credited with writing and performing one of history’s first rock and roll records

of history’s first rock and roll records

of history’s first rock and roll records fat’s use his welcoming vocals and blues

fat’s use his welcoming vocals and blues

fat’s use his welcoming vocals and blues influenced piano playing to score over

influenced piano playing to score over

influenced piano playing to score over 30 top 40 hits he brought together

30 top 40 hits he brought together

30 top 40 hits he brought together electric guitar drums and saxophone and

electric guitar drums and saxophone and

electric guitar drums and saxophone and soon became the best-selling black

soon became the best-selling black

soon became the best-selling black rock-and-roll artist of the 1950s by

rock-and-roll artist of the 1950s by

rock-and-roll artist of the 1950s by expanding on the New Orleans R&B sound

expanding on the New Orleans R&B sound

expanding on the New Orleans R&B sound Fats Domino also inspired the later

Fats Domino also inspired the later

Fats Domino also inspired the later creation of ska

accompanied by his comets Bill Haley

accompanied by his comets Bill Haley unleashed rock and roll into the

unleashed rock and roll into the

unleashed rock and roll into the mainstream with the hit shake rattle and

mainstream with the hit shake rattle and

mainstream with the hit shake rattle and roll he made sure rock and roll was here

roll he made sure rock and roll was here

roll he made sure rock and roll was here to stay with his chart-topping rock

to stay with his chart-topping rock

to stay with his chart-topping rock around the clock and cemented himself as

around the clock and cemented himself as

around the clock and cemented himself as the genres first white superstar in the

the genres first white superstar in the

the genres first white superstar in the process with 100 million albums sold

process with 100 million albums sold

process with 100 million albums sold it’s no wonder he’s called the father of

it’s no wonder he’s called the father of

it’s no wonder he’s called the father of rock and roll number 6 Bo Diddley gate

rock and roll number 6 Bo Diddley gate

rock and roll number 6 Bo Diddley gate to the butcher now he may have only had

to the butcher now he may have only had

to the butcher now he may have only had one album crack billboard and one top 40

one album crack billboard and one top 40

one album crack billboard and one top 40 hit but Bo Diddley wasn’t dubbed the

hit but Bo Diddley wasn’t dubbed the

hit but Bo Diddley wasn’t dubbed the originator for nothing

originator for nothing

originator for nothing along with his blues and R&B tinged rock

along with his blues and R&B tinged rock

along with his blues and R&B tinged rock and roll driven by electric guitar he

and roll driven by electric guitar he

and roll driven by electric guitar he crafted a rhythm that’s been adopted by

crafted a rhythm that’s been adopted by

crafted a rhythm that’s been adopted by countless rock and pop musicians the Bo

countless rock and pop musicians the Bo

countless rock and pop musicians the Bo Diddley beat

meanwhile his booming voice and animated

meanwhile his booming voice and animated playing on square guitars made for very

playing on square guitars made for very

playing on square guitars made for very memorable performances

number five Jerry Lee Lewis you rub the

number five Jerry Lee Lewis you rub the wheel but water three oh goodness and

wheel but water three oh goodness and

wheel but water three oh goodness and grace is great though he dabbled in

grace is great though he dabbled in

grace is great though he dabbled in blues and country Jerry Lee Lewis molded

blues and country Jerry Lee Lewis molded

blues and country Jerry Lee Lewis molded the sound of rockabilly with his unique

the sound of rockabilly with his unique

the sound of rockabilly with his unique piano playing add his fiery voice and a

piano playing add his fiery voice and a

piano playing add his fiery voice and a whole lot of shakin on stage and you’ve

whole lot of shakin on stage and you’ve

whole lot of shakin on stage and you’ve got rock n roll’s first great eclectic

got rock n roll’s first great eclectic

got rock n roll’s first great eclectic and first great wild men despite the

and first great wild men despite the

and first great wild men despite the backlash around his marriage to his

backlash around his marriage to his

backlash around his marriage to his teenage cousin the killer regained

teenage cousin the killer regained

teenage cousin the killer regained popularity and earned a Platinum

popularity and earned a Platinum

popularity and earned a Platinum certified record almost 50 years after

certified record almost 50 years after

certified record almost 50 years after his debut hey bacon a lot of shakin

in under two years Buddy Holly did more

in under two years Buddy Holly did more for rock-and-roll than many bands will

for rock-and-roll than many bands will

for rock-and-roll than many bands will in their entire careers as one of the

in their entire careers as one of the

in their entire careers as one of the first to write produce and sing his own

first to write produce and sing his own

first to write produce and sing his own songs he appealed to both blacks and

songs he appealed to both blacks and

songs he appealed to both blacks and whites with his rockabilly country and

whites with his rockabilly country and

whites with his rockabilly country and R&B mix Holly also popularized the use

R&B mix Holly also popularized the use

R&B mix Holly also popularized the use of two guitars a bass and drums with the

of two guitars a bass and drums with the

of two guitars a bass and drums with the crickets

crickets

crickets despite his tragic death he left us

despite his tragic death he left us

despite his tragic death he left us albums worth of material to discover and

albums worth of material to discover and

albums worth of material to discover and enjoy

number three Little Richard

number three Little Richard Judah said that laughing upset again huh

Judah said that laughing upset again huh

Judah said that laughing upset again huh the King thank you

the King thank you

the King thank you he could whale crew moans scream and

he could whale crew moans scream and

he could whale crew moans scream and shout by merging R&B and boogie-woogie

shout by merging R&B and boogie-woogie

shout by merging R&B and boogie-woogie with mischievous lyrics the architect of

with mischievous lyrics the architect of

with mischievous lyrics the architect of rock and roll planted the seed for soul

rock and roll planted the seed for soul

rock and roll planted the seed for soul and funk he could also rip it up at the

and funk he could also rip it up at the

and funk he could also rip it up at the ball with his lively moves and smooth

ball with his lively moves and smooth

ball with his lively moves and smooth personality comically to the web thanks

personality comically to the web thanks

personality comically to the web thanks to his secular and faith-based music the

to his secular and faith-based music the

to his secular and faith-based music the wild and frantic Little Richard remains

wild and frantic Little Richard remains

wild and frantic Little Richard remains one of rock’s most influential

one of rock’s most influential

one of rock’s most influential entertainers good golly Miss Molly

number two Chuck Berry roll over

number two Chuck Berry roll over Beethoven because this is Chuck Berry by

Beethoven because this is Chuck Berry by

Beethoven because this is Chuck Berry by introducing R&B and guitar solos to the

introducing R&B and guitar solos to the

introducing R&B and guitar solos to the genre he laid down the law when it came

genre he laid down the law when it came

genre he laid down the law when it came to playing rock and roll the sweet

to playing rock and roll the sweet

to playing rock and roll the sweet little rock and rollers original beats

little rock and rollers original beats

little rock and rollers original beats stage bravado and accompanying dance

stage bravado and accompanying dance

stage bravado and accompanying dance moves set the tone for the genres growth

moves set the tone for the genres growth

moves set the tone for the genres growth and subsequent explosion even today

and subsequent explosion even today

and subsequent explosion even today Chuck Berry continues to exude a rock

Chuck Berry continues to exude a rock

Chuck Berry continues to exude a rock and roll attitude at his shows number

and roll attitude at his shows number

and roll attitude at his shows number one Elvis Presley after fusing R&B with

one Elvis Presley after fusing R&B with

one Elvis Presley after fusing R&B with country Elvis and things up with

country Elvis and things up with

country Elvis and things up with electric guitars and added his emotional

electric guitars and added his emotional

electric guitars and added his emotional and versatile vocals to his rockabilly

and versatile vocals to his rockabilly

and versatile vocals to his rockabilly style flaunting good looks sexy dance

style flaunting good looks sexy dance

style flaunting good looks sexy dance moves and a rebellious image on stage

moves and a rebellious image on stage

moves and a rebellious image on stage and in film the king of rock and roll

and in film the king of rock and roll

and in film the king of rock and roll had something for everybody

had something for everybody

had something for everybody he goes by the name of King really no

he goes by the name of King really no

he goes by the name of King really no Gong Gong by selling more records than

Gong Gong by selling more records than

Gong Gong by selling more records than any other solo artist he also defined

any other solo artist he also defined

any other solo artist he also defined the genre and transformed pop culture

the genre and transformed pop culture

the genre and transformed pop culture and for that we love him tender

who is your favorite rock and roll

who is your favorite rock and roll pioneer be sure to subscribe to

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