Who is the King Of Rock and Roll?

I know everyone has an opinion on this one. So...who is it?

That is the king of rock and roll.

But Elvis is the King.

thats crap

At least they claim he was the Father of Rock and Roll, but the DNA evidence was inclusive.

I just watched some tape I recorded about 15 years ago and it had a documentary that I forgot I had. It was about early Rock and Roll and it ended with Elvis going in to the Army, Jerry Lee being put down for his marriage, Little Richard finding God and the death of Buddy. Kind of a strange documentary.

Behind Chuck Berry and Elvis

I guess it's been decided

If he'd lived, Elvis would have been just another singer.

He was way too geeky to overtake Elvis. Buddy's real talent was writing.

I really wonder what he would have been able to accomplish had he lived.

Jan Berry, and Phil Spector took it to excess. I always thought that Buddy would have been a legendary producer and writer.

I think music would have evolved differently if he lived, and if he continued to be as innovative as he was. Then again, he may have just been another strand in the web. Rock really began to change with the emergence of the lead guitar, with Clapton and his rock blues, and Hendrix and whatever he did. The Beatles and their Sargent Pepper experiment and Phil Spectre with his wall of sound took it all in a different direction from where Holly was heading, and I wonder if Holly's talent may have made some of them follow him, instead.

Who knows? But Clapton and Hendrix and the Beatles could claim the kingship, too, or at least deserve a place in the royal court.

Without Holly, the Beatles don't exist among other bands that followed. He was far more influential than Elvis, who really was a mere imitator, himself.

Elvis was the King, Buddy was the Wizard (but he didn't come back from the dead, alas) & the four moptops from Hobbiton took it on from there. (Is George Martin Treebeard?)

But they all built on the Deeds of the Great Ones who went before.

can see the early early roots of literally, "rockin' and rollin'." Plus, from what I understand, the term "rock and roll" was coined in the black community to mean..... you know.. ..knocking boots. :D

He is not the KING of, just a perfect embodiment of all that is Rock & Roll.

...Sid Vicious is the King. :headbang:

And this thread bears that out - so many people had such significant influence that the title can't be pinned down to one person.

(I do have to say that I disagree with whomever said Elvis would have been "just another singer" had Buddy Holly lived. I don't think Elvis could EVER have been "just another singer." He was larger than life - no pun intended.)

Elvis was entirely derivative, and the lion's share of his career wasn't even rock and roll to begin with. That's not to say that he wasn't great in his own right, but the King of Rock and Roll thing is kind of silly when applied to him objectively. He probably did more to bring rock and roll to white households than anyone else, but that doesn't make him king in my book.

Chuck Berry is a very strong contender. Exceedingly original and influential, he defined rock guitar. However, he was fairly repetitive and rarely stretched beyond his defining sound. Definitely has a right to make the claim, though.

Buddy Holly is another strong contender. Despite such a short career, he made a lot of amazing music. His look, while nerdy today, was not considered as such at the time, so that doesn't disqualify him. His too short career probably does.

Many of the people who came before rock and roll, such as the aforementioned Muddy Waters and Cab Calloway did rock, but they were more influences than actual rockers. For my money, the influence that would have even more of a claim would be John Lee Hooker. Still, not The King, imo.

Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins deserve mention, but both veered off into C&W early in their careers. As a rockabilly fan, I love them both, but think they fall short of being kings.

For my money, the King of Rock and Roll has to be Little Richard. The look, the attitude, the scream, the antics, the talent, the controversy, and the songs, he had it all. He came along early enough, was highly original, and stuck around long enough to plead his case. His influence is as strong, or stronger, than anyone else on the list. I can't even think of an argument against him.

The French Elvis.

...not really, but I thought I'd irritate any brownshirt types experimenting with the intellectual practice of reading.

But there are a couple songs of his I fancy. And he was good in the film "Man on the Train".

Past Presidents were Chuck Berry, Elvis, Lennon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis again (he pulled a Grover Cleveland), Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel, Ian Anderson, Sting, Morrisey, Bono...

Who's President now?

but for real? I don't know - Rock & Roll is not the same.

but i guess he is the king because he brought it mainstream.

i was just born when rock and roll was so i think it was created for me. lol === but my music was darker - i was into dylan and the animals and and the doors. true rock and roll started in the mid 60s in my opinion. its when it began to have meaning of a generation. well maybe that was just rock without the roll. dont know. just know disco sucked.

before that it was commerical hip shaking. hey what about buddy holly! was he before or after elvis?

He made it safe for us white people.

That makes him a king in my book.

They said so themselves :)

Name five kids today who can front a band. lead guitar, and rock a house like Prince in every rock and roll style unplugged. He can play funk, rock, powerpop, soul and dance like a motherfucker. Give him a guitar and a microphone and Prince will rock the house. Just like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee, Fats Domino, James Brown, Mick Jagger, Steve Tyler, Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, John Lennon, John Mellencamp, Bruce, Neil Young, John Lee Hooker, Michael Jackson, Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Maxwell, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, Eric Burdon, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Eddie Vedder, Axl Rose, and Kurt Cobain and Ray Charles.

Do you get it. There aint no king. It's only rock and roll. Get up and play motherfucker. Get up offa that thang and dance... Kick out the jams...come as you are...Living loving...god save the queen...little sister don't you do...

In my realm (my bedroom) I rule all!

n/t

Great voice and songs. Just like a real king, Elvis had stuff handed to him, and we can't forget who came before. But Elvis is just so larger than life and talented IMO.

Just kidding.

As to who started it, you can hear the emergence in late 1940's bands like Louis Jordan, Professor Longhair, etc.

But I guess Elvis is the "King" because he was crowned by a committee of adoring fans.

That dude knows how to ROCK!