hard rock hard rock heavy rock loosely defined rock music began mid-1960s garage psychedelic blues rock movements heavy use aggressive vocals distorted electric guitars bass guitar drums accompanied keyboards hard rock developed major form popular music 1970s bands 1980s hard rock bands moved away hard rock roots pop rock began return hard rock sound established bands comeback mid-1980s reached commercial peak 1980s glam metal bands like sounds followed great success later decade hard rock began losing popularity commercial success later 1990s despite post bands adopted hard rock sound 2000s came renewed interest established bands attempts revival new hard rock bands emerged garage rock post punk revival scenes 2000s hard rock bands 1970s 1980s managed sustain highly successful recording careers definitions hard rock form loud aggressive rock music electric guitar emphasised distortion effects rhythm instrument repetitive riffs varying degree complexity solo lead instrument drumming focuses driving rhythms strong bass drum snare emphasis bass guitar works conjunction drums occasionally playing riffs usually providing backing rhythm lead guitars vocals involve screaming high range falsetto voice hard rock labelled rock emphasis overt sexuality historically predominantly performed consumed men case audience particularly white working class late 1960s term heavy metal hard rock gradually began describe music played volume intensity hard rock maintained rock roll identity including swing beat riffs tended outline chord hooks heavy metal riffs functioned stand melodies swing heavy metal took darker characteristics breakthrough beginning 1970s 1980s developed number termed extreme metal influenced hardcore punk differentiated styles despite hard rock heavy metal existed bands frequently standing boundary crossing genres history roots hard rock traced 1950s particularly electric blues laid foundations key elements rough vocal style heavy guitar riffs string bending blues scale guitar solos strong beat thick riff laden texture performances electric blues began experimenting hard rock elements driving rhythms distorted guitar solos power chords 1950s evident work memphis blues particularly captured ferocious electric guitar sound records cotton crop blues include instrumental rumble surf rock let origins 1960s 1960s american british blues rock bands began modify rock roll adding harder sounds heavier guitar riffs drumming vocals electric blues early forms hard rock heard work chicago blues musicians version garage rock standard songs rhythm blues influenced british invasion acts including got generation shapes things inside looking animals satisfaction rolling_stones late 1960s common divide mainstream rock music emerged soft hard rock soft rock derived folk rock acoustic instruments putting emphasis melody harmonies contrast hard rock derived blues rock played intensity blues rock acts pioneered sound included cream experience cream songs like feel free combined blues rock pop particularly riffs guitar solos produced form blues influenced psychedelic rock combined elements jazz blues rock roll brought lead guitar new heights technical moved blues rock direction heavy rock band rolling_stones pioneered use new guitar effects like feedback distortion beatles began producing songs new hard rock style beginning white album track attempted create greater level noise stephen_thomas_erlewine allmusic described metal argued attempts heavy style exception embarrassing groups emerged american psychedelic scene time included san_francisco band released crude distorted cover classic blues debut album outlined later hard rock heavy metal sound month released self titled debut album including born wild contained lyrical reference heavy metal helped style film minute long title track organs lengthy drum solo later elements sound end decade distinct genre hard rock emerging bands like mixed music early rock bands hard edged form blues rock acid rock albums began progressive rock group achieved commercial breakthrough fourth heavier album rock significant paranoid combined guitar riffs explicit references elements gothic horror bands seen pivotal development heavy metal metal intensity music bands like following lead territory darker menacing hard rock tended continue remain good time music expansion 1970s early 1970s rolling_stones developed hard rock sound exile initially receiving mixed reviews according critic generally regarded finest album continued pursue riff heavy sound albums including black blue began mix elements world folk music hard rock included track heaven played song history album oriented radio continued define hard rock particularly album included tracks highway star smoke water guitarist left going form rainbow break band year vocalist formed saw release live leeds seen hard rock live album following year released highly acclaimed album mixed heavy rock extensive use synthesizers subsequent albums including built sound album death pioneering rock drummer later year emerging british acts included free released signature song right received extensive radio airplay breakup band vocalist joined eponymous album international hit mixture hard rock progressive rock evident works pursued directly bands like scottish band released self titled début album producing blend hard rock pop best selling hair dog contained power ballad love hurts having enjoyed national success early 1970s queen release night opera gained international recognition sound layered vocals guitars mixed hard rock heavy metal progressive rock opera featured single bohemian stayed number charts weeks united_states rock pioneer achieved mainstream success album school following year blues released classic album produced eponymous début southern punk outfit demonstrating diverse directions pursued genre including instrumental talent vocals arguably american hard rock band challenge british dominance genre released album kiss built look produce unique band persona achieving commercial breakthrough double live album alive helping hard rock stadium rock era mid-1970s achieved commercial artistic breakthrough toys attic reached number american album chart rocks peaked number blue cult formed late 60s picked elements introduced breakthrough live gold album feet knees followed platinum album containing hit single don fear reached number billboard charts journey released eponymous debut year boston released highly successful début album year hard rock bands featuring women saw commercial success heart released self titled album heart folk oriented hard rock sound mix punk influenced music hard rock having emerged detroit garage rock scene famous psychedelic hit journey center mind dissolved guitarist embarked solo career resulted successive multi platinum albums best selling double live outside united_kingdom united_states canadian trio rush released hard rock albums rush fly night steel moving progressive sound album irish band formed late 1960s substantial commercial breakthrough hard rock album worldwide hit boys town reached number number style consisting playing leads harmony proved large influence later bands reached commercial arguably artistic peak arrival germany marked geographical expansion australian formed stripped riff heavy style appealed punk generation began gain international attention culminating release multi platinum albums let rock influenced punk heavy metal bands like abandoned remaining elements blues music hard rock heavy metal styles helping create new wave british heavy metal pursued bands like saxon venom rise disco punk rock hard rock mainstream dominance later decade disco appealed diverse group people punk rebellious role hard rock held early punk bands like explicitly rebelled drum solos extended guitar solos characterised stadium rock songs minutes guitar solos new rock acts continued emerge record sales remained high 1980s saw début rise stardom went release platinum albums mid-1980s groups like kansas helped cement heavy rock midwest form stadium rock emerged los_angeles music scene sound based skills lead guitarist guitar playing technique handed hammer pull offs called tapping showcased song eruption album highly influential establishing hard rock popular genre punk disco explosion role electric guitar glam metal era 1980s opening years 1980s saw number changes personnel direction established hard rock acts including deaths lead singer drummer broke immediately pressed recording album black new lead singer fifth highest selling album time second highest selling album world split original singer replaced rainbow giving band new sound period creativity popularity beginning heaven hell embarked solo career featuring american guitarist bands queen moved away hard rock roots pop rock including began return hard rock sound creation metal mixed heavy metal elements hardcore punk particularly slayer helped create extreme metal remove style hard rock number bands members continue record songs closer hard rock sound kiss moved away hard rock roots pop metal firstly removing makeup album adopting visual sound glam metal release marked return commercial success women achieve commercial success hard rock successive albums new wave british heavy metal released second album high dry mixing glam rock heavy metal helping define sound hard rock decade follow reached number american charts singles photograph rock ages helped emergence mtv reached widely emulated particularly emerging glam metal scene followed acts like albums fast love shout devil style grew arrival bands quiet riot album metal health glam metal album arguably heavy metal album kind reach number billboard music charts helped open doors mainstream success subsequent bands established bands comeback mid-1980s year separation returned classic machine head line produce reached number hit countries platinum seller somewhat slower sales fourth album rebounded album reached commercial pinnacle reached number billboard album chart provided track jump reached number singles chart remained weeks heart half decade comeback eponymous ninth studio album hit number contained singles including number hit new medium video channels considerable success bands formed previous decades mixed hard blues rock new wave music produce series highly successful singles beginning helped albums achieve diamond multi platinum status respectively found renewed success singles charts power ballads including loving fight feeling journey don stop open arms want know love loving heart love dreams boston album slippery wet mixed hard rock pop sensitivity spent total weeks billboard album chart selling million copies hard rock album spawn singles reached number album credited widening audiences genre particularly appealing women traditional male dominated audience opening door mtv commercial success bands end decade final countdown swedish group europe international hit reaching number charts hitting countries era saw glam infused american hard rock bands come forefront poison releasing multi platinum début albums released album lead vocals number weeks sold million copies second half decade hard rock reliable form commercial popular music united_states established acts benefited new commercial climate self titled album selling million copies catalogue featured rock anthem singles follow slip tongue went platinum according critics considerable disappointment board success comeback album permanent vacation begin decade long revival popularity crazy nights kiss band highest charting release highest career girls girls girls continued commercial success hit commercial peak producing seven hit singles record hard rock act guns roses released best selling début time appetite destruction sound glam metal produced hits including number sweet child glam rock bands formed mid-1980s experienced biggest success period respective albums pride going multi platinum launching series hit singles years decade notable successes new_jersey open poison pump commercially successful album new_jersey spawned singles record hard rock act june november number spot billboard album chart held hard rock album consecutive weeks albums appetite destruction new_jersey final wave glam rock bands arrived late 1980s experienced success multi platinum albums hit singles early 1990s extreme released eponymous début reaching number billboard major bands emerged glam rock era 1990s hard rock entered 1990s dominant forms commercial music multi platinum releases edge roses use illusion use illusion tears unlawful knowledge showcased popularity additionally released debut album shake money maker contained classic rock sound sold million copies followed went multi platinum spawned singles held number spot album chart weeks hard rock bands managed maintain success popularity early decade alternative forms hard rock achieved mainstream success form particularly evident success combined elements hardcore punk heavy metal dirty sound use heavy guitar distortion feedback darker lyrical themes hair band predecessors bands sound sharply contrasted mainstream hard rock including alice chains mother love bone strongly influenced 1970s 1980s rock metal managed turn alternative rock form stadium rock bands fashion focused aesthetics particularly associated glam metal oasis unusual bands mid-1990s incorporating hard rock sound new commercial climate glam metal bands like europe broke went hiatus bands unite late 1990s early 2000s reached commercial success saw 1980s early 1990s bands poison saw personnel changes impacted bands commercial viability decade van released balance multi platinum seller band vocals returned briefly replacement extreme singer fired soon release commercially unsuccessful album van tour record guns roses original lineup away decade fired guitarist left late recording use illusion band tensions band members lead singer continued release covers album incident left followed bassist original member worked constantly changing lineup recording album years complete established acts continued enjoy commercial success number multi platinum albums grip produced singles band best selling album worldwide going sell million copies lives released number hit don want miss thing remains single hard rock band debut number produced double platinum appealed hard rock audience songs faith achieved success adult contemporary radio ballads bed roses album days bigger hit europe united_states spawning singles singles chart load sold excess million copies saw band develop melodic blues rock sound initial impetus bands middle years decade post bands emerged emulated attitudes music particularly thick distorted guitars radio friendly commercially oriented sound drew directly traditional hard rock successful acts live collective soul australia england bush cemented post commercially viable late 1990s similarly post bands followed wake oasis including adopted hard rock pop metal sound 2000s hard rock bands 1970s 1980s managed sustain highly successful recording careers able achieve commercial hit life double platinum certified album crush released platinum certified stiff released number platinum album push play saw band foray pop hit blues cover album reached number heart achieved album early 90s red velvet car female led hard rock band earn albums spanning decades subsequent tours delayed death bassist performance interest previous eras additionally hard rock members members punk band singer emerged experienced success bands short lived ending respectively long awaited roses album chinese democracy finally released went platinum failed come close success band late 1980s early 1990s material successfully released double platinum certified black ice continued enjoy success branching country music says home reached number chart rock country album lost highway reached number released number album circle marked return hard rock sound term retro metal applied bands texas based sword california high fire sweden australia self titled debut album combined elements sounds fellow australians début album wild followed hard tradition england described realistic simulation 80s metal 70s glam topped charts going platinum follow way ticket hell reached number band broke los_angeles band managed gain following sending 80s glam metal attempt revive glam metal bands metal movement sweden including jenna continued successful rock acts albums like honor reaching number wave post bands began fade popularity acts like creed took genre 2000s considerable commercial success abandoning angst anger original movement conventional anthems narratives romantic songs followed vein new acts including acts conventional hard rock sounds included breakthrough album went platinum spawned single sorry billboard joined bands hard rock emerged garage rock post punk revival including kings queens stone age days grace canada jet australia new_zealand brought queens stone age bass player attracted attention live act released self titled debut album reached countries
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