Rock n' Roll
In the 1950's, popular music took a drastic turn from the Jazz Age, blues, and swing. A new form of music, dubbed "Rock N' Roll" by radio DJ Alan Freed, emerged from blues and swing. Influential black musicians of this time were Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Chubby Checker, and Bo Diddley. This musical styling was quickly picked up by white musicians like Elvis and Jerry Lewis, who made this genre popular.
Soul and R&B
Rock n' Roll wasn't the only thing stirring up popular culture in the 50's. Blues and gospel evolved into Soul and R&B. Some of the biggest artists of the time were Sam Cooke, Johnny Ace, Muddy Waters, The Orioles, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Freddy King, B.B. King, and Albert King.