Art rock
This article is not sufficiently supported by evidence (e.g., anecdotal evidence). Information without sufficient evidence may be removed soon. Please help Wikipedia by researching the information and adding good evidence.
Artrock (English: art rock, German actually: Kunst-Rock) is a style of rock music closely related to progressive rock. The boundaries between these two styles are fluid and controversial. One distinguishing feature is that progressive rock is more closely aligned with the compositional methods of classical music, while art rock represents the approach toward sophisticated production methods, large forms, and new visual representations. Bands that strictly speaking do not play progressive rock but have incorporated progressive elements into their musical and lyrical concept can also be counted as art rock.
Artrock can be understood as an attempt to develop the pop and rock music of the 1960s into an art music comparable to classical music. The roots of art rock can be found in the late 1960s. Numerous bands between 1969 and 1977 can be assigned to this musical style. Complex songwriting, often very long pieces with a playing time of up to more than 40 minutes, extended instrumental or solo parts, acoustic effects of all kinds and the pronounced tendency to concept albums characterize this style of music. Concept albums by the Beach Boys and the Beatles were just as influential as the music of Procol Harum, inspired by baroque music and the blues, the psychedelic rock of early Pink Floyd, the combination of rock and classical music by The Moody Blues, and the instrumental virtuosity of Cream and Jimi Hendrix.
A variant of art rock that originated in West Germany is known as Krautrock. Compared to British art rock, the main characteristic of this style is that it is almost completely free of influences from blues and classical music and the musicians worked early and intensively with the means of electronic music. Important representatives of this style include Amon Düül, Can, Faust, Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream. Krautrock also had a lasting influence on the music scene of the late 1980s and the 1990s, for example in drum and bass or techno.
Artrock was also popular in the GDR in the second half of the 1970s. The most important groups and styles are discussed in the article on progressive rock.
Important representatives
Important representatives of artrock are:
- 10cc
- Barclay James Harvest
- Brian Eno
- Eloy
- Emerson, Lake and Palmer
- Genesis
- Gentle Giant
- Jethro Tull
- Jim Steinman
- John Cale
- Jon Lord
- Kansas
- King Crimson
- Meat Loaf
- Mystery
- Peter Gabriel
- Peter Hammill
- Pink Floyd
- Radiohead
- Roxy Music
- Rush
- Styx
- Supertramp
- Sylvan
- Talk Talk
- The Alan Parsons Project
- The Nice
- Van der Graaf Generator
- Yes
- Wishbone Ash
Questions and Answers
Q: What is art rock?
A: Art rock is a sub-genre of rock music that aims to make rock music into art instead of just entertainment, with experimental influences and the use of different techniques like classical music elements.
Q: How does art rock differ from other genres of rock?
A: Art rock is not usually music to dance to, but music to just listen to, often uses longer songs than other genres of rock, and incorporates experimental influences and classical music elements.
Q: When did art rock start?
A: Art rock started in the 1960s.
Q: Who were two early examples of musicians making art rock?
A: Two early examples of musicians making art rock were Phil Spector, an American music producer, and Brian Wilson, the leader of The Beach Boys.
Q: Who were major fans of art rock?
A: British bands were major fans of art rock at the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s.
Q: What is another name for art rock?
A: Sometimes art rock is also called progressive rock or classical rock.
Q: What is the purpose of art rock?
A: The purpose of art rock is to make rock music into a form of art instead of just entertainment, incorporating experimental influences and classical music elements to create a unique listening experience.
