Nationwide Vehicle Contracts takes you through history and examines the connection between cars and rock and roll.
What do you think of when you picture the world's most iconic rock and roll stars? Iconic hair and fashion styles, extravagant personalities, and always behind the wheel of some of the era's most stylish cars.
You can't make it as a rock and roll star and drive a boring car. The car you drive represents your personality; therefore, it's essential that rock and roll stars drive some of the most sought-after cars out there.
As many of them were behind the wheel of iconic cars so often, many car-themed songs were also released, bringing joy to both petrolheads and rock and rollers across the globe. But how did the relationship evolve over time?
In this blog, Nationwide Vehicle Contracts goes back in history and looks at the connection between cars and rock and roll.
1950s - where it all began
The 50s saw rock and roll grace our ears for the very first time, with musicians such as Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley breaking off the shackles after the Second World War to provide some iconic riffs, and as always, cars were at the focal point.
The first ever rock and roll song, 'Rocket 88' (1951) by Jackie Brenston and Ike Turner, is written about The Oldsmobile' Rocket 88' produced in 1949.
By 1956, Elvis Presley had taken centre stage, and after his number one hit in 1956, 'Heartbreak Hotel', Presley bought the first of his 100 Cadillacs, which would soon become an essential for any rock and roller. I mean, are there many more iconic cars than Elvis' 1955 pink Cadillac?
1960s
After its roots in the 1950s, the 60s saw the genre shoot off in different directions through bands such as The Beatles and The Beach Boys.
In the decade, cars were used more frequently in songs as metaphors for the trials and tribulations of life. First, we had The Beach Boys' 409' (1962), which is a tribute to a Chevrolet 409, and then they followed in 1964 with 'Fun Fun Fun' which focuses on a young girl's adventures in a Ford Thunderbird.
The Beatles released 'Drive My Car' (1965), which sings about a girl's need for a male chauffeur (and other things). However, they made the front pages more with their cars. John Lennon was a car enthusiast, driving cars such as the Ferrari 330 GT and the iconic psychedelic 1965 Rolls-Royce Phantom V.
1970s
The 70s saw the birth of hard rock, progressive rock, and heavy metal through artists such as the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, and Bruce Springsteen. As rock moved towards more dark and heavy themes, caused by the struggles of many during the 70s, we saw much less influence of cars on music.
Bruce Springsteen probably referred to cars the most and was known in the 70s for his combination of rock music with socially conscious lyrics, emphasised in 'Born to Run' (1975) and 'Racing in the Street' (1978). In the former, Springsteen refers to how cars provided teens in the 70s with a means of escape and freedom from their struggles.
The 70s ended with a move towards New Wave rock and roll, and Gary Numan hit the charts with 'Cars' in 1979. Numan used cars as a metaphor for social isolation and how people can use it to get themselves together and think about life.
1980 - 2000
As cars became more common after the 1970s, they were referred to less in rock and roll. Cars became an extension of your personality; thus, people wanted and needed to drive as cool and trendy a car as possible.
One of the reasons for this was because of the rockstars of the era. Green Day, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Oasis, and Blur were the epitome of cool, always sporting vintage 90s clothes and doing what they wanted.
One (of the many) memorable moments was when Oasis sunk a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow for the cover photo for their 1997 album 'Be Here Now'. The album cover signified how Oasis did things their own way and didn't care for tradition by sinking one of the most traditional British car makers ever. Regardless, the album became the fastest-selling British album in history.
Although 90s rock stars didn't refer to cars that often in their songs, we can see how their influence rubbed off on car culture. People no longer looked towards practicality; they wanted a stylish and fashionable car, giving rise to cars such as the Ford Escort and BMW 3 Series.
2000 - present day
You could argue that the 21st century has been absent of any true rock and roll stars. Gone are the days of phenomena such as Elvis Presley and The Beatles, and now there are all sorts of music genres for every taste.
In the age of social media, rock and rollers don't portray themselves as outlandish as those who came before them. Bands such as the Arctic Monkeys and Linkin Park are relatively minimalist, as are individuals like Ed Sheeran. They wore normal clothes, looked like normal people, and drove relatively normal cars.
Do you like rock and roll? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts produce a range of blogs on various topics, including The Cars With The Best Standard Spec and Real-World Car Manufacturers In Video Games.
We are also one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offer a range of affordable leasing deals to our customers. For more information, ring one of our experts on 0345 811 9595.
