Elvis Presley, a very famous rock artist who passed away in 1977, was the theme of a post on the University of Maryland’s Instagram on September 28, 2024. How did he remain relevant enough to be posted about so many years later? This research delves into the canonization of rock and popular music during the 1970s, looking at case studies from the University of Maryland. Canonization – in this case, the canonization of classic rock – refers to popular artists transitioning out of their past musical era and into a timeless status. The factors that contributed to this switch for classic rock musicians include their social impact at their own time, their widespread recognition, and the transformation from musical artists into icons. We will examine rock artists’ popularity through ticket sales, and students’ engagement with rock concerts at the University of Maryland. We’ll also consider the concerts themselves and the reviews from student newspapers, to see how they relate to peoples’ opinions on rock music. Combining these perspectives with the cultural events from the 1970s will show how rock music became “classic” rock in our present musical world and how UMD contributed to this.
Social Impact and Timing
A primary factor that was involved in the canonization of rock music is the artist’s social influence while actively performing. Rock artists played the contemporary issues of the time to their advantage, and they had a major impact on audiences’ perspectives on these issues. Contextualizing the 1970s allows us to see the culture that contributed to the popularity of rock. The trends of the decade created an atmosphere for classic rock to appeal to people. Rock audiences of the time related their favorite bands and singers to the political and social occurrences of the time.1 This includes the women’s movement, the sexual revolution, and the emergence of free love. Musicians catered to those themes, which drew in listeners and contributed to their fame. It is crucial to note that the 1970s brought more freedom around ideas of feminism, love and relationships, and rebellion. Artists provided an outlet through their music for audiences to express themselves and feel heard. For example, the female singer-songwriter Carly Simon wrote the song “That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be,” which challenged the traditional representation of marriage. In this song, she conveyed uncertainty and hesitancy regarding marriage, expressing fear that it could “tie one down.” These emotions were not heard in music often during the time, and Simon’s perspective resonated with many female listeners of the time. Her song challenged preconceived notions abut marriage, allowing fans to question what they previously believed.2 This idea of rebellion spoke to listeners and allowed them to connect with current events through music. Singer-songwriters used the social happenings of the 1970s to attract fans and make them feel empowered, leading to their idolization.
It is also necessary to contextualize rock and roll in terms of growing up in post World War II America.3 Although the 1970s was a significant time after the end of the war, the effects of were still felt decades later. Rock and roll is defined as being about survival. The children of those who went through the war were depressed, angry, and frustrated. They felt their environment was boring, restricting, and rock and roll embodied those emotions. Youth of the time felt powerless and isolated from each other and the world of their parents partly because of this post-war context and postmodernity. The events that occurred during these post-war years, including the development of late capitalism, the Cold War, and overall economic success, led to the children of the time feeling insecure, afraid, and angry.4 The adults stressed the uniqueness of the next generation and promised their children prosperity, which only resulted in feelings of uncertainty and self-doubt. Thus, they turned to rock as an answer to find their identity. Rock was more than just the sound and specific music components to listeners. Rock functioned as a necessity for survival, and was something people listened to to contrast the despair and bad times, something that made them feel better, even if it didn’t solve all of their issues. The message that artists put out about their own image and beliefs was very important for audiences as well. The time at which rock and roll emerged was perfect for teenagers of the time, and its function continued into the 1970s.
For UMD specifically, students were focused on the nonrevolutionary functions of rock music, not just the themes of social movements.5 Although there are many famous rock songs that mention “the revolution” and the war, the author of this UMD student newspaper believes there is too much emphasis and pressure on those who used the revolution in their songs, but that theme has faded with time. The student author also notes that artists used the revolution to attract fans and money, but didn’t necessarily believe in the cause. Artists catered to what the fans wanted, and the revolution was definitely a popular theme. This was a factor in their canonization as what these artists stood for and promoted through their music is still remembered today, even if it wasn’t their true beliefs. For example, The Doors and Jim Morrison wrote an anti war song, “The Unknown Soldier,” and because of that song, audiences credited Morrison to ending the war. 6 While some artists may have been using the revolution to their own advantage, 70s listeners were clearly supporting artists for more than their musical talent, and in some cases might have taken their idolization of artists too far. The UMD author points this out and calls out those who base their political ideologies on the artists who use it in their music for personal gain. Musicians’ references to the revolution, although maybe selfish, did attract audiences, provided them an outlet, and helped contribute to their timeless status. The UMD author points this out and calls out those who see This reiterates the importance of timing in rock’s rise to fame, and how people clung onto what rock represented to reaffirm their beliefs or to feel true liberation.
“…Rock earned its revolutionary reputation before it become the business enterprise it its today, and now it no longer merits that label.” – The Diamondback, January 2, 1972
Stage Presence Creates Widespread Recognition
The second factor involved in the canonization of rock music was the musicians’ energy and stage presence. This era came with many musical artists who became icons and have stayed just as famous for decades after. Looking at UMD, it’s easy to see this pattern. On February 4, 1977, Queen and Thin Lizzy performed a concert at the University of Maryland.7 This concert almost went horribly wrong; The Diamondback review mentions “the droning music still reminded one of the muffled roar of an approaching subway train.”8 The music was too loud and you could barely hear them. It was also overcrowded and overwhelming. This didn’t stop the audience from enjoying the concert, and when the concert ended the crowd requested two encores! The audience clearly didn’t come just for the music. The review states that students “came to hear only the thunder [our emphasis] of rock and roll and Thin Lizzy and Queen did not fail them.”9 Rock became more than just music, it became about what energy the icons brought to every performance. The Diamondback article reviewing the show mentions that while the music was repetitive, the way Queen performed and created an image on stage drew the audience in. This can be seen within the picture captured of Freddy Mercury. He stands tall and emulates power. His outfit forces the focus to be solely on him. These reviews are consistent with other rock performances at UMD.
On October 26, 1974, the Clash performed at Ritchie Coliseum at UMD.10 Their concert also didn’t go according to plan. They had a 3-hour delay, their guitars kept breaking, and the sound system was broken. Despite that, the feedback was great. The students expected a situation like this, they came for this type of artist. This Diamondback review says, “Then, after another lengthy delay, the Clash hit the stage at 11p.m to a tremendous applause.”11 The students weren’t upset or ready to leave even after coming three hours before it started. They still cheered and clapped for the band. Many students mentioned the great energy and presence the band had. “‘It’s like plugging your head into an electric socket!’” said one student attending. The energy was there and the band had such a performance that the lyrics and individual music weren’t a lasting impression. Instead, students left feeling euphoric because of the liveliness and presence of the band.
“‘It’s like plugging your head into an electric socket!’” said one student attending. – The Diamondback. October 1st, 1979
People’s reviews of concerts at UMD and the events themselves can serve as a case study generalizing these artists’ stage presence to all rock artists in the 1970s. Since there are multiple cases of students’ reactions, where they all love the energy even when things go wrong, the assumption is that many concerts went the same way.12 People left these concerts with unforgettable experiences, and they continued to talk about these concerts later on, reminiscing on this era of performance when people went for the energy the artists had. From these conversations, people relived the event, reaffirming the extraordinary performance that they witnessed and passing it on to others. These small conversations thus create and normalize a larger societal belief in the energy and aura on the stage from these artists. This trend is partly what led society to know about the many legendary performances of rock artists in the 1970s.13 The example of UMD is a case study of the rock scene of the 1970s as a whole. This behavior—the nostalgic recollection of rock concerts—has helped lead to the canonization of rock music, as it remained unforgettable in people’s minds.
Icon’s Fandom
The third factor present in the canonization is the musician’s existence and recognition in the 1970s. Due to the relationship between popularity and fan participation, there was a dramatic difference between rising stars like Queen and well-established bands like The Kinks in the 1970s rock performance scene. At their concert at Cole Field House on February 4, 1977, Queen sold 12,375 of the 13,799 tickets that were issued, bringing in an astounding $75,991, which is indicative of their huge popularity and capacity to draw big audiences.14 In contrast, The Kinks’ April 23, 1975, engagement at Ritchie Coliseum was far less successful; out of 2,200 tickets printed, only 1,009 were sold, bringing in a meager $5,800 in revenue from less than half of the total tickets.15 Some variables that may have affected attendance include the stars’ popularity at the time and their age demographic, particularly in a time of changing musical preferences and the rise of new rock stars who had a commanding and exciting stage presence.
Bruce Springsteen’s experiences serve to emphasize these themes even more. His April 29, 1975 show, for which he received $1,500 in compensation, probably drew a small crowd because of the lack of exposure, emphasizing the unstable state of artist marketing at the time.16 However, excitement for his rescheduled show on October 4, when 10,000 seats were available, was so high that on the first day of sales, hundreds of people were already lining up at 7 a.m. to buy tickets. For Springsteen, who at that point often performed in smaller venues, this was a big occasion; he saw it as an experiment to see if his music would work with a bigger crowd, even though he decided to cancel this performance.17
The differences in these artists’ ticket sales and audience participation highlight the importance of stage presence and cultural relevance in the rock music canonization of the 1970s. An artist’s ability to engage with the youth culture of the era and inspire dedicated fandom, such as college students sleeping in hallways for tickets, was a critical factor in determining their success and how iconic they truly are.
Conclusion
Sphere, Las Vegas, NV)
These elements of fame, talent, and timing, are why classic rock is considered “classic,” and the University of Maryland still contributes to these reasons through their events and student perspectives. Tribute bands for rock bands were used as a way for older audiences to rediscover their music and younger audiences to become reintroduced to them. These bands had a profound influence on fans and on life in the 1970s in general, we still keep their legacy alive. These Tribute bands try to reproduce the original sounds and images of 1970s bands, and even original bands revert to their first or greatest hits when on tour. The message that these artists put out through their songs are nostalgic to audiences, and informative for younger fans who are starting to listen to them. People recognize the signs of the music from the bands they loved, whether they realized it or not. Audiences subconsciously perceive the sonic features ass indexing the 1970s and have emotional response to them.18 These reactions show how the sound of these bands and tribute bands carries over through time and can still provoke the same response as if one was listening for the first time.
Events from the ‘70s at Maryland are still being recognized today in places as far as Las Vegas. When the Grateful Dead performed at the Sphere in May 2024, the image pictured was displayed before the concert. The fact that the specific event at Cole Field House was presented for all concert attendees to see shows that the University of Maryland played a huge role in the popularity of 1970s bands, and its impact is felt and recognized even now.
Bibliography
Primary Sources
“A Dog’s Life at $35,000 a Night.” The Diamondback. April 30, 1971. Page 6. Digital Collections, University of Maryland Libraries. https://digital.lib.umd.edu/student-newspapers-old/id/e02ad1b0-66e3-41ec-a4cf-238bd2d5adb7 relpath=pcdm&query=%22rock%20music%22.
Black Sabbath, Location (Cole Field House), July 28, 1972. Box 1, Folder 33. Series 1: Administrative Records, 1969–2010 and undated. Student Entertainment Events (SEE) Records. Special Collections and University Archives, Hornbake Library, University of Maryland Libraries.
Bruce Springsteen, Location (Cole Field House), April 28, 1973, Box 2, Folder 11. Series 1: Administrative Records, 1969–2010 and undated. Student Entertainment Events (SEE) Records. Special Collections and University Archives, Hornbake Library, University of Maryland Libraries.
Bruce Springsteen (cancelled), Location (Cole Field House), October 4, 1973. Box 2, Folder 12. Series 1: Administrative Records, 1969–2010 and undated. Student Entertainment Events (SEE) Records. Special Collections and University Archives, Hornbake Library, University of Maryland Libraries.
“Counter-Revolutionary Rock” The Diamondback. January 7, 1972. Digital Collections, University of Maryland Libraries. https://digital.lib.umd.edu/student-newspapers-old/id/670b1a32-4c1c-4c2d-8605-1fdb1550a0af?relpath=pcdm&query=%22rock%20music%22.
Kinks, Location (Ritchie Coliseum), April 23, 1975. Box 6, Folder 12. Series 1: Administrative Records, 1969–2010 and undated. Student Entertainment Events (SEE) Records. Special Collections and University Archives, Hornbake Library, University of Maryland Libraries.
“Punk Music Lives!”The Diamondback. September 29, 1979. Box 2, Folder 28. Series 1: Administrative Records, 1969–2010 and undated. Student Entertainment Events (SEE) Records. Special Collections and University Archives, Hornbake Library, University of Maryland Libraries.
Queen / Thin Lizzy, Location (Cole Field House), February 4, 1977. Box 8, Folder 21. Series 1: Administrative Records, 1969–2010 and undated. Student Entertainment Events (SEE) Records. Special Collections and University Archives, Hornbake Library, University of Maryland Libraries.
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