Those which breaks the established rules and do it well tends to be remember over and above the status quo. The 60's music came into its own after the 50's style became a tired well worn format. We also needed something upbeat after the Kennedy assassination. The Beatles did both things. The 50's style was quite different from the Swing era of the 30's and 40's, WWII popular music. Some would say the Golden Age of Hollywood was the 20's and 30's. Not too surprising since the industry started to come into its own and by the 20's, the Film makers were getting a firm handle on the media. It took them 10 years figuring it out how to tell the story, making the best edits, marketing, acting style,etc. For several years, CD sales have been declining. Some have speculated the music quality isn't what is used to be. I have a feeling the current music is getting well worn. Something different is in the offering and a new "Golden Age" will emerge.
As an American top 40 collector, I would say that "The Golden Age of Rock & Roll" was between 1955 and 1975.
Yes I do believe that the 60's were the Golden Age, in the 50's the music was great but to be able to be played you had to be white in some areas. It was the beginning of Rock N Roll but stations shunned it and called it a bad influence on the kids. Little Richard could not get played and in the stations doing so Pat Boone started recording some of Little Richard's songs and got played and got credit. The 60's was not only an opening but also a experiment in sounds and creations like never heard before, so many different sounds came from the 60's influenced by the 50's but also it was a new happening. Not only in areas like Frisco with bands like the Dead, Airplane, Big Brother & Janis, Country Joe & the Fish, Quicksilver Messenger Service and others. But Los Angeles opened up with bands like The Doors, Arthur Lee & Love, Spirit, The Seeds, The Turtles and others. We also had music for the contemps like the Herb Alpert & the TJ Brass. You can still see the 60's influence in new bands today and lets not forget the 60's british invasion, great bands came out of there and that is not even counting the Beatles and Stones. Yeah my thought is that the 60's was and is the Golden Age of Rock N Roll..
