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| The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll | |
|---|---|
| Name | The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll |
| Author | Rolling Stone magazine editors |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Rock music, popular music |
| Genre | Reference work |
| Publisher | Rolling Stone Press / Fireside |
| Pub date | 1983 (first edition) |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 711 |
The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll is a comprehensive reference work compiled by editors of Rolling Stone (magazine) that documents artists, bands, and movements across rock and popular music. First published in 1983, the encyclopedia assembled entries on performers ranging from Elvis Presley and The Beatles to contemporary acts such as Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson, situating them amid chronologies of Blues, Country music, Motown, and Punk rock developments. The volume served as a point of convergence for journalists associated with Rolling Stone (magazine), freelance critics, and historians tied to institutions such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Smithsonian Institution.
The project grew out of editorial initiatives at Rolling Stone (magazine) under editors affiliated with figures like Jann Wenner and contributors connected to publications such as Creem and NME (magazine), and it drew on networks spanning New York City, London, and Los Angeles. Research for entries relied on interviews with artists including Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and David Bowie as well as archival materials from labels such as Columbia Records, Atlantic Records, Motown Records, and Capitol Records. Contributors referenced primary sources tied to events like the Monterey Pop Festival, the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, and the Woodstock (1969) performance histories, while consulting musicologists affiliated with universities such as UCLA and New York University.
Entries are organized alphabetically and include individual biographies for performers like Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, and The Who. The encyclopedia also contains thematic essays on genres and movements including Rhythm and Blues, Soul music, Funk, Disco, Reggae, Ska, Grunge, and Progressive rock, and covers industry topics involving companies like Warner Bros. Records and Island Records. Discographies and selected bibliographies accompany many entries, noting landmark albums such as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Pet Sounds, Nevermind, Exile on Main St., and Thriller, and listing producers like Phil Spector, George Martin, Quincy Jones, and Brian Eno.
The original 1983 edition was followed by revised and paperback versions that corrected entries and expanded coverage to emerging artists such as Madonna, Prince, U2, R.E.M., and Guns N' Roses. Subsequent printings adjusted focus to include movements like Hip hop, highlighting figures such as Grandmaster Flash, Run-D.M.C., Public Enemy, and Tupac Shakur. Special editions incorporated updated chronologies reflecting events like the induction ceremonies at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and milestones such as anniversaries of The Beatles' rooftop concert and the deaths of artists like Kurt Cobain and John Lennon.
Critics from outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian, and Los Angeles Times praised the work for breadth while noting editorial decisions shaped by contributors from Rolling Stone (magazine). The encyclopedia influenced institutional collections at the Library of Congress, the British Library, and university music libraries, and it became a reference point for curators at Museum of Modern Art exhibits and historians researching the counterculture era. Its lists and assessments informed voting at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and influenced later compendia such as AllMusic and artist biographies published by houses like Da Capo Press.
Academics teaching courses at institutions such as Berklee College of Music, University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, and Oxford University have used the encyclopedia as a supplementary resource for modules on 20th century music, performance studies, and popular culture; instructors cross-referenced entries with primary sources from archives at Smithsonian Institution and oral histories collected by programs like the Music Oral History Project. Researchers cite its discographies and bibliographies in studies appearing in journals such as Journal of Popular Music Studies and Popular Music (Cambridge journal), and it has been used in undergraduate assignments alongside databases like JSTOR and ProQuest.
Commentators and scholars criticized the encyclopedia for uneven coverage, perceived editorial bias toward Anglo-American acts like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen, and relative neglect of scenes in Africa (e.g., Fela Kuti), Latin America (e.g., Caetano Veloso), and Asia (e.g., Ravi Shankar). Debates also centered on the treatment of genres such as Hip hop and Reggae, and the selection criteria echoed controversies comparable to those surrounding the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction debates over artists like Missy Elliott and The Supremes. Scholarly reviews questioned factual errors in early printings and called for more rigorous citation practices aligned with standards at repositories such as Library of Congress and academic presses.
Category:Encyclopedias of music