ART ROCK - Study Guide

History:
Art Rock is a subgenre of rock music that grew as an extension of the
experimental work and conceptual outlook taken on music in the late 1960s. Many
bands felt that the current rock was too basic and simple. They wanted to develop more
complex ideas, extending the limits of Rock & Roll. The style was created with the
intention of listening and contemplation rather than for dancing. Other bands wished to
show off their impressive techniques.

Influence:
Influences were drawn from several genres, such as:

Classical music
Experimental rock
Avant garde
Jazz

Lyrical Content:
Art Rock artists became focused on deeper meaning in their lyrical content,
creating a less danceable and less commercial product than that other rock sub-genres.
The lyrics of the songs were often poetic and imaginative, with philosophical,
sociopolitical, or science-fiction themes.
The style was traditionally used within the context of concept records, with
lyrical themes that unify all of the songs in the album.

Musical Characteristics:
The genre often feature complex or frequent rhythm and time-signature changes.
The new technology of synthesizers helped many bands create new and varied sounds.
In addition to the standard rock-band lineup (guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals),
these groups often featured the Mellotron (a tape-loop-based keyboard instrument often
used for orchestral sounds), organ, piano, and early synthesizers. Some bands also
incorporated symphonic orchestration.
Another important element of Art Rock is form. In contrast to most popular music,
which was often in binary form, artists organized Art Rock songs into movements,
similar to that of classical music, or as a rhapsody.