From its roots in the black and white under classes through its clash with the broader culture to its multifaceted incarnation today, rock and roll has fostered and reflected a genuine cultural revolution which has gone on to influence the world. This critical text investigates rock music from a philosophical perspective, an approach rarely seen in the literature. Topics covered include a definition of rock music and a suggested typology; an examination of rock on radio and in television and film; and a depiction of what is to come. Of particular interest is how rock's shifting mores have mirrored the complex changes experienced by American society as it has undergone almost continuous turbulence.