The death of Buddy Holly sparked a decline in rock and roll.

The death of Buddy Holly sparked a decline in rock and roll. Despite the young and vibrant nature of the genre, its key role models were becoming less active in producing music. The death of Buddy Holly, who was the centuries most influential musician, broke the hearts of

people everywhere. On top of losing this artist, Little Richard’s priority changed. He was one of the most popular artists in rock and roll. However, when he adopted Christianity, he put his energy towards becoming a priest rather than creating music. One of the biggest stars of rock and roll, Elvis, eventually dropped his music career to join the army, which upset fans all over the country. In addition to losing these artists, segregation was the ultimate end to the genre. Rock and roll was a genre that brought whites and African Americans together, so when the genre collapsed, the segregation was even more evident. Artists make the genre and attract the people who listen to and enjoy the music, without these 3 people; rock and roll was not the same. R&B, Motown, Phil Spector, and surf music rose after the decline of rock and roll. They were catchy, exciting, and positive which appealed to many people. With the decline of one genre, people wanted music that they could easily relate to and that would be uplifting.The

development of these new styles was due to commercial interests in that they decided what style would receive the spotlight and where the music was originating from. Even today, commercial interests rule the entertainment industry. For example the rising of rap music throughout the 2000’s which slowly gained popularity as it was advertised to teens worldwide as well as modeling industries and other companies who incorporate celebrities to advertise their products as a better option than the rest.