In its purest form, rock 'n' roll has three chords forming the 12 bar blues progression, a strong backbeat and a catchy melody. Early rock 'n' roll drew from a variety of sources, primarily blues, R&B and country, as well as gospel, traditional pop, jazz, and folk. All of these influences, combined in a simple blues-based song structure that was fast and danceable, make up the traditional sound of rock 'n' roll.

• The music: 12 bar blues over a walking bass and up-tempo 'backbeat' drums.
• The lyrics: simple and catchy, themed around love, loss of love and teenage rebellion.
• The guitar solo: pentatonic/ blues based flurries, usually not much longer than a few bars with lots of repeating patterns.
• The equipment: Gibson 335's and ES175's, Vox amps, Gretch guitars, Double bass.
• The image: Brylceam, suits, Teddy Boys.
• The bands: Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley, Bill Haley, Gene Vincent, the Everly Brothers and Carl Perkins.