The History of British Rock and Roll: The Beat Boom 1963 - 1966

There is no doubt that Rock 'n' Roll had its beginnings in
America. Artists such as Bill Haley, Little Richard,
Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Vincent, Elvis Presley and Eddie
Cochran were the idols of the early British rock 'n' rollers,
as homegrown acts such as Tommy Steele, Lonnie
Donegan, Billy Fury and Cliff Richard produced their
own versions of this new music.

But by the end of 1962, rock 'n' roll was in danger of
becoming extinct. The music charts on both sides of the
Atlantic were overwhelmed by softer songs lacking the
dynamism and raw power of the originators.

Emerging from this panache of smoothness, the British
acts of the Beat Boom rejuvenated and revitalised the
music industry with their freshness and excitement.

This is the story of those climactic years when Britannia
ruled the airwaves across the world.