Glam Rock Music

Glam rock is a genre of rock music that emerged in the post-hippie 1970s, distinct for its outrageous and campy theatricality, crunchy guitar-driven instrumentation, flamboyant lyrics, science fiction themes, and glitzy sexuality that challenged gender conventions. Also known as “glitter rock”, it developed in the United Kingdom, where rock artists and bands at the time made their senses of style part of their overall artistic statement, but glam rock never really caught on in the US. The main proponents and pioneers of this genre include David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Queen, Sweet, Slade, Elton John, Alvin Stardust, Roxy Music, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Mud, Gary Glitter, and the New York Dolls.

The Characteristics of Glam Rock

Musically, glam rock is characterized by catchy melodies and crunchy guitars, put across with oft-outrageous lyrical themes such as science fiction, futurism, esoteric philosophy, hedonism and teenage revolution (as evident in some “T. Rex” records and Alice Cooper records). Visually, glam rock performers were even more outrageous and almost aesthetically trashy – they dressed themselves up in glittery, outlandish, androgynous costumes and make-up, intentionally and provocatively playing around with gender conventions.

A Brief History of Glam Rock

Glam rock’s origins can be traced stylistically to earlier genres of rock such as garage rock, progressive rock, and pop rock. David Bowie and Marc Bolan were among the first to usher in the new genre – and unique theatricality – of glam rock. Their futuristic and androgynous wardrobes were a stark contrast from the hippie look and appealed in the early 1970s to the younger British audience. They wore feather boas and glittery costumes and composed glam rock records that no one was supposed to take seriously. In the wake of their commercial success in the early 1970s, glam rock bands and artists followed suit, among them Elton John, Queen, Kiss, Sweet, Slade, Mud, and Roxy Music. Previously pop acts also were influenced by this new movement, such as Gary Glitter and Alvin Stardust. In America, there was the New York Dolls, one of the few American glam rock bands to have achieved considerable success at the time.

While glam rock records by T. Rex, its leader Marc Bolan, Gary Glitter, Slade, and Sweet were crafted for silly and sexy fun, glam rock also had a more serious aesthetic, as exemplified by David Bowie and Roxy Music. They showed a more progressive and arty side, experimenting and producing concept albums and exploring what was underneath the genre’s stylish glitzy surface.
The Influence of Glam Rock

Glam rock may not have lasted a long time, but its influence on later genres of rock cannot be denied. David Bowie, Gary Glitter, T. Rex, Queen, and Elton John have all retained their popularity. Also, there are bands and artists today who are continuing the glam style, such as The Ark, Negative, and Robin Black and the I.R.S.

Glam Rock Albums, Records, and CDs

Listen to the glitzy and wildly popular rock phenomenon in the 1970s, only here at MusicStack. David Bowie CDs, Marc Bolan CDs, Queen CDs, Sweet CDs, Slade CDs, Elton John CDs, Alvin Stardust CDs, Roxy Music CDs, Alice Cooper CDs, Lou Reed CDs, Mud CDs, Gary Glitter CDs, and the New York Dolls CDs, among other glam rock albums, records, and CDs, are all available, as are glam rock vinyl LPs.

Glam Rock Records and Glam Rock CDs
Find all kinds of rare, hard to find and out-of-print Glam Rock records and Glam Rock CDs on MusicStack.
David Bowie
Marc Bolan
Kiss
Queen
Elton John
Sweet
Slade
The New York Dolls
Mud
Roxy Music

Glam Rock Websites
Glam Rock Glam rock page at Wikipedia
Glam rock 101 Glam rock 101 at About.com
Browse the Glam Rock genre Browse the glam rock genre at AllMusic.com