The “critical mass” achieved by television viewership during the mid-50’s led to the transformation of radio from what it was to the hit record format for kids it became. That turned Rock and Roll into a force that changed the world. One of my pet peeves is the assertion that RnR is nothing more than Rhythm and Blues. It isn’t, because by its very definition Rock and Roll is a combination of White and Black influences. You want an example of purely Black music from that time? Here’s an awesome 1955 “race record” (as R&B had previously been called) that deserves far more views than the sub-200 it has at the moment!