--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rock and roll is not an instrument. Rock…" description: "\"Rock and roll is not an instrument. Rock and roll isn't even a style of music. Rock and roll is a spirit that's been going since the blues, jazz, bebop..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/mc-ren-20723_heavy-metal_rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock_343887.jpg" --- # Rock and roll is not an instrument. Rock and roll isn't… ![“Rock and roll is not an instrument. Rock and roll isn't even a style of music. Rock and roll is a spirit that's been going since the blues, jazz, bebop, soul, R&B, heavy metal, punk rock and, yes, hip-hop.” quote by MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/mc-ren-20723_heavy-metal_rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock_343887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/mc-ren-20723_heavy-metal_rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock_343887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/mc-ren-20723_heavy-metal_rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock_343887.jpg) > “Rock and roll is not an instrument. Rock and roll isn't even a style of music. Rock and roll is a spirit that's been going since the blues, jazz, bebop, soul, R&B, heavy metal, punk rock and, yes, hip-hop.” [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rock and roll is defined by a cultural spirit, not a specific instrument or genre, evolving through many musical styles. **In simple terms:** Rock and roll is a spirit, not a style. Key Takeaway Embrace the cultural energy behind music. Themes culture music identity evolution influence Mood enerusi reflective Type cultural philosophical When to use this quote - music festivals - cross‑genre collaborations - educational workshops - media analysis Key Concepts genre fluidity cultural transmission musical heritage Questions to Reflect On - How does the spirit of rock influence other genres? - Can a genre be defined without a specific sound? A Different Perspective The definition may be too broad, making it hard to pinpoint a concrete identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heavy metal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy-metal/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Instrument Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instrument-rock-3189884/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Music Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-rock/) [Punk rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk-rock/) [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Rock and roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-and-roll/) [Rock Roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-roll/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Style Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style-music/) ## Related quotes > [I was in bands all through my youth. Things started out more acoustic and then piano ballads. Then R&B followed by sappy pop music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/i-was-in-bands-all-through-my-youth-things-started-out-more-acoustic/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [To me, punk rock isn't a style of music, it's something you live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shavo-odadjian/to-me-punk-rock-isn-t-a-style-of-music-it-s-something-you-live/) [Shavo Odadjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shavo-odadjian/) > [Most people don't listen to classical music at all, but to rock-and-roll or hillbilly songs or some album named Music To Listen To Music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-jarrell/most-people-don-t-listen-to-classical-music-at-all-but-to-rock-and/) [Randall Jarrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-jarrell/) > [For guitar players especially, blues is the foundation of rock and roll. You take country music and rock and roll and jazz and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/for-guitar-players-especially-blues-is-the-foundation-of-rock-and/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [“Rock and roll is music," said Vanya. "Prokofiev is music, Stravinski is music, Tchaikovski and Borodin and Rimski-Korsakov and even Rachmaninov, THEY are music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/rock-and-roll-is-music-said-vanya-prokofiev-is-music-stravinski-is/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > ['Waking the Fallen' truly encompasses everything that Avenged Sevenfold was at that time. It was us being fearless, us showing our roots in heavy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zacky-vengeance/waking-the-fallen-truly-encompasses-everything-that-avenged-sevenfold/) [Zacky Vengeance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zacky-vengeance/) > [I was in punk rock bands, heavy metal bands, world music bands, jazz groups, any type of music that would take me. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-watts/i-was-in-punk-rock-bands-heavy-metal-bands-world-music-bands-jazz/) [Reggie Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-watts/) > [“(This is from a tribute poem to Ronnie James Dio: Former lead vocalist of the band Rainbow, Black Sabbath. This is written with all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/this-is-from-a-tribute-poem-to-ronnie-james-dio-former-lead-vocalist/) [Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/) > [Take a ride on heavy metal, it's the only way that you can travel down that road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-felder/take-a-ride-on-heavy-metal-it-s-the-only-way-that-you-can-travel-down/) [Don Felder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-felder/) > [“If I've got a Dad, and his name is Wormwood Rot, and he's in some heavy metal rock band called Grave Dirt . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-fischer/if-i-ve-got-a-dad-and-his-name-is-wormwood-rot-and-he-s-in-some-heavy/) [Rusty Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-fischer/) > [She's the quiet type who's into heavy metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/she-s-the-quiet-type-who-s-into-heavy-metal/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [I have experimented with various genres of music, whether its rock, pop, slow songs, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himesh-reshammiya/i-have-experimented-with-various-genres-of-music-whether-its-rock-pop/) [Himesh Reshammiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himesh-reshammiya/) > [We're a rock n' roll band. We're more music and rock n' roll than politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-rossington/we-re-a-rock-n-roll-band-we-re-more-music-and-rock-n-roll-than/) [Gary Rossington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-rossington/) > [I don't think there is anyone I've ever met who has been more passionate about music than me, but rock 'n' roll has never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-trent-d-arby/i-don-t-think-there-is-anyone-i-ve-ever-met-who-has-been-more/) [Terence Trent D'Arby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-trent-d-arby/) > ['Next To Normal' is rock music. It's a rock opera. That, definitely, has a place in popular music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-ripley/next-to-normal-is-rock-music-it-s-a-rock-opera-that-definitely-has-a/) [Alice Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-ripley/) ## More by MC Ren > [Ruthless Villain' was supposed to be E's song. But it was too fast for him, so when I rapped it, they was like, 'Man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/ruthless-villain-was-supposed-to-be-e-s-song-but-it-was-too-fast-for/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [I was listening to Chuck D, KRS, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, all the greats, studying them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/i-was-listening-to-chuck-d-krs-rakim-big-daddy-kane-all-the-greats/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [MTV is cool. Hell, yes, they helped us sell records!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/mtv-is-cool-hell-yes-they-helped-us-sell-records/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [Anybody can curse on a record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/anybody-can-curse-on-a-record/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [Don't take everything so seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/don-t-take-everything-so-seriously/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [Snoop is West Coast. He represents that to the fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/snoop-is-west-coast-he-represents-that-to-the-fullest/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [Let everything fall wherever it's going to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/let-everything-fall-wherever-it-s-going-to-fall/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [If you're a black kid from the streets and somebody is rapping about parents not understanding, you'd laugh at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/if-you-re-a-black-kid-from-the-streets-and-somebody-is-rapping-about/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [Eazy always had jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/eazy-always-had-jokes/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [I was rapping at school, at talent shows. I thought I was a little star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/i-was-rapping-at-school-at-talent-shows-i-thought-i-was-a-little-star/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [That was my thing - the Raiders hats and all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/that-was-my-thing-the-raiders-hats-and-all-that/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [America was built on segregation. It's gonna stay segregated until everyone's equal, and that ain't gonna happen when it's a capitalistic society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/america-was-built-on-segregation-it-s-gonna-stay-segregated-until/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [When you're riding around with the fellas, you want to listen to something real masculine, like 'Boyz-in-the-Hood.' How would it look riding around and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/when-you-re-riding-around-with-the-fellas-you-want-to-listen-to/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [There are too many fakes in the game, and I try to keep my family away from that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/there-are-too-many-fakes-in-the-game-and-i-try-to-keep-my-family-away/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [I would listen to the other great MCs and work on my delivery all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/i-would-listen-to-the-other-great-mcs-and-work-on-my-delivery-all-the/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) [Explore all 30 MC Ren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) ## More Heavy metal quotes > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [She's the quiet type who's into heavy metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/she-s-the-quiet-type-who-s-into-heavy-metal/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [“Fucking Hallmark never wrote anything for how I felt then. When Metallica and the rest of the metal community pitched in to pay for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-juby/fucking-hallmark-never-wrote-anything-for-how-i-felt-then-when/) [Susan Juby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-juby/) > [I like Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Common. But I like the underground stuff like Young Jeezy, Black Rob and Shine. I also love heavy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/i-like-jay-z-50-cent-and-common-but-i-like-the-underground-stuff-like/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [“Headbangers beware: the "violent and rhythmic" movement employed by heavy metal fans to express their musical appreciation could cause potentially fatal bleeding in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/headbangers-beware-the-violent-and-rhythmic-movement-employed-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the songs we recorded for 'The Long Run' was called 'You're Really High, Aren't You?' Which never really made it onto a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-felder/one-of-the-songs-we-recorded-for-the-long-run-was-called-you-re/) [Don Felder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-felder/) > [I would say that I'm very proud that Metallica plays heavy music - but equally proud that we don't think like a heavy-metal band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/i-would-say-that-i-m-very-proud-that-metallica-plays-heavy-music-but/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) > [It's really an orchestral piece featuring a group and it was quite revolutionary at the time and it in fact, it kicked Deep Purple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-glover/it-s-really-an-orchestral-piece-featuring-a-group-and-it-was-quite/) [Roger Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-glover/) > [The great thing about Priest, in all the years that we've been making heavy metal music, is that we've always kind of carried this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/the-great-thing-about-priest-in-all-the-years-that-we-ve-been-making/) [Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/) > [“Und das Atmen fällt mir ach so schwer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rammstein/und-das-atmen-f-llt-mir-ach-so-schwer/) [Rammstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rammstein/) > [“Since there are always talented players in these emerging categories, no matter how grating they may be to the ear of the more traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/since-there-are-always-talented-players-in-these-emerging-categories/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [The best indication is that I still love to ski on most anything, from skating gear to heavy metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-parker/the-best-indication-is-that-i-still-love-to-ski-on-most-anything-from/) [Paul Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-parker/) > [We can't believe how many gays there are in heavy metal, people like...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biff-byford/we-can-t-believe-how-many-gays-there-are-in-heavy-metal-people-like/) [Biff Byford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biff-byford/) > [One thing people would be surprised about is that although hard rock and heavy metal are without question 90% of what I listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-trunk/one-thing-people-would-be-surprised-about-is-that-although-hard-rock/) [Eddie Trunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-trunk/) [Browse all 266 Heavy metal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy-metal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Rock and roll is not an instrument. Rock and roll isn't even a style of music. Rock and roll is a spirit that's been going since the blues, jazz, bebop, soul, R&B, heavy metal, punk rock and, yes, hip-hop.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "MC Ren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock-and-roll-isn-t-even-a-style/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Heavy metal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock-and-roll-isn-t-even-a-style/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/mc-ren-20723_heavy-metal_rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock_343887.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/mc-ren-20723_heavy-metal_rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock_343887.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/mc-ren-20723_heavy-metal_rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock_343887.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Rock and roll is not an instrument. Rock and roll isn't even a style of music. Rock and roll is a spirit…” — MC Ren", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "MC Ren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Rock and roll is not an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock-and-roll-isn-t-even-a-style/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/rock-and-roll-is-not-an-instrument-rock-and-roll-isn-t-even-a-style/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```