--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rock n' roll was one thing, and then they…" description: "\"Rock n' roll was one thing, and then they chopped off the 'roll' and called it 'rock,' which became a sort of umbrella term for anything with a guitar ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5df/tom-petty-2030_anything_rock-n-roll-was-one-thing-and-then-they_605221.jpg" --- # Rock n' roll was one thing, and then they chopped off the… ![“Rock n' roll was one thing, and then they chopped off the 'roll' and called it 'rock,' which became a sort of umbrella term for anything with a guitar in it. Like hair bands. How could we possibly believe that? It's just gotten downright silly, to the point where now it's sort of become like…” quote by Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5df/tom-petty-2030_anything_rock-n-roll-was-one-thing-and-then-they_605221.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5df/tom-petty-2030_anything_rock-n-roll-was-one-thing-and-then-they_605221.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5df/tom-petty-2030_anything_rock-n-roll-was-one-thing-and-then-they_605221.jpg) > “Rock n' roll was one thing, and then they chopped off the 'roll' and called it 'rock,' which became a sort of umbrella term for anything with a guitar in it. Like hair bands. How could we possibly believe that? It's just gotten downright silly, to the point where now it's sort of become like professional wrestling.” [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The comment critiques how rock music was diluted into a generic label, losing its original edge and becoming a catch‑all for any guitar‑driven act. **In simple terms:** Rock became a vague term, losing its meaning. Key Takeaway Preserve genre integrity and resist over‑broad labeling. Themes music industry genre evolution culture Mood skeptical nostalgic Type analytical critical When to use this quote - radio playlists - festival lineups - music journalism - artist branding Key Concepts branding commercialization identity crisis Questions to Reflect On - What defines authentic rock today? - How can artists maintain identity amid generic trends? A Different Perspective Broad labels can erase distinct artistic voices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Bands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bands/) [Became](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/became/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Called Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-rock-2153637/) [Chopped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chopped/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Downright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downright/) [Gotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gotten/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/off/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point/) [Possibly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibly/) [Professional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional/) [Professional wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional-wrestling/) [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Rock n roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-n-roll/) [Rock Roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-roll/) [Roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roll/) [Roll Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roll-thing-2021187/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Sort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sort/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Term Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term-guitar-4925784/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Umbrella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/umbrella/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [We didn't invent this - this rock n' roll thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fallon/we-didn-t-invent-this-this-rock-n-roll-thing/) [Brian Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-fallon/) > [It's a rock 'n' roll thing to have one-night stands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-springfield/it-s-a-rock-n-roll-thing-to-have-one-night-stands/) [Rick Springfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-springfield/) > [The rock's easy, but the roll is another thing...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/the-rock-s-easy-but-the-roll-is-another-thing/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [Rock & roll was the only thing I wanted to get into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-daltrey/rock-roll-was-the-only-thing-i-wanted-to-get-into/) [Roger Daltrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-daltrey/) > [That's what Tina Turner did, too - sang blues up-tempo - and they called it rock 'n' roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/little-richard/that-s-what-tina-turner-did-too-sang-blues-up-tempo-and-they-called/) [Little Richard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/little-richard/) > [It used to be called boogie-woogie, it used to be called blues, used to be called rhythm and blues...It's called rock now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/it-used-to-be-called-boogie-woogie-it-used-to-be-called-blues-used-to/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [If I want to be called 'The Rock,' I'll be called 'The Rock.' If I want to go back to wrestling, I'll go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/if-i-want-to-be-called-the-rock-i-ll-be-called-the-rock-if-i-want-to/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Back in my day, we called it rock 'n' roll, but then we always reminded listeners that it was no big deal if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/back-in-my-day-we-called-it-rock-n-roll-but-then-we-always-reminded/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [We knew we'd never find someone called Rock Hard, which was our ideal name, and for a while we toyed with the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frank/we-knew-we-d-never-find-someone-called-rock-hard-which-was-our-ideal/) [James Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frank/) > [Why do people want to know exactly who I am? Am I a poet? Am I this or that? I've always made people wary.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/why-do-people-want-to-know-exactly-who-i-am-am-i-a-poet-am-i-this-or/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“I was downright afflicted by her”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-monroe/i-was-downright-afflicted-by-her/) [Sophie Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-monroe/) > [Writing old school HTML code was never very much fun but now it's getting downright tedious for most people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-davidson/writing-old-school-html-code-was-never-very-much-fun-but-now-it-s/) [Mike Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-davidson/) > [If being a spokesman for a generation is a fleeting occupation, being a symbol of an era is downright dangerous for anyone who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/if-being-a-spokesman-for-a-generation-is-a-fleeting-occupation-being/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [If you look just at the decades after 1934, you know it's hard to point to really inspired and positive support from outside of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/if-you-look-just-at-the-decades-after-1934-you-know-it-s-hard-to/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [America is just downright mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/america-is-just-downright-mean/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## More by Tom Petty > [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [As time goes by, you seem to weed out the things that were making your life hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/as-time-goes-by-you-seem-to-weed-out-the-things-that-were-making-your/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I would never put my songs in a commercial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-would-never-put-my-songs-in-a-commercial/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Take back your insurance, baby, nothing is guaranteed. Take back your acid rain, let your TV bleed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/take-back-your-insurance-baby-nothing-is-guaranteed-take-back-your/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [The great thing about the Wilburys was that none of us had to take the heat by ourselves. I was just a member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/the-great-thing-about-the-wilburys-was-that-none-of-us-had-to-take/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I don't believe in censorship, but I do believe that an artist has to take some moral responsibility for what he or she is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-don-t-believe-in-censorship-but-i-do-believe-that-an-artist-has-to/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Any time you're making a living at what you love to do, you're blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/any-time-you-re-making-a-living-at-what-you-love-to-do-you-re-blessed/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [A rebel without a clue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/a-rebel-without-a-clue/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [If you look around at America, that's one of its biggest problems is you have corporations that can never be pleased at a profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/if-you-look-around-at-america-that-s-one-of-its-biggest-problems-is/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Even the losers get lucky sometimes. Even the losers keep a little bit of pride. They get lucky sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/even-the-losers-get-lucky-sometimes-even-the-losers-keep-a-little-bit/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [If you stretch your imagination, I'll tell you all a tale, about a time when everything wasn't up for sale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/if-you-stretch-your-imagination-i-ll-tell-you-all-a-tale-about-a-time/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Buy me a drink, sing me a song; take me as I come, cause I can't stay long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/buy-me-a-drink-sing-me-a-song-take-me-as-i-come-cause-i-can-t-stay/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I never could have dreamed that her heart was so wicked, but I keep coming back because it's so hard to kick it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-never-could-have-dreamed-that-her-heart-was-so-wicked-but-i-keep/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [She's a good girl, crazy about Elvis, loves horses, and her boyfriend, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/she-s-a-good-girl-crazy-about-elvis-loves-horses-and-her-boyfriend-too/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I'm more interested in what I'm going to leave behind me than in making a big hit record. I've refined what I do for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-m-more-interested-in-what-i-m-going-to-leave-behind-me-than-in/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) [Explore all 190 Tom Petty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) ## More Anything quotes > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [When it really comes down to it, the job you do is more important and is more representative of who you are than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/when-it-really-comes-down-to-it-the-job-you-do-is-more-important-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) > [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [You know, I'm from Baltimore; nobody has anything. When somebody had talent, I was hiring my uncle, my cousin, you know? Getting people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-know-i-m-from-baltimore-nobody-has-anything-when-somebody-had/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I said to my agent, 'I want short, sharp, well-paid jobs because I haven't got time for anything else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-whitelaw/i-said-to-my-agent-i-want-short-sharp-well-paid-jobs-because-i-haven/) [Billie Whitelaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-whitelaw/) > [I think anything that anyone writes thats any good is going to have a lot of autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-think-anything-that-anyone-writes-thats-any-good-is-going-to-have-a/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/) [Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/) > [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [Whenever you define family as anything other than a man and a woman married together, you have just introduced an ethical nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/whenever-you-define-family-as-anything-other-than-a-man-and-a-woman/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) [Browse all 9,437 Anything quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Rock n' roll was one thing, and then they chopped off the 'roll' and called it 'rock,' which became a sort of umbrella term for anything with a guitar in it. Like hair bands. How could we possibly believe that? 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