Frat Rock

Frat rock emerged in the late 1950s and early 1960s, acting as a raucous bridge between rhythm & blues and the nascent garage rock movement. Its sonic texture is defined by raw production, driving R&B-influenced rhythms, and simple, energetic chord progressions. Instrumentation typically featured prominent electric guitars, often a blaring saxophone or a vibrant organ, and vocals delivered with a boisterous, often slurred, group-shout quality. Thematically centered on parties, dancing, and romance, the genre's ethos was one of uninhibited fun. While commercially characterized by a string of one-hit wonders, its lasting impact was shaping the DIY spirit and sonic template of garage and punk rock.