Southern rock is a Sub-Genre of rock music with a mix of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from elements of Rock & Roll, Country Music, blues, and gospel, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals. Although it is unknown from where the term "Southern rock" came, many people feel that these important contributors to the development of rock and roll have been minimized in rock’s history. Southern rock reached its commercial peak in the 1970s, and many of its artists remain staples of "Classic Rock" radio to this day. Many people, including Gregg Allman, say that technically all rock is Southern rock, because rock 'n' roll was invented in the South.
See also: Country Music, Bluegrass, and Gothic Country Music.
Notable Bands
- .38 Special
- Alabama Shakes
- The Allman Brothers Band (generally considered to be, but the band has disassociated themselves with the Southern rock scene, instead preferring to be called "progressive blues", since their music largely consist of blues songs with Progressive Rock structures. It doesn't help that their Signature Song "Ramblin' Man" is one of the few Country Music-flavored songs they did.)
- Atlanta Rhythm Section
- Beyoncé
- Cowboy Carter (2024)
- The Black Crowes
- Blackberry Smoke
- Blackfoot
- Black Oak Arkansas
- The Charlie Daniels Band were a pioneer of this for their near-uncategorizable mix of Bluegrass, Blues, Country, Jazz and Rock.
- Confederate Railroad (crossed with country-rock)
- Cross Canadian Ragweed (also Alternative Country)
- Creedence Clearwater Revival (A Trope Maker, though they weren't actually from the South, but between their lyrics about Southern folklore and their sound- which mixed Blues, Country Music, Rockabilly, Gospel Music and Soul- they kinda pioneered it.)
- Drive By Truckers (also Alternative Country)
- Eric Church (also country-rock)
- The Georgia Satellites
- Gov't Mule (although they've rejected the label)
- Hank Williams Jr. (also country-rock and blues)
- Hellyeah
- The Kentucky Headhunters
- Kings of Leon
- Little Feat (technically from California, but incorporated some of the Southern Rock sounds into their musical gumbo)
- Lynyrd Skynyrd (also Blues Rock)
- The Rossington Collins Band
- The Marshall Tucker Band (sometimes considered this, although they've described their own sound as "progressive country", essentially their music is largely country songs with Progressive Rock structures)
- Molly Hatchet
- Montgomery Gentry (also country-rock)
- My Morning Jacket
- Needtobreathe
- North Mississippi Allstars
- The Outlaws
- The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (crossed with Country-Rock)
- Tom Petty
- Raging Slab (SR in sound and feel even if they are from New York)
- Rambler
- The Radiators (US) combined southern-style swamp rock (ala Creedence) with New Orleans-style funk.
- Saving Abel
- Sea Level (crossed with Jazz Fusion)
- Texas Hippie Collation
- Wet Willie
- Whiskey Myers
- Widespread Panic (arguably)
- ZZ Top
- Eliminator (1983)
