Origins of rock and roll roll was set by disc jockey Alan Freed's use of the term in his groundbreaking "The Rock and Roll Show" on New York's WINS in late 1954, as well as at his "Rock and Roll Jubilee Balls" at St. Nicholas Arena in January 1955, they chose to judge their candidates according to the music Freed spotlighted: R&B combos, black vocal groups, honking saxophonists, blues belters, and several white artists playing in the authentic R&B style (Bill Haley, Elvis Presley). The artists who appeared at Freed's earliest shows included orchestra leader Buddy Johnson, the Clovers, Fats Domino, Big Joe Turner, the
Rock and Roll Is Dead Rock and Roll Is Dead "Rock and Roll Is Dead" is the first single released from the 1995 Lenny Kravitz album "Circus". It reached the top 20 in Canada, Finland, New Zealand, and Spain, but it underperformed in the United States, peaking at number 75 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. "Rock and Roll Is Dead" is an uptempo rock song. Kravitz on the meaning of "Rock and Roll Is Dead": The same year that "Rock and Roll Is Dead" was released, Prince released a B-side called "Rock 'N' Roll Is Alive (And It Lives in Minneapolis)" for the single "Gold"