How useful is a production of culture perspective in understanding the birth of Rock and Roll?

From looking at Socio-cultural circumstances it is clear that Rock and Roll did not emerge from one single event but from a combination of social and economic changes that allowed for this.

In ‘Popular Music’ (1990) Peterson suggests that Rock and Roll emerges in 1955 due to changes in the law, technology, industry and organisation structures, occupational careers and the market itself. Although this shows why Rock and Roll was able to break through at this time, it fails to consider the audience, or the feeling, emotion and drive behind the music itself.

There have been examples of what could be considered Rock and Roll songs throughout the 1940’s and early ’50‘s and music is often reactionary, being influenced by what has gone before. With this in mind, it seems impossible to pinpoint the reasons for the emergence of Rock and Roll without looking at musical factors too.