1955: Chuck Berry releases “Maybellene”
Written and recorded in 1955 by Chuck Berry, ‘Maybelline’ incorporated aspects from songs that already existed. It was Berry’s first hit single (or hit of any kind) and is considered to be one of the pioneering rock songs ever. Rolling Stone magazine claimed that this was the first song to establish and utilize rock and roll guitar which influenced countless songs that came out after its release. Beyond its major influence on the genre of music, it also bridged the gap that existed at the time between Black and White audiences in terms of what music they were listening to.
Source: revrock.blogspot.com
All the teenagers who went crazy for songs like ‘Maybellene’ didn’t believe in things like segregation anymore. While it took about a decade for the Civil Rights bill to be passed, it can be argued that without songs like ‘Maybellene,’ it may have taken a whole lot longer.