that was broadly defined as rock ’n’ roll. The mythology of Elvis Presley was that he “invented” a new style of music by synthesizing many styles that were largely unfamiliar to white fifties teenagers. But the contradiction of the myth is plain to see—it’s not really “new” if you are combining elements of music that already exists. Actually, I would argue that it is new, because if you don’t accept that synthesis plays a part in pretty much every great rock record ever made, then nothing is ever truly original.
