this post was submitted on 08 Jan 2024
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This isn't a "go back in time and assassinate" someone question. It's just their musical career never takes off and thus any music they ever would have made is no longer in this timeline.

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[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 22 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Elvis. Just to see what happens.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 39 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Nothing.

Elvis didn't invent anything musically, he was just the first white guy to do what Black guys had been doing.

If it wasn't Elvis, it would have been someone else a couple months later.

[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

Actually, that was one thing I considered. If he hadn't become a superstar by never writing a single song, would it have changed the industry's thoughts on using pretty faces to sell other people's songs?

[–] AtariDump@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

“Though I'm not the first king of controversy
I am the worst thing since Elvis Presley
To do Black music so selfishly
And use it to get myself wealthy (Hey!)
There's a concept that works
Twenty million other white rappers emerge
But no matter how many fish in the sea
It'd be so empty without me” - Eminem

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world -2 points 10 months ago

Well maybe he was the one with the charisma to do what black guys were doing.

[–] sangriaferret@sh.itjust.works 24 points 10 months ago (2 children)

A lot more piano probably.

Jerry Lee Lewis was poised to be one of the first white rock and roll superstars until his career was rocked with scandal. Had that happened it is very possible that the piano would become the predominant instrument in white rock.

The genre already has its roots in jump blues and boogie woogie, both piano driven styles. Little Richard and Fats Domino were at the top of the charts.

Had a piano player been the king of white rock then you would have likely seen a lot more artists picking up that instrument rather than the guitar.

[–] BottleOfAlkahest@lemmy.world 10 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Jerry Lee Lewis became fairly successful in Country after his Rock career faltered. Most country musicians still play the guitar rather than the piano though.

The most popular country music star contemporary to Jerry Lee Lewis was a guitar player. Guy by the name of Hank Williams.

[–] sangriaferret@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 months ago

True, but many of country's conventions were well established when he got into it. When he got into rock it was new, especially white rock. I think he would have a more significant influence there.

[–] Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Nah, guitar is the musical equivalent to football (soccer). It's cheap, easy to learn, you can take it with you, and you can play with your friends.

The trope of a kid turning up with their guitar couldn't happen with a piano.

[–] sangriaferret@sh.itjust.works 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

You're right. I shouldn't have suggested that the piano would be more popular than guitar, only that you might have heard a lot more piano if Jerry Lee had been the face of white rock instead of Elvis.

People are going to play whatever they can get their hands on. I remember reading in a Muddy Waters biography about someone who started off writing songs using an old piano wire attached to a shack because that's all he had available.

[–] Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 10 months ago

Nothing wrong with suggesting a different idea :)

It would have been cool to watch 90's kids humping pianos to band practice with their friends though :D

[–] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 2 points 10 months ago

So you're saying we could have had the keytar decades earlier?