10 Most Influential American Acts On British Rock

Elvis is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll". And, although artists like Chuck Berry and Little Richards were monumental in shaping and popularising the genre, Elvis skyrocketed it to unimagined levels.

Born and raised in Mississippi and then later moving to Tennessee, he was exposed to the sounds of the blues, African-American spirituals and gospel music. Although his original aim was to bring wider exposure to African-American genres, his wild appeal often eclipsed the origins of his sound. Over the years this has led to some controversy, with questions of cultural appropriation being raised. But regardless of where you land on this conversation, Elvis' influence on modern music can not be denied.

American rock 'n' roll became huge during the '50s, but as the '60s approached, Elvis disappeared somewhat from the music scene. In 1958 he was drafted into the US Army, and upon his discharge in 1960, he embarked on a film career. This effectively saw the decline of creative music output for nearly ten years. But his early records informed the young Brits who would make up the first wave of the British Invasion of the '60s.