# "The King of -" various rock subgenres **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109 "2011-03-18T03:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/1 "2011-03-18T03:06:20Z")
OK, so Elvis Presley is “The King of Rock-n-Roll”. But we often hear of certain other musical acts being referred to as "The Kings(s) of - " a particular subgenre, such as Michael Jackson being The King Of Pop and so on. I can think of any number of others, but I’ll let y’all have the fun of listing and debating them. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/2 "2011-03-18T10:01:08Z")
B. B. King, Albert King or Freddie King (pick the one you like best) - The King of the Blues Guitar Dick Dale - The King of the Surf Guitar Jim Morrison - The Lizard King (just kidding here ;)) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/3 "2011-03-18T10:12:40Z")
Too late to edit: We shouldn’t neglect the female royalty: Aretha Franklin - The Queen of Soul. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/4 "2011-03-18T10:26:10Z")
Ozzy Osbourne is the Godfather of Metal. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/5 "2011-03-18T11:04:48Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Ozzy Osbourne is the Godfather of Metal. Does that count? Manowar are the Kings of Metal! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/6 "2011-03-18T11:32:07Z")
This isn’t rock, far from it, but… Frankie Yankovic has always been the Polka King And Johannes Strauss was the Waltz King. And Robert Johnson was King of the Delta Blues. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/7 "2011-03-18T11:43:02Z")
No. He’s the Prince of Fucking Darkness. Get it right, man. 🙂 Of course, Clapton, Jimi, and Lemmy are all God. ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/8 "2011-03-18T12:00:06Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Ozzy Osbourne is the Godfather of Metal. Does that count? Errr…No. Tony Iommi created the heavy metal sound pioneered by Black Sabbath and Ozzy did a good job as the vocalist. So Tony gets my vote. But Michael Jackson the king of pop?? Puhleese. That was his own marketing fluff which he never deserved, talented though he was. As for king of the electric guitar, we’ll never agree. Jimi for me, but Clapton a respectable second. Today Joe Satriani is da man. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/9 "2011-03-18T12:03:55Z")
The Duke of Earl? The Count of Basie? The Duke of Ellington? (kudos to Bugs Bunny) \*\*Prince \*\*is His Royal Badness. **Bessie Smith** was the Empress of the Blues **Billie Holliday** was Lady Day **Solomon Burke** was the King of Rock and Soul ETA: And \*\*Ziggy Stardust \*\*was the Leper Messiah…and \*\*Bowie \*\*the Thin White Duke ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/10 "2011-03-18T12:21:22Z")
And Sinatra was the Chairman of the Board. Plus, there’s this one guy people call the Boss. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/11 "2011-03-18T12:27:49Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > And Sinatra was the Chairman of the Board. And simply The Voice. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/12 "2011-03-18T14:15:18Z")
John Philip Sousa was the March King. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/13 "2011-03-18T16:37:33Z")
James Brown - The Godfather of Soul ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/14 "2011-03-18T16:41:18Z")
Neil Young is Grandpa Grunge. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/15 "2011-03-18T16:43:06Z")
King of Rockabilly Carl Perkins Queen of Rockabilly Wanda Jackson ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/16 "2011-03-18T16:46:17Z")
Carol King was the Queen of pop songwriters and had a royal Tapestry. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/17 "2011-03-18T16:48:41Z")
Sting is the King of Pain. And Ray Davies is the King of Kinks. Would Freddie Mercury be the Queen of Queen? ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/18 "2011-03-18T16:49:03Z")
Actually, besides Presley and Michael Jackson, I’m drawing a blank on other artists being commonly referred to as “King” of any subgenre of rock. Going in the direction of the other posters… in jazz, Lester Young was the President (later just “Prez”), and Nat Cole was King. (A lot of people think of Cole as a pop singer, but before that, he was one of the great stride pianists of jazz, influencing such people as Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson. He didn’t get the moniker “King” just because his last name was Cole.) ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/19 "2011-03-18T16:52:12Z")
Louie Louie was the Kingsmen. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109/20 "2011-03-18T16:53:54Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > **Solomon Burke** was the King of Rock and Soul Crap. I was going to correct you, changing your “was” to “is”, but I searched first and found out you are correct. He died October 10, 2010. Bummer. ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-various-rock-subgenres/575109.md?page=2)