When Elvis Landed: How a Dodgy Song Title and Radio Luxembourg Changed Everything

The moment rock'n'roll grabbed four lads from Liverpool by the scruff of the neck and refused to let go

• Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" transformed John Lennon from a disinterested teenager into a rock'n'roll obsessive

• The sanitisation of black music for white audiences robbed early rock of its rebellious edge

• Skiffle provided the DIY gateway that let British kids pick up instruments and dream of stardom