“Roll Over Beethoven” is one of rock ’n’ roll’s foundational songs, written and recorded by Chuck Berry in 1956. A witty declaration of cultural rebellion, the track symbolizes the moment when youthful rhythm and blues supplanted classical respectability in popular culture. Its title line—“Roll over Beethoven, tell Tchaikovsky the news”—celebrates a new era of electric guitar–driven energy and dance-floor freedom. Musically, it combines Berry’s signature 12-bar blues form, driving backbeat, and syncopated guitar riffs that became a template for rock’s evolution. The song reached No. 2 on Billboard’s R&B chart and crossed over to the pop market, later covered by artists from The Beatles to Electric Light Orchestra. “Roll Over Beethoven” remains a cornerstone of the rock canon—part anthem, part manifesto for musical liberation.