Electric Light Orchestra - Rock n' Roll Is King

What this video is

Released in June 1983 as the lead single from ELO's tenth studio album Secret Messages, 'Rock n' Roll Is King' arrived at a pivotal cultural juncture: MTV had launched in 1981 and transformed the music video into a primary commercial tool. The song represented ELO's conscious pivot back toward guitar-driven rock after the synth-heavy sci-fi concept album Time (1981), signalling a deliberate return-to-roots gesture…

Why it matters

As the lead single from ELO's penultimate major album, 'Rock n' Roll Is King' occupies a significant position in the band's arc as a deliberate rock revivalism statement. Reaching #19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and charting strongly across Europe, it demonstrated the commercial viability of…

The director

Mike Mansfield (born 1940) is a British TV director and producer with a long career in UK pop television. He produced and directed the ITV pop show Supersonic (1975–1977) and the 1980s ITV series Cue The Music. He directed multiple ELO music videos including…