Rock and roll was exploding across the United States during the late 1950s, fueled by trailblazers like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, whose electrifying performances whipped teenage fans into absolute hysteria. Across the Atlantic in England, a young musician named Harry Rodger Webb was getting ready to shake things up. Taking on the stage name Cliff Richard, he crafted a rebellious rock-and-roll persona inspired by the American stars dominating the charts. Then, on August 29, 1958, everything changed — he dropped his debut single, "Move It," backed by his group, the Drifters. The track launched Cliff Richard into the spotlight and is widely regarded as the very first British rock-and-roll hit.
The Television Appearance that Changed Everything
Ian Samwell, a guitarist and founding member of The Drifters — the group that backed Cliff Richard — was the creative mind behind "Move It." Remarkably, he penned the song while riding a bus on his way to a rehearsal, completely unaware he was crafting something that would make history. The track wasn't even supposed to be Richard's lead single — Samwell was simply excited that it had been chosen as the B-side to a song called "School Boy Crush."
Everything shifted when Jack Good, an influential television producer, got his hands on "Move It." Good was so taken with the track that he demanded Richard and his band perform it on his show, "Oh Boy!" Sensing the promotional potential, Richard and the group agreed to showcase the B-side on the program, despite their speculation. The audience response was nothing short of incredible. That enthusiastic reception prompted a swift reversal — "Move It" was flipped to the A-side and officially became Cliff Richard and The Drifters' first released single.
The Impact of Cliff Richard and "Move It"
England was primed and hungry for rock and roll to sweep through its music scene, and "Move It" delivered exactly that, rocketing Richard and the Drifters to superstardom. The single climbed to the top of the UK charts in 1958, moved over 1 million records, and even cracked the Top 40 charts in the United States.
"Move It" is considered by many music historians to represent Britain's first meaningful entry into the rock and roll genre, fundamentally transforming the country's musical landscape. Cliff Richard and the Drifters left an indelible mark on future acts, including The Beatles — John Lennon himself acknowledged them as the first official rock and roll band in Britain.
The Drifters eventually had to rebrand as The Shadows to prevent confusion with a U.S. group sharing the same name, but that did nothing to diminish their legacy. Cliff Richard and his backup band remain celebrated for ushering an entirely new music genre onto British shores.