Russian rock music originated in the Soviet Union in the 1960s based on the influence of Western rock music and bard songs, and was developed by both amateur bands and official VIA.
The "golden age" of Russian rock was during the 1980s (especially the era of perestroika), when the Soviet underground rock bands became able to release their records officially. During this period, "rock clubs" were created, bands like "Kino", "Alisa", "DDT", "Bravo", "Nautilus Pompilius", "Aria", "Chaif", and "Grazhdanskaya Oborona" appeared and gained popularity, and already known groups, such as "Mashina Vremeni" and "Aquarium", began to publish albums officially.
Russian rock's characteristic feature was the emphasis on the lyrics. Due to its lyrical emphasis, it became a symbol of the youth of the Perestroika era. Russian rock of the 20th century is often considered a united cultural movement that has some common musical, aesthetic and ideological features.
In the 21st century, almost all genres of rock music exist in Russia, which is why "Russian rock" has become a more vague concept. The majority of the Russian bands perform in the Russian language.
According to various polls, the most popular Russian rock bands include Kino, Aquarium, Aria, Alisa, DDT and Agatha Christie.