In the late 1950s, the music scene in the United States was thriving with the emergence of a new genre: rock and roll. Artists like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry helped popularize this genre, often sending their screaming teenage fans into a frenzy. In 1958, a man named Harry Rodger Webb was poised to make his mark on the music scene in England as an up-and-coming musician. He changed his name to Cliff Richard and adopted a rebellious rock-and-roll image, akin to the stars from the US. On August 29, 1958, he released his debut single, “Move It,” with his backup group, the Drifters. This song catapulted Cliff Richard to stardom and is widely regarded as the very first British rock-and-roll hit.

The Television Appearance that Changed Everything

“Move It” was written by Ian Samwell, a guitarist and founding member of The Drifters, who served as the backup band for Cliff Richard. Samwell composed the song on a bus while heading to a rehearsal, unaware that he was creating a hit. Interestingly, the song was never intended to be Cliff Richard’s first single. Samwell was thrilled when it was selected as the B-side for another single titled “School Boy Crush.”

When an influential television producer named Jack Good heard the song “Move It,” he insisted that Richard and his band perform it on his show, “Oh Boy!” Richard and the group recognized the opportunity for publicity and decided to perform this B-side track for the show despite their speculation. The song received a fantastic reception. As a result, it was promoted to the A-side and became Cliff Richard and The Drifters’ first released single.

The Impact of Cliff Richard and “Move It”

As England was poised and ready for rock and roll to take over the music scene, the release of “Move It” catapulted Richard and the Drifters into superstardom. The song topped the UK charts in 1958, selling over 1 million records, and made the Top 40 charts in the United States. 

Many music historians believe that “Move It” marked Britain’s first significant foray into the rock and roll genre, revolutionizing the country’s music scene. Cliff Richard and the Drifters were influential to bands like The Beatles, with John Lennon even acknowledging them as the first official rock and roll band in Britain.

Although the Drifters had to change their name to The Shadows to avoid confusion with a U.S. group of the same name, Cliff Richard and his backup band are renowned for bringing a new music genre to Britain.