12 cert, Fyre Interactive, iPod Touch (also iPhone, Android) ***
Isn't there something nostalgic about saying "rock"? Attend any music festival from the past 10 years and you'll see that kids aren't tied into genres like they used to be, and are happy to revel in pop, hip-hop, rock and electronica (for a start). But then again,
The History of Rockwas always going to be more about looking backwards than forwards. It provides music trivia by the day – births, deaths and chart information – starting off with "on this day . . ." You can choose any day from the calendar, which is handy for birthdays or settling pub arguments. On the day of writing this review, I learned that it was the anniversary of the death of Lee Dorsey (singer of
Workin' in a Coalmine). It's pretty comprehensive and entertaining, and of course offers something different every day that'll last you at least a year. (Let's generously assume it'll be updated year-by-year.) But it is a little slight for a paid-for app, especially since it's all text: some music and video content would've been welcome.