WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble

Rock 'n' Roll Rumble
Rock 'n' Roll Rumble 2017 logo, designed by Daykamp Creative
Genre	rock and roll, pop, alternative rock, power pop, punk rock, metal, hardcore, Americana, synthpop, folk rock, hip hop
Location(s)	Greater Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Years active	1979–present
Website
rockandrollrumble.com

The Rock 'n' Roll Rumble (sometimes stylized "Rock & Roll Rumble"; formerly the "WBCN Rock 'n' Roll Rumble"), begun in 1979, is a Greater Boston "battle of the bands" competition sponsored by WZLX and its local music show Boston Emissions. It remains the longest running event of its kind in the US.

Its predecessors were the Bicentennial Tournament of the Bands held in 1976 at The Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and co-sponsored by WBCN and Inn Square Men's Bar, as well as 1978's First Annual Spring Rock 'n' Roll Festival co-sponsored by WBCN and the Boston Phoenix.

The Rock 'n' Roll Rumble was held in Boston at the Rathskeller in Kenmore Square for its first two years and was often referred to as "the Rumble at the Rat". Steve Morse of the Boston Globe called the 1979 debut competition "nine nights of exhilarating grass-roots rock." Since then, the competition's venue has changed several times but remains a popular showcase for New England bands to gain visibility.

The Rumble is hosted and produced by Boston DJ Anngelle Wood, host of Boston Emissions.

The Rumble in its current form begins in April with a week of preliminary rounds of 24 total bands, as selected by Anngelle Wood. The prelims take place on Sunday through Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday, with Wednesday as a traditional "Day of Rest." Each night, four bands play a 30-minute set and are judged by a rotating selection of representatives from the Boston music industry. A winner is announced at the end of the night.

Each night's winner moves on to the semi-finals the following weekend, with two wildcard bands rounding out the top 8. The two semi-final winners are joined by one wildcard band for the final round the week after that. A special guest, often a national touring band or a previous Rumble participant, headlines the finals while the judges come to their final decision.

Prizes include cash, studio time, legal services, album production, bragging rights, and more. A ceremonial tiara is also passed from the previous year's winning act to the newly crowned champion.