Final answer:
The Ed Sullivan Show was pivotal in the rise of rock and roll because it showcased major rock and roll artists to a large television audience, helping it to gain massive popularity and contributing to the breakdown of racial barriers in the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Ed Sullivan Show played a crucial role in the development of rock and roll primarily because it featured prominent rock and roll artists. Artists such as Elvis Presley, whose performances on the show attracted huge audiences and helped to spread the popularity of rock and roll, brought the genre into the living rooms of millions. Despite being a controversial music style that many adults viewed as a threat to traditional values, rock and roll showcased on the Ed Sullivan Show captivated teens and significantly contributed to its emergence as a dominant force in the music industry.
This exposure on television facilitated a cultural shift where rock and roll began to break the racial barriers, given that both black and white artists were promoted on the show. The Ed Sullivan Show, along with other platforms like American Bandstand, enabled black and white teenagers to interact socially, thereby increasing the chances their generation would break down the walls of prejudice.
As rock and roll became more popular, television shows like The Ed Sullivan Show helped in elevating the music to both a national spotlight and a symbol of the youth's embrace of new and diverse cultural expressions.