Elton John with Diana Ross and Cher at the first Annual Rock Music Awards held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in California, in 1975. The event was the brainchild of Don Kirshner, a music producer and manager who believed there was more to music than just commercial success. His idea for the awards show was to celebrate artists who were pushing the boundaries and bringing an edgier and more innovative alternative to the commercialized Grammys. Despite featuring several rising stars, Rock Music failed to gain critical or commercial success, and the event was never held again.