The Rolling Stones are an British rock group who rose to prominence during the 1960s. Like most early British rock groups, they were influenced by a variety of other British and American musical forms, especially electric blues and early rock 'n' roll. By the mid 1960s, the Stones had fused these influences into a signature, guitar-based sound that established a prototype for hard rock. By the end of the Sixties, the Stones had racked up a great number of hit records, each single displaying an alarming rate of musical growth.