The Top 5 Psychedelic Rock Groups of the 1960s
Check out our list of the top 5 psychedelic rock groups of the 1960s. These groups defined the genre and set the stage for decades of mind-bending music.
The Beatles
No band is more synonymous with the psychedelic sound and culture of the 1960s than The Beatles. Though they only released two “official” psychedelic albums – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour – the Fab Four’s entire catalog from the mid-60s onward is rife with references to psychedelia, whether in the inclusion of world music sounds and textures, or in the use of drug references in songs like “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and “Day Tripper.” The Beatles were also early adopters of hallucinogenic drugs like LSD, which they famously used while recording Sgt. Pepper’s.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of band founder Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued to work with the band as a contracted musician until his death in 1985. Jones left the band less than a month prior to his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974. After Taylor left the band, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and has worked with the band ever since.
The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the US in 1964 and were identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. They were instrumental in making blues a major part of rock and roll, and of changing the international focus on blues music.
The Who
Considered by many to be the godfathers of punk rock, The Who were also one of the most important psychedelic groups of the 1960s. Formed in London in 1964, the band originally consisted of singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They first gained popularity in the UK with their high-energy live performances and hits such as “My Generation” and “I Can’t Explain.” They quickly became one of the most popular rock bands in the world.
The band’s 1967 album, The Who Sell Out, is a perfect example of their psychedelic style. The album is a concept album that satirizes image-obsessed commercialism and features some of their best-known tracks, such as “I Can See for Miles” and “Happy Jack.” The group’s 1969 album Tommy is considered one of the first rock operas and includes the hit single “Pinball Wizard.” The Who continued to be a successful and innovative group throughout the 1970s and 1980s, releasing such classic albums as Quadrophenia (1973) and Who Are You (1978). They are considered one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. Distinguished by their use of innovative composition, extended drones, and philosophical lyrics, Pink Floyd are one of the most enduring and influential groups in popular music history.
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix is often cited as the greatest guitar player of all time, and his influence on the development of rock guitar is incalculable. Hendrix’s style of playing was unlike anything that had come before, and his use of feedback, distortion and other sonic effects inspired many subsequent generations of guitarists. Hendrix’s band, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was one of the most influential groups of the 1960s psychedelic rock scene.
