The Best Psychedelic Rock Albums of the 60s

If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock, then you’ll want to check out our list of the best psychedelic rock albums of the 1960s. From The Beatles to The Doors, these are the albums that defined the genre and set the stage for everything that came after.

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

If there’s one album that sums up the psychedelic era, it has to be The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The record was a massive critical and commercial success upon its release, and it has since been recognized as one of the greatest albums of all time.

Sgt. Pepper’s was the first album to use studio techniques such as multitracking, sound effects, and backward recordings, and it incorporated elements of Indian music and classical arrangements. The result was an album that sounded unlike anything that had come before it, and which had a profound effect on the course of popular music.

The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds

The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds
Pet Sounds is the eleventh studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on May 16, 1966. It initially met with a lukewarm critical and commercial response in the United States, peaking at number 10 in the Billboard 200, a significantly lower placement than the band’s preceding albums. In the United Kingdom, the album was acclaimed upon its June release and peaked at number 2 in the UK Top 40 Albums Chart, becoming the band’s highest-charting album in their home country. Pet Sounds has subsequently been recognized as one of the most influential records of all time.

The Beach Boys began writing and recording material for Pet Sounds in early 1965 during sessions for their previous album Today! At that time, Brian Wilson included “Sloop John B” as one of his songwriting contributions to Pet Sounds. The song was recorded in March 1966 and released as a single that July; it reached number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and became a top-10 hit in several other countries. The album’s production was supervised by Brian Wilson, who also produced most of its tracks; other contributors included session musicians such as Carol Kaye and Hal Blaine, as well as members of Brian’s Wrecking Crew band mates Ricky Fataar and Blondie Chaplin—the latter two served as unofficial “fourth” Beach Boys during this period.

Critical reaction to Pet Sounds was initially mixedConfigured> due largely to its eclectic arrangements Configured> which led many to label it as “pretentious.”
Time magazine ranked it at number 394 on their 2010 list of “The All-Time 100 Greatest Albums,” while Rolling Stone placed it at number 2 on their 2012 list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” In 2004, it was voted number 4 on Pitchfork Media’s top 100 albums of 1967–77 list., while NME named it one of The 100 Greatest Albums Ever Made in 2003. In 2006, Rhino Records issued a deluxe reissue of Pet Sounds Configured> which included stereo and mono mixes , outtakes , live recordings , and an alternate version .

The Doors – The Doors

The Doors’ debut album is one of the most important and influential albums in rock history. It is the perfect encapsulation of the late-60s zeitgeist, with its mix of blues, jazz, and Eastern influences. The Doors’ sound was unlike anything that had come before, and it would go on to have a huge influence on generations of rock bands. The album features some of the band’s most famous songs, including “Light My Fire” and “Break On Through (To the Other Side)”. If you want to understand the 60s, you need to listen to The Doors.

Jimi Hendrix – Are You Experienced

If there’s one album that can be said to have defined the sound of psychedelic rock, it’s Jimi Hendrix’s Are You Experienced. Released in 1967, the album was a sonic barrage of distorted guitars, feedback, and experimental studio techniques. From the opening riff of “Purple Haze” to the feedback-drenched finale of “Computer Blue,” Hendrix pushed the boundaries of what was possible in rock music.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Electric Ladyland

The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s third and final album, Electric Ladyland, was their most experimental and ambitious to date. Recorded over a period of several months in 1968 with engineer Eddie Kramer, the double album saw Hendrix expanding his sound by incorporating elements of jazz, blues, and pop into his already expansive psychedelic rock palette. The result is a timeless classic that still sounds as fresh and innovative today as it did 50 years ago.

Cream – Disraeli Gears

Cream’s second album, Disraeli Gears, was their commercial and critical breakthrough. It reached Number Five in the UK and Number Four in the US, and went on to sell over a million copies in America alone. The album features the singles ‘Strange Brew’, ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’ and ‘Crossroads’, and is widely regarded as one of the best psychedelic rock albums of all time.

The Grateful Dead – Anthem of the Sun

This is the second album from the San Francisco psychedelic rock giants and is widely regarded as one of their best. Anthem of the Sun was released in 1968 and was the first of the band’s albums to be recorded with their new drummer Mickey Hart.

The album features some of the band’s most iconic tracks including “That’s It For The Other One”, “Alligator” and “New Potato Caboose”. Anthem of the Sun is a truly psychedelic experience and is an essential album for any fan of 60s rock.

Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow

Jefferson Airplane’s second album, Surrealistic Pillow, is often hailed as one of the best psychedelic rock albums of the 1960s. The album was a commercial and critical success, reaching number three on the Billboard 200 and receiving positive reviews from music critics. It is notable for its innovative blend of folk, rock, and psychedelic music, as well as its provocative lyrics.

Big Brother and the Holding Company – Cheap Thrills

This 1968 release is often cited as one of the greatest live albums of all time, due in large part to the powerhouse performance by Janis Joplin. Recorded over two nights at San Francisco’s Fillmore West, the album captures the raw energy and emotion of Joplin and her band at the height of their powers. From the opening strains of “Combination of the Two” to the show-stopping “Ball and Chain,” Cheap Thrills is a must-have for any fan of psychedelic rock.

The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground & Nico is the debut album by American rock band the Velvet Underground, released in March 1967 by Verve Records. It ranked 13th on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1996.