Psychedelic Rock Pop from the ’90s
Contents
We’re taking a trip back to the ’90s with some of the best psychedelic rock pop hits from the era. Tune in and turn up the volume for a trip down memory lane.
The Beginnings of Psychedelic Rock Pop
Psychedelic rock pop was a genre of music that emerged in the late 1960s. The music was characterized by its distorted guitars, heavy drums, and mind-bending lyrics. The genre was created by bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Doors.
The Beatles and Psychedelia
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psych rock or garage rock, is a genre that was popularized in the 1960s. It is characterized by distorted guitars, mind-altering lyrics, and trippy sound effects. The Beatles were one of the first and most famous bands to experiment with this new sound. Their 1967 album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, is often cited as the best example of psychedelic pop.
The Doors and Psychedelia
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s because of Morrison’s lyrics and his erratic stage persona. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
In the years after Morrison’s death, the surviving members continued as a trio until disbanding in 1973. Despite not having any hit singles or albums in the later part of their career, The Doors have been ranked number 41 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time”,[2] and number 42 on VH1’s “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock”.
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic rock covers a range of styles including garage rock, folk rock, R&B, and electronic music.
The Grateful Dead and Psychedelia
Psychedelia began to enter the mainstream in the mid-’60s with the advent of psychedelic rock, a subgenre that blended traditional rock instrumentation with mind-altering effects such as drug-induced hallucinations, feedback loops, distorted guitars, and use of sitars. The genre’s pioneers included The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys. The first psychedelic hit was THE GRATEFUL DEAD’s “acid test” instrumental “The Other One,” which psychedelically summed up everything the new style had to offer in just under seven minutes.
The ’90s and Psychedelic Rock Pop
The ’90s was a time when music was truly experimental. Psychedelic rock pop was one of the most popular genres of the time. Artists were pushing the boundaries of what was possible with music. The ’90s was a time when anything went and that’s what made it so special.
The Rise of Grunge
Grunge was a subgenre of rock that emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was characterized by its gloomy, dark, and introspective lyrics, as well as its heavy, sludgy sound. Grunge bands were often associated with the punk rock movement, but they diverged from punk in their use of heavy metal and hard rock influences.
The genre came to prominence in the Seattle music scene in the early 1990s, with bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden leading the way. Grunge quickly spread to other parts of the United States and then to the rest of the world. By the mid-1990s, it had become one of the most popular genres of rock music.
The popularity of grunge came to an abrupt end in April 1994 with the suicide of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Grunge bands continued to make music after Cobain’s death, but the genre lost much of its momentum. In the 21st century, grunge is remembered as one of the most influential movements in rock history.
The Return of Psychedelia
Psychedelic rock, often shortened to psyrock or psy-rock, is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It often uses new recording techniques and effects and draws on non-Western sources such as the ragas and drones of Indian music.
Psychedelic rock first reached its peak popularity in the mid-1960s, but experienced a musical renaissance in the late 1980s and early 1990s as part of the shoegazing and Britpop movements. Psychedelic music was also a significant influence on alternative rock, particularly during the early 1990s when bands such as Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine incorporated elements of the style into their sound.
The Legacy of Psychedelic Rock Pop
The ’90s witnessed the resurgence of psychedelic and acid rock, infusing the new music scene with mind-bending sounds and textures that expanded the sonic possibilities of pop music. The decade also saw the emergence of electronic dance music, which would come to dominate the charts in subsequent years. But while the ’90s were a fertile ground for new musical styles, they also saw the rise of some of the most iconic bands in rock history. In this article, we’ll explore the legacy of psychedelic rock pop from the ’90s.
Psychedelic rock first emerged in the 1960s, as bands like The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Beach Boys began experimenting with mind-altering substances like LSD. This new wave of psychedelic music was characterized by its use of distorted guitars, multi-layered soundscapes, and extended jams. The sound of psychedelic rock quickly spread across the globe, influencing countless other bands and genres.
In the ’90s, a new generation of artists began to experiment with psychedelia, infusing it with elements of pop, rock, and electronic music. Britpop bands like Oasis and Blur incorporated psychedelic influences into their chart-topping hits, while American indie bands like Pavement and Sonic Youth brought a more experimental edge to the genre. In 1995, Primal Scream released their breakthrough album Screamadelica, which mixed elements of acid house, techno, and classic rock to create a truly unique sound.
The ’90s also saw the rise of some of the most iconic bands in rock history. Nirvana’s Bleach (1989) and Nevermind (1991) brought grunge to mainstream audiences worldwide, while Radiohead’s OK Computer (1997) redefined what a rock album could be. These bands would go on to influence countless other artists in the years to follow.
Psychedelic rock pop from the ’90s continues to exert a powerful influence on today’s music scene. Many modern artists are inspired by the genre’s unique blend of sounds and textures, resulting in a ever-evolving sound that continue to surprise and delight fans old and new.
