The Best of 1963 Rock Music

If you’re a fan of 1963 rock music, you’ll want to check out this blog post. It features a compilation of the best songs from that year.

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: The Beatles

The Beatles were at the top of their game in 1963, releasing a string of classic singles and albums that would solidify their status as one of the greatest rock bands of all time. From “Please Please Me” to “She Loves You” to “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” the Fab Four dominated the charts and set a new standard for pop music. Their debut album, “Please Please Me,” was an instant classic, and their follow-up LP, “With The Beatles,” cemented their reputation as a world-class band. By the end of the year, they had released their third album, “The Beatles (The White Album),” which would go on to become one of the most influential records ever made.

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band that formed in London, England, in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of 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 Jones left the band less than a month prior to his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974.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 continues on guitar even today.

The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the United States in 1964 and were identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. They developed a style that blended rhythm and blues with country music and later folk music to produce what is now known as “rock and roll”. The Rolling Stones started producing songs that reflected social issues such as racism with their 1966 song “Paint It Black”. During this time period they were becoming one of the most successful live rock bands ever.

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group’s original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson; their cousin Mike Love; and their friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by their vocal harmonies and early surf songs, they are one of the most influential acts of the rock era. The Beach Boys began as a garage band led by Brian Wilson. They gained popularity for their close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a Southern California youth culture of surfing, cars, and romance. Pet Sounds (1966) and Smile (1967), recorded under the group’s alter ego the reactivated Smile Sessions albums in 2011 and 2012—and two years later the album made waves again when it was ranked No. 2 in Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list.

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: The Kinks

Rock music in 1963 was a time of experimentation and change. One band that typified this change was The Kinks. They began as a traditional British Invasion-style band, but quickly developed their own sound, influenced by American R&B and country music. They had a string of hits in the UK, including “You Really Got Me,” “All Day and All of the Night,” and “Tired of Waiting for You.” In 1964 they released their first album, which included these hit singles, as well as the tracks “Stop Your Sobbing” and “I Need You.”

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: The Animals

The Animals were one of the top British Invasion bands of the 1960s. They were known for their tough, R&B-influenced sound and lead singer Eric Burdon’s dynamic stage presence. The band had several hits in the United States, including “House of the Rising Sun,” “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.”

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: The Who

The Who formed in London in 1964 and quickly established themselves as one of the most powerful and influential rock bands of their generation. Their debut album, My Generation, is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock albums ever made, and it cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting live bands in the world. The Who went on to enjoy a long and successful career, releasing a string of classic albums including Quadrophenia, Tommy, and Who’s Next.

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: Bob Dylan

In 1963, Bob Dylan released his second album, “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.” The album featured some of Dylan’s most iconic songs, including “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall.” The album was a critical and commercial success, reaching #2 on the Billboard 200 chart and #1 on the UK Albums Chart.

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: The Byrds

In 1963, the Byrds released their debut album, “Mr. Tambourine Man.” The album was a critical and commercial success, and it cemented the band’s place as one of the leading lights of the ’60s rock scene. Featuring the hit singles “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season),” the album showcased the Byrds’ innovative blend of folk rock and jangly pop. With its distinctive 12-string guitar sound and harmony-laden vocals, “Mr. Tambourine Man” established the Byrds as an influential force in rock music.

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: Simon and Garfunkel

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: Simon and Garfunkel Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits is the first compilation album from the duo, released on June 14, 1972, three years after they had disbanded. It is one of the most successful greatest hits albums to date, reaching No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and UK Albums Chart. The album contained all of their singles released between 1965 and 1970, with the exception of “Keep the Customer Satisfied” from 1970; that song would appear on Simon’s self-titled second solo album released later in the year.

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: Simon and Garfunkel was originally released as a single LP, with eleven tracks. A 1972 reissue contained a second record with five additional tracks. In 2003, it was reissued again as a single CD with two additional tracks from live performances.

The original LP contained the following tracks:

1.”The Sound of Silence” – 3:05
2.”I Am a Rock” – 2:52
3.”Leaves That Are Green” – 2:22
4.”Scarborough Fair / Canticle” – 4:34
5.”Homeward Bound” – 2:40
6.” Mrs. Robinson” – 4:03
7.”The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)” – 1:43 8.”For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her” – 2:04
9.”Bridge over Troubled Water” – 4:54
10.”Cecilia” – 2:54
11.”El Condor Pasa (If I Could)” 3:09

The Best of 1963 Rock Music: Miscellaneous

The Beatles, “Please Please Me”
The Beach Boys, “Surfin’ U.S.A.”
Bob Dylan, “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”
The Rolling Stones, “The Rolling Stones No. 2”
The Animals, “The Animals”
Dion, “Kickin’ Child”