Top Psychedelic Rock Bands of 2019
A list of the top psychedelic rock bands of 2019.
The Beatles
The Beatles are considered one of the most influential bands of all time. They were a British rock band that formed in Liverpool in 1960. The members consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They are also considered to be one of the first psychedelic rock bands.
The Beatles’ influence on psychedelic rock
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The group, whose best-known lineup was John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band of the 20th century. They were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and popular music’s recognition as an art form.The Beatles are one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in history. Rolling Stone magazine ranked them number 1 on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time” in 2004, and their record sales worldwide exceed 800 million. They have had more number-one albums on the British charts (17), and held the record for most weeks at number one by any band in UK chart history (nil) between 1964 and 1982. They also set US chart records: they occupied the top two positions simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with “Can’t Buy Me Love” (1964) and “Twist and Shout” (1964), held the top two positions simultaneously on Billboard’s album chart with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band draped over Meet The Beatles! (1967), spent 11 weeks at number one during a single calendar year with their 1967 album releases Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1 June), Magical Mystery Tour (2 December), Magical Mystery Tour EP/double album set (26 October/9 November) and The Beatles aka The White Album (22 November). In 1968 they achieved four separate US number-one singles within a thirteen-week period with “Hey Jude”, “Lady Madonna”, “With a Little Help from My Friends”,
and “Get Back”. Consequently, they became known as “the Fab Four”.
The Beatles’ psychedelic songs
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later experimented with several musical styles, ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock, often incorporating classical elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways. In 1963, their enormous popularity first emerged as “Beatlemania”; as the group’s music grew in sophistication, led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the youthful counterculture of the 1960s.
The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960, with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, together since 1958, went through a succession of drummers, including Pete Best before asking Starr to join them in 1962. Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act, grooming them for an international debut appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964 which launched Beatlemania.
With their popularity exceeding that of Elvis Presley by early 1964,[1] the Beatles released several more chart-topping singles over the next two years before breaking up acrimoniouslyThe Beatles’ psychedelic songs are those that were influenced by psychedelic culture and attempted to replicate its effects. Psychedelia was a countercultural movement that was particularly popular among young people during much of the 1960s. Psychedelic drugs such as LSD were used recreationally during this time to alter perception and experience reality differently.[1] The Beatles became interested in psychedelic drugs after being introduced to LSD by dentist Arthur Goldsmith in 1966.[2] The majority of their subsequent experimentation with drugs occurred during 1967—commonly known as their “drug period”—when they wrote many songs with veiled references to drug use.[3][4] The influence of psychedelia is evident on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967),[5][6][7] one of the first albums to be conceptualised as a complete work rather than a collection of individual songs,[8][9][10] as well as Magical Mystery Tour (1967), which includes direct references to LSD.[11][12] Several songs written during this period would appear on future albums or compilations;[13] some were reworked or re-recorded entirely for these later releases.[14][15][16] Many psycheldlic songs were not released until after The Beatles’ break-up;[17][18] some were only released decades later while others remain unreleased
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys’ influence on psychedelic rock
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group’s original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. The band’s early music gained popularity for its close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a Southern California youth culture of surfing, cars, and romance.As the band grew in popularity during the mid-1960s due to their hits “Shut Down”, “Fun Fun Fun”, and others from their eponymous 1964 album The Beach Boys Today!, they Eventually became a leading symbol of the nascent counterculture with songs such as “California Girls” (1965) and “Good Vibrations” (1966). With the release of their album Pet Sounds (1966) and the single “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, Brian came to be regarded as a creative leader within the band; his growing musical ambition led to creative tensions with Mike, which came to a head over his proposed Contributions to the album Smile (1967).
After Smile was abandoned, Brian’s drug problems increased friction within the band; Dennis became increasingly unreliable due to mental health issues that culminated in his drowning in 1983. Carl took over as de facto leader after Brian withdrew from touring duties in 1965; he forged ahead with frequent personnel changes throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s while maintaining commercial success with albums such as Sunflower (1970), Surf’s Up (1971), and Holland (1973).By 1973, tensions between Mike and other members had reached their peak, provoking legal action on behalf of Mike that resulted in his temporarily leaving the group; he rejoined for their 1980 reunion tour. Despite subsequent solo albums by each member failing commercially, they reunited again for 1984’s The Beach Boys Concert tour which quickly turned into another full-time reunion effort lasting through 1996. Since then various iterations featuring different surviving members have periodically toured under variations of the band’s name.
The Beach Boys are one of the most influential bands of all time; their immediate musical predecessors were Duane Eddy and Buddy Holly & The Crickets, but their primary influence was on successive generations of pop musicians who fashioned hit singles out of sophisticated studio production techniques pioneered by producers such as Phil Spector and Brian Wilson himself. They are also considered one of if notthe most important psychedelic rock bandsof all time for both their critical recognition at the time as well as their well-documented influenceon subsequent artists working in that genre.
The Beach Boys’ psychedelic songs
There is no one more quintessentially American than The Beach Boys. The California boys have been making music together for over 50 years and have become an international sensation. They are best known for their feel-good anthems about the sun, the sand, and the surf, but they also dabbled in psychedelic rock. Here are three of their most famous psychedelic songs.
1. “Good Vibrations” (1966)
This song was composed by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and is one of The Beach Boys’ most well-known hits. It was written as a response to the Psychedelic Furs song “Pretty in Pink.” “Good Vibrations” is a fun and trippy song that features unique instrumentation, including Theremin and cello.
2. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” (1966)
“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” is a dreamy tune about young love. Brian Wilson wrote the song with the help of Tony Asher. It features a distinctively psychedelic chord progression and Brian’s signature falsetto vocals.
3.”Heroes and Villains” (1967)
This song was written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks for The Beach Boys’ SMiLE album. parks has said that the song was inspired by the work of Dr. Seuss and is meant to be a “miniature western movie.” The lyrics are surreal and enigmatic, which fits with the band’s newfound interest in psychedelia. “Heroes and Villains” features another distinctive chord progression, this time courtesy of Parks.
These are just three of The Beach Boys’ many famous songs. While they are best known for their sun-soaked anthems, they also experimenting with different genres, including psychedelic rock. If you’re a fan of The Beach Boys, be sure to check out their other songs!
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band that was formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California. The band members consisted of Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, and Robby Krieger. They were one of the most influential and controversial rock bands of their time. The Doors were known for their unique sound and lyrics, which were often interpreted as being dark and suggestive.
The Doors’ influence on psychedelic rock
The Doors were one of the most influential bands of the psychedelic rock genre. They were known for their use of unusual instrumentation, distorted sound, and extreme volume. Their music was often dark and mysterious, which fit well with the “trippy” vibe of psychedelic rock. The Doors’ lyrics often dealt with themes of drugs, sex, and death, which also added to the dark and mystical atmosphere of their music.
The Doors’ psychedelic songs
The Doors were one of the most popular and influential American rock bands of the 1960s. They were also one of the most controversial, due in part to their use of psychedelic drugs and lead singer Jim Morrison’s outrageous antics and stage presence.
The Doors’ self-titled debut album, released in 1967, included the hit singles “Break on Through (To the Other Side)” and “Light My Fire.” The album quickly went to number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and the band became known for their live performances, which often included extended improvisations.
The Doors’ second album, Strange Days (1967), featured more psychedelic tracks, such as “People Are Strange” and “When the Music’s Over.” The album was another commercial success, reaching number three on the Billboard 200.
The band’s third album, Waiting for the Sun (1968), included their most successful single, “Hello, I Love You.” The album reached number one on the Billboard 200, making The Doors one of only six rock bands to have three consecutive number one albums.
Sadly, Jim Morrison died in Paris in 1971 at the age of 27. The Doors continued to record and tour without him, but they never achieved the same level of success. They disbanded in 1973.
Pink Floyd
One of the most influential and prolific bands of all time, Pink Floyd was founded in London in 1965. Although they began as a psychedelic rock band, they later developed a more experimental and progressive sound. They released their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, in 1967.
Pink Floyd’s influence on psychedelic rock
Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially successful and influential rock bands of all time.
The band originally consisted of Syd Barrett (lead vocals, guitar), Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass, vocals), and Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals). Barrett left the band in 1968 due to his deteriorating mental health and was replaced by David Gilmour.
The group’s primary songwriter, Waters, left Pink Floyd in 1985, leaving Gilmour as the band’s sole leader. Wright died in 2008 and Mason has been the only constant member since the group’s formation.
Pink Floyd’s early work is marked by Barrett’s songwriting and energetic performances. In 1968, they released their first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, which was very successful in the UK but less so elsewhere due to its experimental nature. Their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets (1968), Virgin label), featured more accessible songs such as “See Emily Play” and “Remember a Day”, as well as longer compositions such as “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” and “A Saucerful of Secrets”.
In January 1969, Pink Floyd began recording their third album, More (Soundtrack from the film More). Barrett had increasingly left songwriting duties by this point to Waters and Wright; his contributions were reduced to two short pieces, “Vegetable Man” and “Scream Thy Last Scream”. The album was a commercial success but received mixed reviews. Barrett was formally asked to leave during recording sessions for More; he officially departed on 5 April 1968.
Pink Floyd’s psychedelic songs
“The Piper at the Gates of Dawn” is the debut studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 5 August 1967 by EMI Columbia in the United Kingdom and Tower Records in the United States. The album was recorded at Abby Road Studios in London and written by Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason. It was produced by Joe Boyd, Norman Smith and Peter Jenner.
The album’s first track, “Lucifer Sam”, was Barrett’s tribute to his cat. The song “Astronomy Domine” is based on a science fiction novel by Barrett’s friend Christian Wolff, while the song “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” was inspired by a Chinese poem that Waters had read. The final track on the album, “Interstellar Overdrive”, is a nine-minute instrumental jam that was improvised in the studio.
Pink Floyd’s debut album is often considered to be one of the most important psychedelic rock albums ever made.
