Psychedelic Rock Fans – Check Out These Full Albums!

Psychedelic rock fans rejoice! Here are 9 full albums that are sure to take you on a musical journey. From The Doors to The Grateful Dead, these albums are essential listening for any fan of the genre.

The Psychedelic Furs – Love My Way

The Psychedelic Furs are an English rock band founded in February 1977. The group, which initially associated itself with the punk rock scene, was one of the first to sign to the independent label CBS Records (now Sony Music). They toured extensively throughout Europe and North America. The band gained prominence with their 1980 album, Mirror Moves, which spawned the hit singles “Love My Way” and “Heaven.” The follow-up album, Forever Now (1982), produced another hit single, “Pretty in Pink.”

The Doors – Strange Days

The Doors’ second album, Strange Days, was released on September 25, 1967. It served as a follow-up to their debut album, which was released earlier that year. Strange Days was a commercial success, reaching the #3 spot on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album has been well-received by critics, with many praising its experimental sound and dark lyrical themes.

Pink Floyd – The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

This album was released in 1967 and is the debut album from the English rock band Pink Floyd. The album is a mix of psychedelic and pop rock with influences from blues, Indian music, and classical music. It was not commercially successful at the time, but is now considered one of the most important albums in the history of psychedelic rock.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced?

Are You Experienced is the debut studio album by English-American rock band the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Released in May 1967, it was the first LP for Track Records and was a smash hit in the United Kingdom, reaching number two on the UK Albums Chart, and number five on the Billboard 200. Are You Experienced spent 33 weeks on the UK chart and 70 weeks on the US chart.

Cream – Disraeli Gears

Cream was a 1960s British rock power trio consisting of lead vocalist/bassist Jack Bruce, drummer Ginger Baker, and guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton. The group’s primary songwriter, Bruce, chiefly wrote the lyrics while Clapton generally supplied the compositions. Baker often acted as the band’s leader, as he initiated the majority of their most famous recordings and was the more visible member.

The group’s sound was characterised by a hybrid of blues rock, hard rock and psychedelic rock. They achieved international success playing blues rock with a heavy guitar- and drums-based sound marked by Clapton’s virtuosic improvisation. Their 1966 debut album Fresh Cream is widely regarded as one of the greatest debuts in the history of rock music.

Disraeli Gears is the second studio album by Cream and was originally released in November 1967 on Reaction in the UK and Polydor Records in America. It reached No. 5 in both countries’ album charts as well as topping several other international charts including those of Australia, Canada and Japan. The album features two of cream’s best known songs: “Sunshine of Your Love” and “Strange Brew”. It saw them refining and expanding upon the approach of their 1966 debut Fresh Cream with more sophisticated harmonies, updated blues & jazz influences and pop sensibilities that would result in mainstream appeal.

The Grateful Dead – Anthem of the Sun

The Grateful Dead’s second album, Anthem of the Sun, was released in 1968. It was the first album to feature the band’s new “wall of sound” approach to recording, which attempted to create a more “live” sound by miking all of the instruments in a room and blending them together. The album was not a commercial success, but it is now considered one of the band’s best albums, and is included on many “Greatest Albums of All Time” lists.

Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow

This is the second album by the American rock band Jefferson Airplane, released on February 1, 1967, by RCA Victor. The album was one of the first commercially successful psychedelic rock LPs and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 album chart, eventually selling over two million copies.

The lead single from the album, “Somebody to Love”, was sung by Grace Slick and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100. The album’s title comes from a line in “She Has Funny Cars”, one of several songs written by Slick while she was under the influence of LSD.

In 2017, Surrealistic Pillow was ranked 47th on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico

If you love psychedelic rock, then you need to check out The Velvet Underground’s album The Velvet Underground & Nico. This album is chock full of psychedelic goodness, from the trippy soundscapes to the mind-bending lyrics. It’s a true classic of the genre, and it’s sure to take you on a wild ride. So put on your headphones, close your eyes, and let The Velvet Underground take you on a trip you’ll never forget.

The Byrds – Younger Than Yesterday

The Byrds’ fifth album, Younger Than Yesterday was released in February of 1967. The album peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200, making it their second highest charting album (behind their previous album, Fifth Dimension). Younger Than Yesterday has been described as “the perfect expression of the contented ‘haight Psychedelic Rock sound” and features the renowned singles “So You Want to Be a Rock & Roll Star” and “My Back Pages”.

Big Brother and the Holding Company – Cheap Thrills

Released in 1968, this album features the band’s most well-known song, “Piece of My Heart”. Front woman Janis Joplin’s powerful vocals helped the album achieve commercial success, spending eight weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 chart.