The Best Psychedelic Hard Rock Bands of the 70s

Looking for a blast from the past? Check out our list of the best psychedelic hard rock bands of the 70s! From Led Zeppelin to Pink Floyd, these classic bands will have you grooving all night long.

Introduction

Psychedelic hard rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Incorporating elements of psychedelic rock, acid rock, and hard rock, the genre spanned a wide range of styles, from the mellow sounds of early artists like Pink Floyd to the hard-edged garage rock of The Stooges.

Although the genre is often associated with the peace-and-love counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s, many of the most influential psychedelic hard rock bands were actually products of the earlier garage rock and British Invasion scenes. In fact, it was The Beatles’ landmark album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band that first hinted at the possibilities of combining hard rock with experimental sounds and drug-induced altered states.

Despite its short-lived popularity, psychedelic hard rock had a lasting impact on subsequent generations of musicians. From Led Zeppelin to Black Sabbath to Kiss, many of the most popular hard rock and heavy metal bands of the 1970s and 1980s were deeply indebted to the genre’s pioneering spirit. In more recent years, artists as diverse as Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, and Tame Impala have all incorporated elements of psychedelic hard rock into their music.

Whether you’re a fan of classic bands like Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin or more modern acts like Tame Impala or Nine Inch Nails, there’s something for everyone in this list of the best psychedelic hard rock bands of all time.

The Best Psychedelic Hard Rock Bands of the 70s

If you’re a fan of hard rock music and you’re looking for something a little different, then you should check out some of the best psychedelic hard rock bands of the 70s. These bands took the sound of hard rock and added a touch of psychedelia, creating a unique and unforgettable sound.

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was a British rock band that formed in 1968. The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bass player John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. The band’s heavy, guitar-driven sound has led them to be cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal. Their style drew from a wide variety of influences, including blues, psychedelia, and folk music.

The band achieved significant commercial success with their self-titled debut album, released in early 1969. Throughout the 1970s, Led Zeppelin released a series of highly successful albums that incorporated elements of rock, blues, folk, and world music. They also toured extensively around the world. In 1980, drummer John Bonham died after accidentally choking on his own vomit. The band chose to disband shortly thereafter rather than replace Bonham.

Pink Floyd

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 group have sold over 200 million records worldwide, including 74.5 million albums in the United States.

The band consisted of five members: Syd Barrett (lead vocals, guitar), Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass guitar, vocals), Rick Wright (keyboards, vocals) and David Gilmour (lead guitar, vocals). Barrett was replaced by Gilmour as Pink Floyd’s lead guitarist and vocalist in 1968 due to his deteriorating mental health. Waters initially served as the band’s bassist but following creative tensions with Gilmour and Wright, he assumed leadership of Pink Floyd in 1985 and brought them to new critical and commercial heights with The Wall (1979) and The Final Cut (1983).

Waters left Pink Floyd in 1985 and the remaining members continued as a trio until Wright’s death from cancer in 1996. Following Wright’s death, Gilmour and Mason continued to tour as Pink Floyd; Barrett died in 2006.

The Who

The Who is a British rock band formed in London, England in 1964. The group consists of Roger Daltrey (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica), Pete Townshend (lead guitar, vocals), John Entwistle (bass guitar, brass instruments) and Keith Moon (drums). They are considered to be one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century, selling over 100 million records worldwide. The Who is known for their energetic live performances and hits such as “My Generation”, ” Pinball Wizard”, “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, and “Baba O’Riley”.

Deep Purple

Deep Purple, often referred to as Deep Purple in Rock, is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Deep Purple, released on 4 June 1970. It was the first studio album recorded by the classic line-up of Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice. It was also the band’s most commercially successful album, reaching #1 in countries all over the world including the UK and US.

Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath is often cited as the first true heavy metal band. Formed in Birmingham, England, in 1968 by Ozzy Osbourne (lead vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass guitar), and Bill Ward (drums and percussion), the band helped define the genre with their dark, gloomy sound and lyrics that tackled social issues like war, depression, and drug use. Sabbath’s classic lineup recorded eight studio albums together before Osbourne was fired in 1979. The band has since gone through numerous lineup changes but has continued to record and tour to this day.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 70s were a great decade for psychedelic hard rock. With so many great bands to choose from, it’s hard to go wrong. These are just a few of the best psychedelic hard rock bands of the 70s.