The Best Psychedelic Rock Albums of 1967

A list of the best Psychedelic Rock albums of 1967 according to user ratings and reviews.

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

If there was ever an album that defined the psychedelic experience, it would have to be The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. From the opening chords of “With a Little Help from My Friends” to the final notes of “A Day in the Life,” the album takes the listener on a journey through the minds of four very talented and slightly mad men. This was The Beatles at their creative peak, and the album remains one of the most influential and important recordings of all time.

The Beach Boys – Smile

In 1967, the Beach Boys released their eleventh studio album, Smile. The album was a critical and commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart and receiving positive reviews from music critics. Smile is often considered to be one of the greatest psychedelic rock albums of all time and is considered to be a classic of the genre.

The Doors – Strange Days

The Doors’ second album, Strange Days, was released in September 1967. This album is a perfect example of the psychedelic rock sound that was so prevalent during this time period. The Doors were one of the most popular rock bands of the 1960s, and their music has continued to be popular and influential in the decades since.

Jimi Hendrix – Are You Experienced

Are You Experienced is the debut studio album by English rock band the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Released in May 1967, it was the first LP for Track and Reprise Records. The album was recorded over the course of a year from 1966 to 1967 in several London and New York studios, with some sessions featuring bassist Noel Redding and others drummer Mitch Mitchell. It was produced by Chas Chandler.

The album features influential songs such as “Purple Haze”, “Fire”, and “The Wind Cries Mary”. It charted at number two in the UK, number five on the US Billboard 200, and has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Rolling Stone ranked Are You Experienced the 15th greatest debut album of all time.

The Grateful Dead – Anthem of the Sun

The Grateful Dead’s second album, Anthem of the Sun, was a collection of tracks recorded over the course of a year that saw the band’s sound develop considerably. Though it wasn’t released until 1968, many of the album’s songs were written and performed in 1967, making it one of the most essential documents of the psychedelic era. From the proto-metal stomp of “Alligator” to the beautiful folk-rock harmonizing of “Mountains of the Moon,” Anthem of the Sun is an essential psychedelic album.

Love – Forever Changes

Love’s Forever Changes is one of the most beautiful and essential documents of the late-’60s Los Angeles pop explosion. Amid the sea of concerns about what was happening in the world, Arthur Lee managed to and write some of the most stoned, blissed-out, loving songs ever (“Old Man,” ” Alone Again Or,” ” A House Is Not a Motel,” “Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale”). Elsewhere, he turned his jaded eye on rampant consumerism (“The Daily Planet”), racism (“Andmoreagain”), and his own mortality (“Bummer in the Summer”). The music is as varied as the subject matter, running from Latin-tinged psychedelic pop to jazzy folk-rock to Lee’s own brand of garage rock. And throughout it all, there is that beautiful, melancholy orchestrations by David Angel. Love’s Forever Changes is one of those perfect albums that manages to be both sad and uplifting at the same time.

Pink Floyd – The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

Pink Floyd’s debut album is one of the most important and influential psychedelic rock albums ever made. It’s a mind-bending mix of Syd Barrett’s unique songwriting, the band’s innovative musicianship, and producer Norman Smith’s experimental recording techniques. The result is an album that sounds like nothing else that came before it, and which remains hugely influential to this day.

The Rolling Stones – Their Satanic Majesties Request

The Rolling Stones – Their Satanic Majesties Request: Widely considered to be one of the weaker albums in The Rolling Stones’ catalogue, it is nonetheless an interesting and innovative record that signalled a change in direction for the band. Released in 1967, the album was a commercial failure but is now appreciated for its experimental edge. Recorded in the aftermath of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which had raised the bar for what was possible in rock music, The Stones attempted to match their rivals with an ambitious and experimental record of their own. Featuring elements of psychedelia, Indian music and avant-garde sound collages, the album was far ahead of its time and remains an intriguing listen today.

The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground & Nico is the debut album by American rock band the Velvet Underground, released in March 1967 by Verve Records. It was recorded in 1966 while the band’s member Lou Reed was in Europe with his then-girlfriend, German singer and model Nico.

The album featured songs that would later become Velvet Underground classics, such as “I’m Waiting for the Man”, “Venus in Furs” and “All Tomorrow’s Parties”. It is considered one of the most influential records of all time, and is one of the most important works of twentieth century pop music.

The Who – Sell Out

The Who Sell Out is the third studio album by the English rock band The Who, released on 15 December 1967 by Track Records in the UK and Decca Records in the US. It is a concept album, structured as a collection of unrelated songs interspersed with faux commercials and public service announcements. A parody of pirate radio and commercial culture, The Who Sell Out is considered one of the first concept albums. Recording was completed between April and November 1967, during breaks between touring commitments.

The album was preceded by the release of its first single, “I Can See for Miles”, which reached the top ten in several countries. Upon its release, The Who Sell Out received mixed reviews from music critics but was commercially successful, peaking at number four on the UK Albums Chart and number sixteen on the US Billboard 200. It was later certified gold by both the Recording Industry Association of America and Music Canada. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Who Sell Out at number 327 on its list of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time .