The Best Psychedelic Rock Bands of All Time

A countdown of the best psychedelic rock bands of all time, including The Beatles, The Doors, and Pink Floyd.

The Doors

The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most successful and controversial rock bands of the 1960s, mostly because of Morrison’s lyrics and on-stage antics, which included singing about sex, drugs, and death.

Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison, one of the most iconic and influential frontmen in rock history, was the lead singer and lyricist of The Doors. Morrison was known for his wild, poetic and often puzzling lyrics, as well as his erratic and charismatic stage presence. He wrote some of the band’s most famous songs, including “Light My Fire,” “Break on Through (To the Other Side)” and “Riders on the Storm.” Though he died at just 27 years old, Morrison left a lasting legacy in both music and popular culture.

The Doors’ sound

The Doors’ sound was unique and distinctive, rooted in Jim Morrison’s deep, baritone voice, Ray Manzarek’s use of a Fender Rhodes piano instead of a bass guitar, and Robby Krieger’s simple but effective guitar riffs. The group also incorporated elements of jazz, classical music, and blues into their music.

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd is an English rock band formed in London in 1965. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd is one of the most commercially successful and influential groups in popular music history.

Syd Barrett

Syd Barrett was the founder, lead singer, and guitarist for Pink Floyd. He wrote most of the material for their debut album, The Piper At The Gates of Dawn, released in 1967. Barrett’s mental health deteriorated during Pink Floyd’s early years. He was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia and left the band in 1968.

Pink Floyd’s sound

During their early years, Pink Floyd’s sound was dominated by Syd Barrett’s guitar work and Roger Waters’ bass. Barrett’s songwriting was heavily influenced by the Beatles, and his use of feedback and distortion created a sound that was unique for the time. Barrett’s mental health began to deteriorate during this period, and he was eventually replaced by David Gilmour.

Waters’ lyrics were often dark and political, dealing with subjects like war, mental illness, and alienation. Rick Wright’s keyboard work added a layer of atmosphere to the band’s sound, and Nick Mason’s drumming was simple but effective.

The band’s 1967 debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, is considered one of the best psychedelic rock albums of all time. The band’s subsequent albums, including 1968’s A Saucerful of Secrets and 1969’s Ummagumma, saw them exploring different sounds and styles.

Pink Floyd became one of the biggest bands in the world with the release of 1973’s The Dark Side of the Moon. The album topped the charts in several countries and has sold over 50 million copies worldwide. The band followed up with 1975’s Wish You Were Here and 1977’s Animals before releasing their final album with Roger Waters, 1979’s The Wall.

After Waters left the band in 1985, Pink Floyd released two more albums: 1987’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason and 1994’s The Division Bell. Gilmour is the only original member still active with the band today.

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was an English rock band that was active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The band was formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham. Led Zeppelin is widely considered to be one of the most influential rock bands of all time.

Jimmy Page

Jimmy Page is a British musician, songwriter, and producer who is best known as the guitarist for the rock band Led Zeppelin. He was born in 1944 in Heston, Middlesex, and started playing guitar when he was 13. He soon began playing in local bands and session work, and by the early 1960s he had become one of the most sought-after session guitarists in England. Page joined Led Zeppelin in 1968, and the band’s first album, Led Zeppelin (1969), became one of the best-selling debut albums of all time. Over the next decade, Led Zeppelin released a string of classic rock albums that have gone on to sell over 300 million copies worldwide.

Led Zeppelin’s sound

Led Zeppelin’s sound was rooted in the blues, but they took the music to new heights with their signature hard rock sound. They were one of the first bands to experiment with heavy metal and rock, and their influence can still be heard in today’s music.

The Grateful Dead

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that was inspired by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. The genre emerged during the mid 1960s with The Beatles’ ” Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds”, and reached its apotheosis in the late 1960s with the releases of The Grateful Dead’s “Anthem of the Sun” and The Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour”.

Jerry Garcia

Jerry Garcia was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist best known for his work with the Grateful Dead, which came to prominence during the counterculture era in the 1960s. Though he disbanded the Grateful Dead in 1995, Garcia continued to perform with the Jerry Garcia Band and other side projects until his death in August 1995.

Garcia began playing guitar at age 15 and quickly developed a unique style that blended rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, and jazz. He joined the Grateful Dead in 1965 and remained a member of the band for 30 years. In addition to his work with the Grateful Dead, Garcia also released several solo albums and collaborated with a number of other artists, including Bob Dylan, John Kahn, Merl Saunders, David Grisman, and Vassar Clements.

Garcia was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Grateful Dead in 1995. He was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.

The Grateful Dead’s sound

The Grateful Dead’s sound was eclectic, often containing elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, country, and jazz. They are considered the pioneers of the jam band genre and inspired bands such as Phish and The Allman Brothers Band. Many of their songs were written by iconic singers/songwriters Bob Dylan and John Perry Barlow. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide.

Jefferson Airplane

Arguably the most influential psychedelic rock band of all time, Jefferson Airplane was formed in San Francisco in 1965. The band was a pioneer of the psychedelic sound and their 1967 album, Surrealistic Pillow, is cited as one of the defining works of the genre.

Grace Slick

Grace Slick (born Grace Barnett Wing on October 30, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, artist, and former model, best known as one of the lead singers of the rock groups Jefferson Airplane and Starship, who had major hits such as “Somebody to Love” and “We Built This City”.

Jefferson Airplane’s sound

Come Together, the first of three chart-topping albums for the group, marked a change in direction from the more R&B-based sound of their first two albums to a harder rock sound. The album’s lead single, “Somebody to Love”, was also their biggest hit, reaching #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.