How Psychedelic Rock is Making a Comeback on Last.fm
Contents
Psychedelic rock is making a comeback on Last.fm, with a number of new artists and bands emerging in the genre. Here’s a look at some of the most popular psychedelic rock artists on the site.
Introduction
It’s been more than 50 years since the first psychedelic rock album was released, and the genre is currently enjoying a renaissance, thanks in part to streaming services like Last.fm.
Psychedelic rock, or simply “psychedelia,” is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The style is characterized by distorted sounds, trippy effects, and mind-bending lyrics that often dealt with themes of psychedelia and eastern philosophy.
Despite its relatively short lifespan, psychedelic rock left a lasting impression on popular music, influencing subsequent genres like punk rock, new wave, and even hip-hop. Today, there’s a new generation of bands that are carrying the psychedelic torch, and they’re doing it with the help of Last.fm.
Last.fm is a music streaming service that allows users to listen to unlimited songs for free. The service also keeps track of the user’s listening habits and provides personalized recommendations based on their taste.
One of the most interesting aspects of Last.fm is its data-driven approach to music discovery. The site uses complex algorithms to keep track of what users are listening to and recommends similar artists and songs based on their findings.
This system has led to the discovery of many new artists, including some that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. For example,Last.fm was one of the first places I heard aboutthe Memphis-based garage rock band Jeff the Brotherhood; their 2011 album We Are the Champions was recommended to me after I listened to another garage rock band called Thee Oh Sees.
Jeff the Brotherhood isn’t exactly a psychedelic band, but they’re indebted to the genre; their sound has been described as “a mix of 60s garage rock and 70s stoner metal.” And they’re just one example of how Last.fm is helping to expose new listeners to old genres in innovative ways.
What is Psychedelic Rock?
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psychedelia, is a diverse style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. Characterized by distorted guitars, trippy lyrics, and mind-altering special effects, psychedelic rock sought to replicated the experience of taking LSD. The genre reached its peak in the late 1960s, but declined in popularity in the early 1970s. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in psychedelic rock, with many modern bands incorporating elements of the style into their music.
The History of Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, also known as garage rock, is a genre of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. The music is intended to replicate the experience of transcendental meditation and often contains elements of pop, folk, and blues.
Psychedelic rock reached its peak popularity in the late 1960s, but the genre has experienced a resurgence in recent years thanks to Last.fm. Last.fm is a social networking site that allows users to listen to and share music with other users. The site also includes a comprehensive database of information on every artist and album, making it an ideal place for music lovers to discover new artists and albums.
Last.fm has been instrumental in the resurgence of psychedelic rock by providing a platform for new and unsigned artists to share their music with a global audience. Thanks to Last.fm, artists like Tame Impala, The Black Angels, Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Thee Oh Sees have found an audience for their music outside of their native countries.
The renewed interest in psychedelic rock is not limited to Last.fm users; major labels are also taking notice of the genre’s popularity. In 2013, Sony Music reissued The Byrds’ influential 1966 album Fifth Dimension on vinyl; the album had been out of print for over 20 years. Similarly, Warner Bros. Records released a deluxe edition of The Grateful Dead’s 1967 album Anthem of the Sun in 2014; the album had been out of print for over 40 years.
The resurgence of psychedelic rock is not just limited to reissues; new albums are also being met with critical acclaim. In 2014, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds released their second album Chasing Yesterday, which debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart; the album was widely praised for its psychedelic influences. Similarly, Tame Impala’s third album Currents was released to critical acclaim in 2015; the album debuted at number one on the Australian Albums Chart and peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart
The Comeback of Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, or psyrock for short, is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the 1960s. The style is characterized by the use of psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, to alter one’s state of mind, often resulting in a more intense and expansive sonic experience. Psychedelic rock was hugely popular in the 1960s and 1970s, but fell out of favor in the 1980s as punk rock and new wave took over. However, in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in psychedelic rock, with many new bands emerging on the scene.
Last.fm is a music streaming service that keeps track of what users are listening to. This makes it a valuable resource for understanding trends in music consumption. A recent analysis of Last.fm data showed that there has been a significant increase in the number of people listening to psychedelic rock over the past few years. This suggests that the genre is making a comeback, albeit on a smaller scale than its 1960s heyday.
There are many reasons why psychedelic rock might be experiencing a renaissance. One possibility is that the current political and social climate has made people nostalgic for the countercultural values of the 1960s and 1970s. Another possibility is that the expanded use of mind-altering drugs like LSD and MDMA has led to more people being open to experiencing different types of music. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that psychedelic rock is enjoying something of a resurgence in popularity.
Why is Psychedelic Rock Making a Comeback?
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as “psychedelia”, is a Music genre characterized by the use of psychedelic and other mind-altering drugs, giving the music a “trippy”, Anfield sound. The style is often associated with the counterculture of the 1960s and early 1970s. Psychedelic music often makes use of new recording studio technologies such as echo and feedback, and is intended to replicate or enhance the experience of using these drugs.
Psychedelic rock reached its peak of popularity in the late 1960s, but began to fall out of favor in the early 1970s as punk rock became more popular. However, in recent years there has been a renewed interest in the genre, with several new bands emerging that have been influenced by psychedelic rock. Last.fm data shows that psychedelic rock listener numbers have been steadily increasing since 2007, with a spike in 2013. This renewed interest may be due to the fact that many people who grew up listening to psychedelic rock are now in their 40s and 50s, and are rediscovering the music they loved in their youth. Additionally, younger generations may be interested in exploring a genre that was popular before they were born.
Conclusion
So there you have it, Psychedelic Rock is slowly but surely making a comeback on Last.fm. It’s not quite at the level that it was in 2006 yet, but given the current rate of growth, it’s only a matter of time before it’s back to its former glory. If you’re a fan of Psychedelic Rock, make sure to add some of the genre’s newer releases to your library and help contribute to the comeback!