List of Psychedelic Rock Bands

Looking for a comprehensive list of psychedelic rock bands? Check out this blog post for a detailed rundown of some of the most popular acts in the genre.

Psychedelic Rock Bands

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic rock often uses new recording techniques and effects and draws on non-Western sources such as the sitar and gamelan.

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The group, whose best-known line-up consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, are regarded as the most influential band of all time. With a sound rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock and roll, the group were integral to the origins of psychedelic rock, often introducing elements of Indian music and classical instrumentation into their records. They also explored other genres including pop ballads and film scores.

The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960, with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, together since 1958, went through a succession of drummers, including Pete Best, before asking Starr to join them in 1962. Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act, and producer George Martin guided and developed their recordings causing them to grow in popularity worldwide.

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London, England, in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Ian Stewart (piano), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums). The band’s primary songwriters, Jagger and Richards, assumed leadership after Andrew Loog Oldham became the group’s manager. Jones left the band less than a month after recording started and was replaced by Mick Taylor. Taylor lasted just over five years before being asked to leave in December 1974. He was replaced in 1975 by Ronnie Wood, who has since remained as a continual member along with Watts. Since Wyman’s departure in 1993, Darryl Jones has served as touring bassist while sessions musicians have contributed on studio recordings.

The Stones have released 30 studio albums, 23 live albums and numerous compilations. Let It Bleed (1969) was their first of five consecutive number one studio and live albums in the UK. Sticky Fingers (1971) was the first of eight number one studio albums in the US, followed by Exile on Main Street (1972). It was followed by Some Girls (1978) and Tattoo You (1981), both of which reached number one in the US as well. After a mostly-unsuccessful period that saw them releasing Mixed Emotions (1989) and Steel Wheels / Urban Jungle(1991/2), which peaked at number two On Fire: Live at the Max and Voodoo Lounge(1994/5), they enjoyed a comeback with Bridges to Babylon(1997) which topped several markets internationally; A Bigger Bang(2005) continued that success internationally before Forty Licks(2002) became the best-selling hits compilation of all time; it returned them to US number one for the first time since 1981’s Tattoo You—marking their longest break between American number-ones at 16 years—and contained ” Streets of Love”, their most recent US top ten hit single at that point as well as “Don’t Stop” which peaked at number eighteen fourteen years previously in 1993.

The Stones have not toured since 2007 to celebrate their 50th anniversary.[1] A tour planned for 2012-2013 was cancelled due to health reasons of Richards and Wood.[2][3] On 25 October 2016 The Rolling Stones announced their forthcoming Blue & Lonesome, their first album consisting solely of cover songs which is due for release on 2 December 2016, fifty four years after their debut album release.[4][5][6]

The Who

The Who is an English rock band that was formed in London in 1964. The band is composed of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered to be one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century, selling over 100 million records worldwide. The Who has been credited with helping to pioneer the development of punk rock and power pop.

The band’s classic lineup consisted of Townshend, Daltrey, Entwistle, and Moon; they were active until Moon’s death in 1978. A number of subsequent lineup changes followed, before the group settled on a configuration of Townshend, Daltrey, and new drummer Zak Starkey in 1996. Their current touring lineup includes Townshend, Daltrey, Starkey, bassist Pino Palladino (who replaced Entwistle following his death in 2002), and backing vocalists/guitarists Simon Townshend (Pete’s brother) and Frank Simes.

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd was an English rock band who achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. They are one of the most commercially successful and influential groups in popular music history. Formed in 1965, the group initially earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and, as they evolved, for their experimental recordings and their concept albums. Pink Floyd are known for their eclectic mix of musical styles and genres, which included Syd Barrett-influenced psychedelic rock in their earlier work, followed by progressively experimental rock during the 1970s. The dark themes of their lyrics often explore existentialism, mental illness, conflict and poverty.

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was an English rock band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The band formed in London in 1968, and it consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bass player and keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. Led Zeppelin is widely considered to be one of the most influential rock bands of all time. The band’s sound incorporated elements of blues, folk, and eastern music, which helped to pioneer the development of psychedelic rock. Led Zeppelin’s recordings were also notable for their use of innovative recording techniques such as multitrack recording and echo chambers.

Psychedelic Folk

Psychedelic folk is a subgenre of psychedelic rock that developed in the late 1960s. It was pioneered by artists such as Bob Dylan, the Byrds and Donovan. Psychedelic folk combines elements of folk music and psychedelic rock.

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, and visual artist who has been a major figure in popular culture for more than five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s, when songs such as “Blowin’ in the Wind” (1963) and “The Times They Are a-Changin'” (1964) became anthems of the Civil Rights Movement and anti-war movement. His lyrics during this period incorporated a wide range of political, social, philosophical, and literary influences, defied existing pop music conventions and appealed to the burgeoning counterculture.

The Byrds

Psychedelic folk (sometimes referred to as psychedelia) is a subgenre of folk rock that developed in the late 1960s. It is characterised by a combination of acoustic and electric instrumentation, often with psychedelic or proto-psychedelic influences.

The Byrds were one of the most influential American bands of the psychedelic folk movement. Formed in Los Angeles in 1964, the group released their debut album Mr. Tambourine Man in 1965. The album’s lead single, also titled “Mr. Tambourine Man”, was a huge commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The Byrds continued to release successful albums throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, before disbanding in 1973.

Donovan

Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known as Donovan, is a Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music (notably calypso). He has lived in Scotland, Hertfordshire (England), London and California, and for most of the 1970s pursued a successful career in the United States, also visiting many other countries throughout the world.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was a folk rock supergroup made up of American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills, and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash. Originally formed as a trio in 1968, they added Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young to their line-up in 1969. They were known for their intricate vocal harmonies, often tumultuous interpersonal relationships, political activism, and lasting influence on American music and culture.

Psychedelic Soul

Psychedelic soul, sometimes called black rock, is a subgenre of soul music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Its origins can be traced to the blues-influenced psychedelic music of the late 1960s, which was developed by African-American rock bands such as Sly and the Family Stone and The Temptations.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of hits, including “Ain’t That Peculiar”, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”. He recorded songs in a wide variety of genres, including blues, soul, pop and country.

Gaye’s later work embraced themes of social change, sexual liberation and spirituality. His record “What’s Going On” (1971) has been credited with helping to raise awareness of the plight of inner-city African-American youth following thewat just how influential his music remained.Psychedelic Soul is a subgenre of soul music that emerged in the late 1960s that saw soul musicians attempting to incorporate elements of psychedelic rock into their music. Psychedelic soul is often associated with acts such as Sly & The Family Stone, The Temptations and Funkadelic.

Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. A prominent figure in popular music, he is one of the most successful musicians of his generation. In a career spanning over five decades, Wonder has achieved success with a number of notable hits. He has also earned critical acclaim for his work as a social activist.

Wonder signed with Motown Records at the age of eleven and released his first album, The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie, in 1962. His breakthrough came with the release of Talking Book in 1972. The album contained the hit singles “Superstition” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”. Wonder’s next album, Innervisions (1973), produced another two chart-topping singles, “Living for the City” and “Higher Ground”.

Wonder’s landmark album was released in 1976. Songs in the Key of Life featured the hits “Isn’t She Lovely” and “Sir Duke”. The album won Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. In total, Wonder has won twenty-two Grammy Awards. He has also been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The Temptations

The Temptations are an American vocal group who achieved great success in the 1960s and 1970s with their string of hits including “My Girl” (1964), “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” (1966), and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” (1972). The group’s classic lineup featured Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and David Ruffin.

The Supremes

The Supremes were an American female singing group and the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown’s acts and are, to date, America’s most successful vocal group with 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown’s main songwriting and production team, a team composed of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland. At their peak in the mid-1960s, the Supremes rivaled the Beatles in worldwide popularity, and it is said that their success made it possible for future African American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success.

The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5 was an American boy band which established many musical firsts. They were the first group of black teenage brothers to gain commercial success in the mainstream music industry, with a string of number-one singles on the Motown label in the early-mid 1970s. They were also notable for being the first successful Motown act whose lead singer was not African-American. The group members were eldest brothers Jackie, Tito and Jermaine, younger brothers Marlon and Michael, and their cousin Randy.