The Most Popular Psychedelic Rock Bands

What are the most popular Psychedelic Rock bands? This list includes some of the best Psychedelic Rock bands of all time.

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential act of the rock era. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, the group later utilised several genres, ranging from pop ballads to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways.

Formed in 1960 in Liverpool, England

The Beatles were an English rock band that became arguably the most successful act of the 20th century. They influenced everyone from Bob Dylan to Lady Gaga and are seen as pivotal figures in the development of popular music. The band was formed in 1960 in Liverpool, England, and had four members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The Beatles are known for their songwriting abilities, their use of innovative recording techniques and their influence on fashion and culture. They became a commercial success in the United Kingdom with their first single, “Love Me Do,” in 1962. In 1964, they achieved global stardom with the release of “A Hard Day’s Night.” From 1965 onwards, the Beatles produced what many critics consider to be some of their finest work: the albums Rubber Soul (1965), Revolver (1966) and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). The Beatles’ influence on popular culture was vast, and their popularity increased as they became more involved in social and political issues such as the anti-war movement and the struggle for civil rights. In 1968, they released “The White Album,” which included some of their most experimental work. The following year, they recorded “Abbey Road” and “Let it Be.” The Beatles disbanded acrimoniously in 1970, but have remained hugely popular throughout the years.

Members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later experimented with several genres, ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock, often incorporating classical elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways. In 1963, their enormous popularity first emerged as “Beatlemania”; as the group’s music grew in sophistication, led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, they came to be perceived by many fans as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the era’s sociocultural revolutions.

Albums: “Please Please Me”, “With the Beatles”, “Hard Day’s Night”, “Beatles for Sale”, “Help!”, “Rubber Soul”, “Revolver”, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, “The Beatles”, “Magical Mystery Tour”, “Yellow Submarine”, “Abbey Road”, “Let It Be”

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, are regarded as the most influential band of all time. They were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and popular music’s recognition as an art form. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, their sound incorporated elements of classical music and traditional pop in innovative ways; the band later explored production techniques that furthered the adoption of progressive rock. Their songs remain popular covers for other artists more than five decades after their break-up.

During their extensive career, the Beatles released twelve studio albums, which were all commercially successful. The critical praise received by the band’s albums and singles helped elevate them to new heights in both the UK and the US. “Please Please Me”, their debut album, topped the UK Albums Chart for 30 weeks upon its release in 1963 and remained at number one for a total of 11 weeks during its initial run; it was eventually displaced by “With the Beatles”. In 1964, “With the Beatles” knocked “Please Please Me” off the top spot on both charts; this was followed by “Hard Day’s Night”, which made history by becoming the first album by a foreign artist to achieve number one status on both charts simultaneously. 1964 proved to be a historic year for the band as they became international superstars following their performance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

1965 saw further chart success for the group with the release of “Rubber Soul”, which topped both charts in both countries; it was eventually replaced at number one on the UK chart by “Help!”, their fifth studio album. In 1966, Revolver became the first album by a non-American artist to reach number one on Billboard 200, while Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band topped both charts upon its release in 1967; it remains one of only three albums to have achieved this feat. 1968 marked a turning point in both commercial success and critical reception for the band with The Beatles, commonly known as “the White Album”. Although it initially received mixed reviews from critics, it went on to become one of their most popular albums; it topped both charts upon its release and has since been certified double diamond by RIAA.

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued to work with the band as a contracted musician until his death in 1985. 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 before his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974. After Taylor’s departure, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975.

Formed in 1962 in London, England

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in 1962 in London. The first stable lineup consisted of Brian Jones (guitar), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums) and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official lineup in 1963 but continued to work with the band as a contracted musician until his death in 1985. 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 year before his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974. After Taylor left the band, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and continues on guitar to this day.

The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the United States in 1964 and were identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. Rooted in blues and early rock and roll, they later experimented with a variety of musical styles incorporating elements of African-American R&B, pop, jazz, disco, and punk rock. The Rolling Stones have released 25 studio albums through 2017. Their early albums such as The Rolling Stones (1964), Out of Our Heads (1965), Between the Buttons (1967)and Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) featured a psychedelic influence that peaked with their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request. Since then they have shifted to more straightforward rock-oriented records over time.

The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. They ranked number 4 in Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list published in 2004 as well as its 2012 updated version ranked at number 2. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked them at number 12 on “The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists” chart.[4] In 2012 Vinyl Surfer ranked them number 1 on “The 50 Greatest Live Acts of All Time” list.[5] Nine of their studio albums have reached number one on Billboard’s 200 chart: Beetles (1964), Out Of Our Heads US/UK(1965), Aftermath US/UK(1966), Big Hits High Tide & Green Grass(1966) US only; Let It Bleed(1969); Sticky Fingers(1971); Some Girls(1978); Tattoo You(1981); Bridges To Babylon(1997).

Members: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Ian Stewart

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of bandleader Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica, and keyboards), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued to work with the band as a contracted musician until his death in 1985. 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 before his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974. After Taylor left the band, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and has been on guitar ever since.

The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the United States in 1964. Identifiable for their delinquent attitude and their distinctive appearance, the group was led by primary songwriters Jagger and Richards and noted for guitarists Keith Richards’ use of open tuning and Taylor’s slide work. Bassist Wyman and drummer Watts anchored the band’s rhythm section for over five decades. The band grew from being an opening act for Chuck Berry to headlining concert tours worldwide. They have released 25 studio albums through 2016​and recorded material from every decade since 1963​spanning a diverse range of styles including blues rock, psychedelic rock, hard rock, country rock[5][6], and arena rock.[7] They have notched up 37 US No. 1 hit singles – more than any other band – including “Paint It Black”, “Honky Tonk Women”, “‘Brown Sugar”, “Tumbling Dice” as well as “Start Me Up”, which has become one of their signature songs.[8][9] They were ranked number 4 in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time[10] and number 22 on VH1’s list of greatest artists of hard rock.[11]

Albums: “The Rolling Stones”, “12 X 5”, “Out of Our Heads”, “Aftermath”, “Between the Buttons”, “Their Satanic Majesties Request”, “Beggars Banquet”, “Let It Bleed”, “Sticky Fingers”, “Exile on Main St.”, “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll”, “Black and Blue”, “Some Girls”, “Tattoo You”, “Undercover”, “Dirty Work”, “Voodoo Lounge”, “Bridges to Babylon”, “A Bigger Bang”

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), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued to work with the band as a contracted musician until his death in 1985. 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 before his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974. After Taylor left the band, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and has been on guitar in tandem with Richards ever since. Since Wyman’s departure in 1993, Darryl Jones has served as the touring bassist. The Stones have not had an official keyboardist since 1963; nevertheless, Chuck Leavell has worked with them as a session musician since 1982 and has been a touring member since 1989.

The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the United States in 1964 and were identified with the youth counterculture of the 1960s. They were instrumental in making blues a major part of rock and roll,[3] and of modifying the dominant status of white musicians in popular music during this period.[4] Frequent guest appearances on their albums by such African-American artists as Muddy Waters, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee,[5] Chuck Berry,[6] Taj Mahal[7] and CY Coleman[8][9] attest to their embrace of black influences that would be increasingly evident during their second decade as recording artists. They also recorded songs with world music influences such as “Paint It Black” featuring sitar or “Mother’s Little Helper” featuring marimba giving them experimental leanings that would be more fully developed on subsequent releases such as Their Satanic Majesties Request featuring Mellotron or Beggars Banquet featuring dulcimer.[10][11] contribute psychedelic rock elements to subsequent releases such as Their Satanic Majesties Request featuring Mellotron or Beggars Banquet featuring dulcimer.[12][13]

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 one of the most successful and influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. The doors have sold over 100 million records worldwide.

Formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, United States

The Doors were an American rock band who were active from 1965 to 1973. The band members were Ray Manzarek (keyboards), Robby Krieger (guitar), John Densmore (drums), and Jim Morrison (vocals). The Doors achieved commercial success with their debut album in 1967, which contained their most well-known song, “Light My Fire”. Get psyched for The Doors greatest hits.

Members: Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, John Densmore

The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s, mostly because of Morrison’s lyrics and charismatic but unpredictable stage persona. After Morrison’s death at age 27, the remaining members continued as a threesome until disbanding in 1973.

Despite not achieving commercial success until 1966 with their self-titled debut album, The Doors were one of the most popular psychedelic rock bands of their era. Their sound was anchored by Manzarek’s electric organ work and Krieger’s full-bodied guitar style, which drew heavily from flamenco music. The group often incorporated elements of jazz, classical music, and blues into their songs.

The Doors’ fingerprints can be found all over subsequent generations of punk rock and alternative music; they have been cited as an inspiration by everyone from the Ramones to Arcade Fire.

Albums: “The Doors”, “Strange Days”, “Waiting for the Sun”, “The Soft Parade”, “Morrison Hotel”, “L.A. Woman”, “Other Voices”, “Full Circle”, “An American Prayer”

The Doors were an American rock band which formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. The band consisted of Jim Morrison (vocals), Ray Manzarek (keyboards), Robby Krieger (guitar) and John Densmore (drums). They were unique and among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s, mostly because of Morrison’s wild, poetic lyrics and charismatic but unpredictable stage persona. After Morrison’s death in 1971, the remaining members continued as a trio until finally disbanding in 1973.

The Doors had a huge impact on popular culture and are seen as representative of the decade’s social upheaval. Their debut album, The Doors (1967), released by Elektra Records, sold almost three million copies in the US alone and eventually went platinum. The album yielded the group’s most successful single, “Light My Fire”, which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks in July 1967. More hits followed with “People Are Strange”, “Love Me Two Times”, “Touch Me”, and “Hello, I Love You”.

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was an English rock band that formed in London in 1968. The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist and keyboardist 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.

Formed in 1968 in London, England

Led Zeppelin was an English rock band formed in 1968 by guitarist Jimmy Page under the name “The New Yardbirds”, featuring vocalist Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer Jason Bonham. The band’s heavy, guitar-driven sound has led them to be cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal. They are widely considered as one of the greatest and most influential rock bands in history.

Members: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham

Led Zeppelin was an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group consisted of Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards) and John Bonham (drums). With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are regularly cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal, although their style drew from a variety of influences, including blues and folk music.

Led Zeppelin are widely considered one of the most successful, innovative and influential rock groups in history. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and often experimental approach to songwriting. Their record sales have made them one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording. In 2009, they were ranked No. 31 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and No. 2 in MTV’s list of “22 Best Hard Rock Bands Of All Time”.

Albums: “Led Zeppelin”, “Led Zeppelin II”, “Led Zeppelin III”, “IV”, “Houses of the Holy”, “Physical Graffiti”, “Presence”, “In Through the Out Door”, “Coda”

Led Zeppelin was an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. The band’s heavy, guitar-driven sound, rooted in blues and psychedelia on their early albums, has earned them recognition as one of the progenitors of heavy metal, though their unique style drew from a wide variety of influences, including folk music.

After changing their name from the New Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin signed a deal with Atlantic Records that gave the band freedom from the artistic and musical control of record producers. Their self-titled debut album was recorded in October 1968 over a 12-day period at Olympic Studios in London and released on 12 January 1969 in the United States and on 31 March 1969 in the United Kingdom by Atlantic Records. Led Zeppelin’s fourth album, which featured the track “Stairway to Heaven”, is among the most popular and influential works in rock music, and it helped to secure the group’s popularity.