Psychedelic Rock and Jangle Pop – What’s the Difference?

If you’re a fan of both genres, you might be wondering what the difference is between psychedelic rock and jangle pop. Here’s a quick rundown!

Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psyrock or psyr, is a genre of rock music characterized by a distorted, “dreamy” or “trippy” sound, often created with psychedelic substances.Psychedelic rock often contains elements of other genres, such as acid rock, jam bands, garage rock, and even pop.

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 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 in subsequent years, led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the era’s sociocultural revolutions.

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 – Pete Best was dismissed from the group in 1962; he was replaced by Starr the following year. Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act,[10] and producer George Martin guided their musical development; Martin produced all their recordings released until his death in 1995.

With their intense popularity on both sides of the Atlantic between 1964 and 1966,[11] they are commonly regarded as the embodiment of 60s youth culture.[12][13][14][15] They toured extensively around the world until August 1966,[16] when they performed their final commercial concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.[17] From 1966 onwards,frontman Lennon privately withdrew from public life with periodic remarks such as “I’m not going to be a Beatle for ever.”[18][19] In 1968–69 he radically altered his appearance while under the influence of LSD[20][21],set fire to his hair on stage during The Rolling Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus[22][23],and made distasteful comments about Christand helper monkeys on live television.[24] These activities temporarily derailed band relations but did not seriously affect album sales or chart success. By 1967 tensions had arisen between band members over creative differences partly inspired by drug useand relationships with other artists such as Herman’s Hermits’ Peter Noone ,[25] The Beach Boys’Brian Wilson,[26][27]and Yoko Ono.[28]:169 According to author Ian MacDonald: “McCartney wanted to soften [the band’s] image [in 1967]; Lennon wanted more rocking out.”[29]:240 Stern magazine declared them “the biggest idiots since Hitler”,disk jockey Alan Freed labelled them “degenerates”,TIME accused them of cultural vandalism,[30]:72 while Newsweek condemned them for encouraging young girls’ sexual fantasies.[29]:240 Following this critical backlash,[31]:206 COMMENTARY contributor Nathan Glazer lamented that they had become “the world’s most famous adolescents – famous for being famous – famous for embodying possibilities.”[32](p505) Although it is sometimes said that they became more musically ambitious as solo artists after leaving the band (see side projects), commentators have argued that greater commercial success concealed artistic decline during their later years together (see criticism section).

The Beach Boys

Psychedelic rock, also known as psytrance or psy, is a type of rock music that includes heavily distorted guitars, synthesizers, and electronic effects. The style originated in the late 1960s with bands like The Beach Boys and The Beatles. Psychedelic rock is often associated with the hippie movement and the use of drugs like LSD and MDMA.

Jangle pop is a type of pop music that includes jangly guitars and often has a 60s or 70s vibe. The term was coined by music journalist Greil Marcus in the 1980s to describe The Byrds and other similar bands. Jangle pop is usually more upbeat and positive than psychedelic rock.

The Kinks

Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psychedelia, is a wide-ranging style of rock music that is inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. The style typically incorporates unorthodox or experimental instrumentation, altered states of consciousness, and sometimes drug use. Psychedelic rock developed in the mid-1960s among young bands in London and San Francisco who were influenced by American rhythm & blues and British pop music.

The Kinks were one of the most important and influential bands of the British Invasion, scoring numerous hits in the 1960s with their brand of unusual but accessible pop-rock. The group’s leader, Ray Davies, was responsible for most of their classic songs, writing bittersweet tales of suburban boredom and frustration with a wry sense of humor; his elder brother Dave Davies provided the group’s searing lead guitar work. Combined with their tight arrangements and impeccable sense of hooks, the Kinks began crafting exactly the sort of short, punchy songs that would dominate pop radio for years to come.

Jangle Pop

characterized by ringing guitars (often 12-string) and light, catchy melodies. It is a subgenre of pop rock that originated in the early 1980s.

R.E.M.

R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, that was formed in 1980 by lead singer Michael Stipe, lead guitarist Peter Buck, bassist/backing vocalist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry. The band was one of the first alternative rock bands to achieve commercial success, and is recognized as being one of the leading bands of the genre’s second wave. R.E.M.’s success was built upon its recording of songs with strong hooks and guitar jangle combined with lyrical obscurity.

The Byrds

The Byrds were an American rock band, which was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band released a total of 12 studio albums and 30 singles during their career. They are considered to be one of the most influential bands of the 1960s and are credited with helping to pioneer the genre of psychedelic rock. The band’s signature sound was marked by the use of electric guitars and harmonies.

The Byrds’ success was short-lived, however, and they disbanded in 1973. In 1991, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Smiths

Jangle pop is a type of pop music characterized by its use of acoustic guitars and often incorporating elements of pop, rock, and country. The term “jangle pop” was coined in 1982 by Terry Tolkin, then editor of Trouser Press, to describe the music of bands such as The Byrds, R.E.M., and The Replacements.

Jangle pop is generally more melodic and introspective than other types of pop music, and often features jangly guitar riffs or hooks. The genre is also sometimes characterized by its use of chiming or jangling 12-string guitars, although this is not always the case. Jangle pop songs often feature chord progressions with lots of major seventh chords and ninth chords, giving the music a dreamy or nostalgic feel.

The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. The band consisted of lead singer Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke, and drummer Mike Joyce. The Smiths are considered one of the most influential bands of the 1980s, and their sound was a fusion of jangle pop and punk rock.